Decide to Become One of the Few Good Leaders in This World
If you believe that you are called to the ministry, then you are called to leadership. That is why this sermon is very important for your life. So that you will be a good leader for the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul wrote to Timothy and told him to do certain things to make him a good leader. There are good ministers and bad ministers. Decide to be a good minister!
…thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ…
1 Timothy 4:6
If you are going to be effective in the ministry, you must study leadership. Whenever I go into a bookshop, I find myself gravitating towards the leadership section. I have read countless books on leadership. I have studied this all-important subject. I want to be a good leader. Good things do not drop on you like ripe mangoes from a tree. You have to study and discover all that there is to learn.
It is obvious that there are not many good leaders around. If there were, you and I would be able to point them out without much difficulty! I believe that there are many reasons why there are few outstanding leaders, but let us start by looking at why people do not want to be leaders in the first place!
Five Reasons Why People Avoid Leadership Responsibilities
1. Many people do not know that they are leaders.
They do not know because no one has told them so! They don’t even know that they have the ability to lead. Some people think that only a few people are born to lead. I do not believe that few people are born to lead. I believe that many people are born with the ability to lead but they are not prepared to pay the price to become leaders.
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Matthew 20:16
For many are called, but few are chosen.
Matthew 22:14
The Bible teaches us that many are called to service. Anyone who yields himself to the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ becomes an automatic leader. A minister of the gospel has to demonstrate leadership qualities and abilities all the time.
If you are called to His service, then you are called to be a leader. You cannot avoid it!
2. People fear that they will be accused and hated.
Leaders are often accused of being ambitious. They are often accused of having bad motives. I was very surprised when I heard some people accuse me of being in the ministry for money. But God spoke to me and told me that it is inevitable that I should be accused. Every good leader has many enemies. The nature of good leadership is that it charts out a course and maintains the direction. This means that you may cross over and hurt certain people.
And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:27
Many years ago, I told a brother that I did not want to be a leader in a certain fellowship. I told him that I was a quiet person and that I enjoyed my privacy. I told him that I did not want to preach or to lead. But God had another plan for me and today I am a leader in God’s house. Becoming a leader will cost you your valued life. I have very little private life left. Most people know a lot of things about me. I am discussed in people’s homes and cars. Like all leaders, I am praised by some and criticized by others. This is the lot of a leader. This is why some people shun leadership. But Jesus said that you should take up the cross and follow him. Christianity involves sacrifice. It is worth becoming a leader within the church.
3. People do not want to end up disgraced and hated as many prominent leaders have been.
There are many leaders who have ended up in disgrace after taking up the mantle of leadership. Others have experienced terrible hurts and had bitter experiences. Some have been crucified by the people they led.
I have personally watched how leaders have been rewarded with evil after many years of service. I have seen several (and I mean several) churches throw out their pastor after he has led them for many years. I have seen pastors ridiculed and humiliated by members they have ministered to for years and at great expense. I have watched pastors being rejected over issues like cars and houses. How sad! We all know how Jesus was crucified after three and a half years of ministry. That was his reward for being a shining light to His people.
In my country, I have seen several Heads of State come to unnatural deaths after ruling the nation for some years. We have seen judges being murdered in cold blood after delivering judgments they thought were right. Who then would like to be a leader in such an environment? When you study the fate of the leaders around, it is only natural that people shun leadership and choose a quiet life of peace and anonymity. I can understand why somebody would stay away from the world of lying politicians and corrupt leadership.
I am urging you to take up the mantle of Christian leadership. I am urging you to take up the call to leadership in the church. It is worth it! The challenges are very similar to secular leadership. The accusations are often the same. But it is worth it!
Secular leaders work for human rewards like money and fame. But these are perishable rewards. When you work for Jesus you receive an everlasting reward.
…Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
1 Corinthians 9:25
There are many times that I have experienced the pains of being in leadership. But when I think of the rewards that await those who faithfully do the will of God, I become encouraged. I know that one day I will be glad about everything.
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Hebrews 12:2,3
4. People think that they are not good enough to be leaders.
Some people think they are not morally up to the standard of leadership. Others think that they have no leadership qualities. Others feel that they have too many personal problems to become leaders. They cannot imagine being saddled with other people’s problems.
I have good news for you today! God does not work with perfect people. He works with willing people. He looks at the heart and he understands your human weakness. If Jesus had looked for perfection, I can assure you that none of the disciples would have qualified for leadership positions in the church. Take Peter for example; he betrayed the Lord Jesus three times just a few weeks before he was ordained. He swore and cursed as though he had received no training. Yet, the Lord used him. Take the other disciples, who argued over their positions in Heaven. “Who would be the greatest?” they asked.
And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
Luke 22:24
After arguing over who would be the greatest, they all deserted Christ when he needed them most. Would you trust such people? Would you use such people? Yet the Lord did! You do not have to be perfect to become a leader. If that were the case, then there would be no leaders in the world or in the church. This does not mean that there are no standards. God expects the highest standards of character and morality. And yet, he works with imperfect people.
God looks at the heart. Make sure that your heart is right and God will be able to use you.
…for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7
5. Most people are too selfish to be leaders.
Such people care only about themselves. They are happy to have salvation. They are happy to have the Holy Spirit. They are happy to have prosperity. But they couldn’t care less about anybody else. “Once I am okay,” they think, “Everything is okay.” That is a spirit of selfishness.
A selfish person cannot be bothered to go through any training or sacrifice to become a leader. He will not expend any energy to help another soul. If Christ had decided to stay in the comfort of Heaven, where would you be today? He rose out of the grave and you cannot even get out of bed. I rebuke that spirit of laziness and selfishness! Thank God for missionaries. Thank God for people who traveled away from their homes into foreign cultures just because they wanted to help somebody.
