John Maxwell - Laws of Lifetime Personal Growth

If you are a leader or aspire to lead, I recommend books by John Maxwell and his leadership newsletter, Leadership Wired.

In this weeks newsletter is an article on the laws of discipline needed to continue to grow as a leader and not grow stagnant.

Maxwell writes; "At what age did you stop growing taller? The average age when the human body stops getting taller is debatable, but it’s generally between the ages of 16 and 21. I often wonder at what age most leaders stop growing. Unfortunately, in my experience, most people settle into average by the end of their 20’s. Rarely will you find a person committed to a comprehensive personal growth plan into their 30’s, 40’s, or beyond.

As children we grew year after year, sometimes in spurts, sometimes imperceptibly, but our bodies were always growing. The growth of a leader can be similar. At times, it may feel like the wheels are spinning and no headway is being made. In other seasons, new breakthroughs and victories are clear indicators of a growth spurt. To grow consistently, the key is to manage your daily agenda. I wish I could pass along an easier solution or secret formula for leadership growth, but daily discipline makes all the difference between growth and stagnation.
In this edition of Leadership Wired, I would like to pass along a few growth principles to guide you in your daily journey of leadership growth. This lesson draws heavily upon a brilliant resource, The Laws of Lifetime Growth, authored by Dan Sullivan and Catherine Nomura. You may visit their website at http://www.lifetimegrowth.com/.

Law #1 – Always Make Your Future Bigger Than Your Past."

Read the rest of the article here...

Spiritual Leadership #4 - Natural vs. Spiritual - Sanders

# 4 in series of blogs on Spiritual Leadership by : J. Oswald Sanders

In ch. 4 Sanders writes that there is a definite difference in natural and spiritual leadership. He quotes from A. W. Tozer; "A true and safe leader is likely to be one who has no desire to lead, but is forced into a position by the inward pressure of the Holy Spirit and the press of circumstances..."

Contrast of Natural and spiritual leadership:

Natural vs. Spiritual

1. Self-confident vs. Confident in God
2. Knows men vs. Also knows God
3. Makes own decisions vs. Seeks God's will
4. Ambitious vs. Humble
5. Creates methods vs. Follows God's example
6. Enjoys command vs. Delights in obedience to God
7. Seeks personal reward vs. Loves God and others
8. Independent vs. Depends on God

Why is it so easy to slip into leading without the spirit? We are naturally naturals...

Spritual Leadership #3 - Servant - Sanders

# 3 in series of blogs on Spiritual Leadership by : J. Oswald Sanders

In ch. 3 Sanders writes, "Jesus was a revolutionary, not in the guerrilla warfare sense, but in His teaching on leadership. The term servant speaks everywhere of low prestige, low respect, low honor. most people are not attracted to such a low-value role. When Jesus used the term, however, it was a synonym for greatness. And that was a revolutionary idea."

Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. Matt. 13:3-5

I learned early in our church plant that usually people who wanted to lead without serving first were just looking for power. I have heard John Maxwell say to never make someone a leader unless they were willing to mop the floors first. Even in a small new church there are people who just want control and influence. They say, "Never go grocery shopping when you're hungry." I say, "Never choose a leader when you are desperate."

At first I was looking for people that were breathing and willing. I made some bad choices out of desperation and paid with pain, heartache, and set-backs.

Sanders writes that there are two principles of leadership that the church must never forget. Jesus teaches us that leaders are 1) called and are 2) willing to suffer the cost of servant leadership.

Jesus said, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?”

The sovereign calling of God to lead is important. I think it is impossible to servant lead without the calling. Jesus said it costs to serve in My kingdom. It costs you your self. Someone that wants to lead to gain power will not be serving God's Kingdom. Sanders wrote; "Men and women leading in that task must have eyes wide open, and hearts willing to follow the Master all the way."

Sanders gives six qualities of a servant leader.

1. Dependency on God
2. Approval - seeking the approval of God
3. Modesty - "God's servant conducts a ministry that appears almost self-effacing."
4. Empathy
5. Optimism - "Pessimism and leadership are at the opposite ends of life's attitudes."
6. Anointing

"May we follow close to the great Servant, and receive the Spirit who shows us more of the Master."

Spritual Leadership #2 - Sanders

# 2 in series of blogs on Spiritual Leadership by : J. Oswald Sanders

I don't know a percentage, but there are not many people who are willing to step up, take the risk, and be a leader. For example; I have served on two juries in the last six years or so. In both cases, when the jury came together for the first time, there was no battle to be foreman. In each case, because I had just opened my mouth and made a couple of suggestions, the majority of the jurors pointed at me and named me foreman. (It may seem weird to you, but I thought it was fun) Even born leaders are often afraid to step up to the plate, use their natural talents, and take on the responsibility of leadership.

And if you think its tough finding leaders in the secular world, even leaders in the secular world are not often willing to take on the role of spiritual leader.

The Bible teaches us that God is searching for the person who is willing to commit to God (a person after His own heart) and lead others.

In Ch. 2 Sanders writes, Christianity needs, "leaders who are authoritative, spiritual, and sacrificial." God wants Christian leaders to be willing to be used by Him so people can see how strong God is. "Not all who aspire to leadership are willing to pay such a high personal price." We have to get ready to pay the price of spiritual leadership and this comes in a life of spiritual discipline before one answers his or her call to be a spiritual leader.

Sanders closes ch. 2 with a warning. "If those who hold influence over others fail to lead toward the spiritual uplands, then surely the path to the lowlands will be well worn."

Spritual Leadership #1 - Sanders

My staff and a men's leadership development group I am leading are reading Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders. It is a great book on the subject and in the days to come I will be sharing some information from the book and giving some of my own comments.

I read this book several years ago and I may be getting more out of this read than the last. Although pastors and lay leaders are addressed directly throughout the book, I believe it is a must read for all Christ-Followers. If one of the definitions of leader is, "a leader is a person of influence," and if we are all given the power to witness (Acts 1:8), then it is a must read.

At the beginning of ch. 1 Sanders writes, "Most Christians have reservations about aspiring to leadership. They are unsure about whether it is truly right for a person to want to be a leader"...they think, "is it not better for the position to seek out the person rather than the person to seek out the position."

As I stated earlier, I believe we are all as Christ-followers leaders due to the influence we have on others. The question is, "do we want to accept our biblical responsibility to influence?" Since we are empowered by the Spirit to influence, we are influencing whether we accept the responsibility of it or not. Are you influencing people towards Jesus, or away?

Now when we accept a role of teacher or leader as part of God's church, it even puts us at a higher level of accountability and is honored by God. God says, "Way to go son or daughter."

It is true that if a man wants to be a church leader, he wants to do a good work. 1 Tim 3:1 (NLV)

Why you want to be a leader is important, and as with all other decisions we make, God looks at the heart. Sanders writes, "Our Lord never taught against the urge of high achievement, but he did expose and condemn unworthy motivation....Jesus taught that ambition that centers on the self is wrong...Ambition that centers on the glory of God and welfare of the Church is a mighty force for good."

"We must aim to put more into life than we take out."

"Because we children of Adam want to become great,
He became small.
Because we will not stoop,
He humbled Himself.
Because we want to rule,
He came to serve."

A Life Of Faith

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Heb 11:1

Oswald Chambers writes: "Living a life of faith means never knowing where you are being led. But it does mean loving and knowing the One who is leading. It is literally a life of faith, not of understanding and reason— a life of knowing Him who calls us to go. Faith is rooted in the knowledge of a Person, and one of the biggest traps we fall into is the belief that if we have faith, God will surely lead us to success in the world."

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. Heb 11:6

Speed Trap

I have not had a speeding ticket in over twenty years. I have only had two in my life, and they were in the same year.

We were driving back from Angel Fire, NM and, as we came into the city limits of Clayton, NM, we passed the most awful smell ever smelled on a highway. We were going 70 mph as we passed a cattle yard with more cows stuffed in what looked like too small of a pin than should be allowed.

After turning off our A/C and holding my breath, I noticed a 30 mph sign as we came over a hill and entered Clayton. I took my foot off the gas and coasted up and over the hill.

Then I saw him, sitting on the side of the road, just waiting for me to come over the hill.

I looked at my speedometer and turned to Lisa and said., "He got me."

No hello, no good afternoon, just "I clocked you going 42 in a 30. You can sign this ticket to pay $80.00 or fight it in court."

I was polite and asked if it always smelled this bad in Clayton. He smiled and said it was a good day 'cause the wind was out of the North.

My wife mailed in the $80.00 this morning.

Seven Demands of Leadership

In this week's "Leadership Wired", John Maxwell reviews the findings of Gallup’s research on the Seven Demands of Leadership, and supplements them with his own thoughts.

The Seven Demands of leadership are:

• Visioning
• Maximizing Values
• Challenging Experience
• Mentoring
• Building a Constituency
• Making Sense of Experience
• Knowing Self

The explanation of these demands can be found here......

Only Fell Once

Three trips down the mountain, nine miles of skiing, one fall......That is right, I only hit the slope one time....

MIRACLE

Maybe I do like skiing...

We will see tomorrow.

Time Off In Angel Fire

My wife and I are with friends staying in a house in Angel Fire New Mexico...

I guess I forgot how many stars there are and how bright they are....

God set these lights in the heavens to light the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 This all happened on the fourth day. Gen 1:17-19 NLT

Thank you God

Tomorrow...We hit the slopes...No really, I will hit the slopes...

I wish I could ski...