The Sign of Our Times…

Are leaders able to know the signs of our times? Are they aware of the cultural changes developing daily?

The direction of our world can be frightening and exciting at the same time. The opportunities have never been greater. The needs have never been more pressing.

The message never changes, but the methods we use to approach our current time needs attention. If the methods we use are outdated, the effectiveness is limited.

Can we see the signs of the times, or are we doing the same things in the same ways expecting different results? It deserves thinking about.

Cultural Power…

Culture is a relative term. We do know that culture is a word connected to cultivating, gardening. Culture is defined as the beliefs, customs, arts, etc. of a particular society, group of people, time and place. Culture is also characterized by a way of thinking, belief, or behavior.

Our world is a multi-cultural place, and there are numerous cultures within cultures.

Leaders work to understand the culture, but changing the culture is far from easy, if not impossible.

Jesus seems to follow a good approach with the 1st century culture. How will we lead in the 21st century culture?

Faithfulness…

Faithfulness is rooted in the very character of God. Reliability, steadfastness, constancy, fidelity, dependability, trustworthiness are all words that describe the qualities of God’s faithfulness.

Amidst the increasing instability of our culture we discover several obstacles to faithfulness.

Nurturing the temporal and disposable elements of life challenge lasting faithfulness. Shunning commitments and focusing our loyalty on improper objects become obstacles to our faithfulness as leaders.

However, we cultivate faithfulness when we celebrate God’s abiding presence, lift Him up in worship, keep our promises, and tell the truth.

Kenneson raises several powerful questions and provides suggestions to the other-directed nature of faithfulness on pages 194-195.

Goodness…

Goodness is a fruit to be cultivated in the midst of a self-help culture. Three thoughts introduce the idea of goodness.

One, the consistent testimony in scripture that God alone is unequivocally good.

Two, if sin makes us incapable of goodness apart from God, as those created in His image, we possess the potential for goodness.

Three, knowing what counts for good can only be determined under the guidance of God’s Spirit.

We cultivate goodness by naming our sin, attending to God’s word, and imitation.

When leaders are characterized by goodness, self-awareness, upward attention, and outward activity cultivate this fruit.

The Walk of a Leader…

Scripture figuratively uses the word “walk” to describe the behavior or conduct of one’s life. 

One of the most powerful descriptions that characterizes the Christian way of life is given by Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith and not by sight.” 

Leaders must set the example. There is no greater example than a life characterized by continually walking in step with the qualities described in God’s word.

Consider the influence of a leader who lives each day by faith. They walk with God. They put others above themselves. They seek things above, not of this earth.

Leaders, we need to keep on walking.