Leading Well

What does it mean to be a leader in the church, bear the office you you uphold that you didn't come to this.

To get the title you came to this to do the work of that ministry. The work of that leadership. And it's good to aspire to, not the office but to the work of the office itself. Leadership requires skill, bravery and humility, among other qualities or qualities that are not easy to come by.

They must be fostered over time with diligence and focus today on Renewing Your Mind.

We returned to our 2022 leader ministries national conference in an interview that our president and CEO Chris Larson did with pastor and author Dr. Harry Reid. The session is to discuss Christian leadership and I've been looking forward to this conversation ever since we planned it, not because of even just the topic but be able to have this time to to discuss with Dr. Harry reader. This subject area that is written on in 3D leadership but also something that is modeled something that he's also studied in terms of Christian leadership throughout the centuries we have some some common heroes throughout history as well and I think in this particular moment, Dr. reader, which were living both in the ecclesiastical setting as well as the cultural know you that were inhabiting leadership is been absent and leadership seems to be the thing that we are needing most and what we're dying truly to have a leader come along and to bring life through true leadership of what has created this vacuum in this particular moment.

Now interestingly I go up to Dr. little back and I will do some tours on skull faith and freedom.

And when we walk through Valley Forge. I do a talk on the three nose of George Washington date that gave us her country and then we go to the other places and get to his sit and listen to Peter as we walked through the room that has the statues of all of the constitutional attendees and commissioners and a walk-through there and I look at those men none of them perfect.

All of them have feet of clay. But I go through and I think of all of the stuff that they did in the wisdom that they had and we had less than 2 million people in this country that we had another at that time about 900,000 that weren't even being counted this people and we lost all of their gifts and abilities through the through chattel slavery and and as I look at us it what it meant we had 360 million people. I looked in that room and I try to imagine going to Washington and replicating that 360 million and I can't another some great leaders that we got there just absent.

No, I believe that somebody asked me when summer leaders made are born and my answer was yes.

I think that this both their some families it just turn out leaders and I think it's not just DNA is the environment of that family and what they do and how they do it so I think the I think that's the burden of my book was right now what I see happening is there's a loss of leadership. There's a lot of teaching of mechanisms to manipulate and control people in the name of leadership.

But what we need in terms of instructional aspirational and relational leadership. I just don't see it and I long for it and I long to see it. I long to see it produce that's why I wrote the book defining, developing and deploying leaders from the church into the church and from the church into the world.

We need to put leaders who are believers who think Christianly with a gospel saturated piety as presidents of universities and journalism in and business and elected office so that we get statesmen again.

We need to do that, but it you that's going to take some time to read.

That's for us to grasp the definition and communicate the definition of leadership to develop those leaders and you need the three legged stool of family school in a church they have to be together women so we have a lot of young people who have a lot of young people here and let's let's get into it.

Let's define leadership, and maybe even contrasted with management. It's not the same. Some people put those two things together. Leadership and management, but there are different, they both needed but let's define leadership. Well hi think leadership is the the ability to influence people to achieve a a valued and honorable goal or mission that's what I think leadership is the ability to influence people to achieve a worthwhile mission. So, so a leader there's three things about a leader. A leader knows their mission and they are unalterably committed to achieving nothing's going to stop them. Secondly, a leader takes care of his people. Thirdly, a leader is always reproducing themselves may go look at the life of Jesus.

How much time did he spend on the next generation of leaders. Almost all of it. I me a what he would do a withdraw way obviously first time with the father on the mountain and he would meet with the multitudes that he was constantly 7012 and three. He was constantly working on.

So when he ascends there's no vacuum when David finishes his purpose. Three chief men and 30 mighty men. When Moses finishes.

There is Joshua Caleb there's the elders of the church. When Paul finishes, there's Timothy and Titus and Luke, etc. leading women of those thing that they need. They have produced leadership, masculine and feminine leadership and they have produced it and it's ready to go into place so there's not a vacuum. Great leaders are always reproducing them say pretty much except farm you know except for the matters of privacy. Anything you do by yourself.

You just wasted time is a leader somebody ought to be on your hip pocket watch and what you doing talking to you in your modeling and mentoring for the so instructive even for me. And this is the subject that you just never stop learning about yes and in seeking to put it into practice tonight. The leaders that I've observed. They have a humility about them and that there they're eager to learn they're eager to study they're eager to improve yet. Once you quit learning quit lady. I just had the service of I have five different put this in the me through this in okay that there's three things lately on okay. So, I cannot leave here okay I'm trying to follow but and by the way, if you can't follow. You can't lead. Just don't leave if you are not able to submit yourself to other leaders in the God appointed arenas than you, you're not going to be a leader and so great leaders have always been great followers and so so when I'm trying to help leaders. I always tell them get get 3 to 5 models from the Bible are history to learn from 80% of what you learned in life is imitation Mideast ladies out here were never taught to teach a foreign language, but they taught their children a foreign language with no point of rent me when I learned Greek, Hebrew, Latin, Spanish.

I had a vocabulary cart your baby didn't have a vocabulary card you're starting from scratch and they've never been trained. They teach us because were born imitators. That's why Paul said imitate me as I imitate Christ. So get 3 to 5 models for your life. Get them from history because the last chapter was written when I remember a governor and in California name Reagan and a president by the name of Carter. They went to San Francisco, shook hands with the preacher and told all of us be like this guy. Three years later he's got 900 people drinking poison in South America so you want to wait to the last chapters been written for models. Now mentors you got to choose them. Get 3 to 5 mentors. I had RC and and make it easy for do not wait for mint people.

I get the guys come to music while nobody wants to mentor me and us will quit whining and go find a mentor and make it easy for them when I went RC and Frank Barker and Jim Boyce. I went to them and said, guys listen tonight two times a year. Can we do this. Can I call you three times a year and I promise confidentiality and I'll do everything to make it work because they're going to be asked by a lot of people that you can get your mentors from history unless you know how to channel so you gonna have to so you have to get them from the present, but use them wisely and then get 3 to 5 band of Brothers circle of sisters that will hold you accountable pray with you and encourage you get the same guys have been meeting with for 42 years and am very grateful for them and what that meant in my life so that's what I would say to people to begin to move forward and always be a learner learn from your models. Learn from your mentors. Learn from your band of brothers keep learning all the time when I would see Dr. Barker, I would say I would meet him and he would be sitting there, he would be doing one of two things. He would either be praying or should be reading a book. 86 years old and I would ask him. Dr. Barker, how are you doing fine. They look at me final order their personal you're just a great… Love meant. This is great. What you been reading that you think will help me he would ask me what he might read that would help them. But here's what impressed me. He never stop learning until he went to be with Jesus. Now he's learning like never before. And that's what I'm always a great leaders are verbal doors that you can't stop them from learning. When you look at Jesus example of servant hood. How does that inform and shape our thinking about leadership. Servant leader.

We hear those ideas going together and looking at the life of Christ. I think the servant leader takes joy in the success of the people there leading and the people that they are training to lead you just get great joy in that unit that you don't you're not jealous of it. Servant leader of the whole point is that the whole point is you want these people to move forward. The whole point is you want other leaders to learn to take your place and take it to another level so that a servant leader just says no to jealousy out own a part of that. Secondly, a servant leader. You don't have to tell them what you can tell them what to do, but you don't have to tell them what to do there already asking you there looking for lateness and salvation is free, discipleship, cost and leadership's gonna cost a lot more is just going to cost you personally, emotionally, spiritually, relationally, it's going to cost was that the Japanese say the tallest nail gets hit the first and the most and so is just going to happen. So that's my that's my my my, but here's what helps me is when Jesus goes into that room and he grabbed a towel and he does what no other disciples that taking care of which I should have. He grabbed a towel and he started Smitty start submissive ministering to them. The state has the power of the sword. The family has the power of the rod. The church and the leaders in the church have the power of the towel when I graduated from Westminster South in Florida theological center walked across the stage and I got to my Westminster degree with all my heroes that signed it. Yes and Bob Godfrey was on that he was there he did sign it and and then and then they handed me a towel you're now qualified to go wash me go serve and I think that's just the heart that you have to cultivate. It's not natural. When did you shift from speaking of, I verses we win in your ministry did you learned to to understand this is an about you. This is about us. I don't know but when I leave here. My wife will tell me when we did so no yeah I I honestly can't. Well, let me say this lady was on the missions trip with me and the Lord really blessed in this missions trip. She came up when we were standing in line and she said pastor. When did the Lord break you will. It didn't take me to the minute I could to administer and I'm so hardheaded to spend more than once, but that I knew exactly the one to go to the one make something clear, probably won't get into trouble on this ugly God, breaking us is something he does because he loves us, but he doesn't break us for us to embrace brokenness, he breaks us so that we embrace him and that if we don't put our confidence in ourselves. We need to be broken and we don't put confidence in brokenness.

We put our confidence in him. He is teaching us that we are more than conquerors in him. He's teaching us without him we can do nothing, but I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

It brokenness is what he has to do to get us to him. And so I can name a number of times in my life pretty hardheaded and and that would include learning.

It's not about me and that's when you move to the plural pronouns, we and us, and so even with the contrast between the world's conception of what a leader is and even as you've touched on Christ, modeling humility and service just how does the Christian faith. Help us to approach leadership in a distinctively helpful way. The way that God is structured this world to work over and against what the world would celebrate as leadership you know Chris, I think it I think you're doing a good job of it. Ligon nearby the way not see it in other churches and churches are seeing other ministries you can spot it, because the leader has set an environment that it's not about him and therefore everybody else picks that up or they don't last. It's not about me it's about the mission that's what it's about what God called us to do for his glory is about him and it's about the mission.

It's not about me and so I think when you see that in a Christian leader there's something attractive about it.

There's something that draws you into it and something that I that has to be cultivated and used since it it just begins to penetrate the culture of the church. The culture of the organization and I think the key to it is, is not simply not about me is the leader.

It's not about me as the leader because it's all about Jesus.

It's all about him. We won't him to be lifted up, and we in the leadership where the first ones to lift them up, not the last ones, but we are the first words and we want that to be done and that's the church, the family, the workplace, everywhere you everywhere you can just you can sense that not you can sense the humility that don't read do not read a personality package is humility. You know, introverts are humble and extroverts art that's that's an alarming I just don't think that's the way you do it. I just you. You pick it up in someone's life. You pick it up in their awareness their consideration. It's not all about them. You since it and it and I guess my favorite model is simply John the Baptist.

He doesn't say Jesus must increase without saying I must decrease. And he doesn't draw attention to himself by saying I must decrease.

He says I must decrease most intentionally. There is the Lamb of God, he wants Jesus to increase. That's what I think has dampened do think that there can be a temptation to confuse giftedness for godly leadership and how can we correct that course let me tackle that by first Timothy chapter 3 is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance, if any man aspired to the office of overseer. It is a fine work he desires to do what the debt just tell you if you long and you us, but that it if you aspire to the office of overseer that it what your aspiring to is a fine work your leadership is not wearing a title leadership is bearing the office you bear the office you you uphold that you got you your and you didn't come to this. To get the title you came to this to do the work of that ministry. The work of that leadership. And it's good to aspire to, not the office but to the work of the office itself that's what you're us which are called to do. Repeat that?

I guy got lost then I just confusing giftedness and godliness to vent the elder must be above reproach. So here's the ordained leadership, the elder must be above reproach and then you have 16 qualifications verses two and three. Your personal life, four and five.

Your family life. Six. Your church life or seven your community life above reproach in all of those areas.

Note there prioritized and then and then as you go through them. 15 of them deal with character and conduct only to deal with competencies and so I think that there's a clear message.

Godliness is more important than giftedness. I am not saying giftedness is not important, but I am saying godliness you give me a young man who is looking toward leadership for Christ in this world are in his church and he is pursuing godliness. I'll take you moan because I know he will either see to learn effective leadership are he'll be humble enough to go get other people where he isn't good and he'll be glad to put them in place because it's not about him.

That's why I look for that godliness more than anything else regularly say one more thing, a friend of mine asked me to teach a leadership which is how this booklet 3D leadership got bored and I said you know I just don't think I don't have any curriculum for that. He said yeah but he said Harry I want you to teach on multiplying and mobilizing leaders. I said I don't really have anything. He said I know I said certificate within why do you keep asking me to do it. If you know I don't have it. He says because I sense and watch you do it intentionally. I want you to do it more effectively and intentionally something to make you think about it was OLS good and that turned into the book. Here's how the book happened. I had three weeks away from teaching this thing and I stopped off at my favorite Scots Irish restaurant McDonald's and and did you know a big Mac. The sauce if the sauce anoint you and when I took the bite of the big Mac I immediately thought of Hebrews 13 and I opened up my Bible and there it said remember those who led you who spoke the word of God to you and considering the outcome of their life imitate their faith. Now if you hit heard me you'd say to Harry. Why is it so interesting is a leadership at the followership verse you got your three Presbyterian point. Remember, those who led you who spoke the word of God to you.

Consider the third of their life and imitate their faith. There's your three points at and so but what so where did the leadership part lies that the second bite of the big Mac and I saw that wait just a minute.

Those followership exhortations are possible because of three things that are assumed about leadership. Remember, those who led you leadership competencies couldn't remember those who led you who spoke the word of God to you. You can't speak to people what you don't know leadership content and considering the outcome of their life imitate their faith, leadership, character, character content and conduct well get my book for the rest of it. But here's what I say is what I say about this. I got to thinking. I know a lot of I know a lot of men in the ministry who have much better skills and competencies than I do, who are unbelievably adept in their grasp of theological concepts and issues but everywhere they go. Though they can preach and teach and this and that everywhere they go.

Things get split divided in this chaos because the issue was character so I don't teach competency first and content first.

I teach character first as if someone has character. They're going to go get the content in the going to develop the competencies of their go get people who will help them because it's not about them, and if character is there, they won't learn those skills and content to manipulate people.

They'll get it to motivate people that these people will know Christ better and Christ will be known better.

That's why I think the issue of what you just raised is so important giftedness. Yes, it's important, but godliness is absolutely essential for the faithful leader. It's inevitable. You've already touched on it.

Faithful leader is is going to have times of loneliness where they are going to be hurt, misunderstood what would you say to those watching to those here to those who have sought to follow Christ in servant leadership and yet they still find themselves wounded hurt, lonely, how would you encourage them. Okay can I do something now that's a leadership skill ice to walk with my daddy who's got a bigger than life for me and he put his arm around me and when he did I would afraid of anything and they would walk along what would walk along it kicked me in the rear end and I couldn't wait to get married and have a kid so I could do the same thing so I'm going to give you little bit of a kick first God calls men to act like men because leadership is going to hurt my daddy's calling you to put your big boy pants on. I am not being unfeeling.

I'm not been on thinking I'm accused of it. Every time I say this I understand it hurts. I under.

Please believe me I understand it hurts and I'm going to speak to them or put my arm around you and hug you up. The best I can virtually, but here's the other thing.

There's a reason I think there's a number of reasons why I believe in God's eyes, pre-start this morning, the way created masculinity that's and then getting saved to say no to toxic masculinity that comes from the fall and then develop a Christian manhood lifestyle that's growing in God's grace whereby circumstances do not dictate your character, they reveal it, and when, not if, when we falter becomes the opportunity to refine it. I think that what you gotta realize this thing is going to hurt. I'm gonna take it to the Lord of the call upon the Lord. I will let the Lord be my defender. I'm going to do all of that. But listen, y'all just heard some great stories of men love Jesus enough to die and something as painful as a fire on Broad Ave. in Oxford.

You'll never be able to get there until you're able to take the fiery darts with the with the grace of the Lord Jesus that Satan is going to fire at you if you can take those in life, you will build to take the flames on that day so just ask the Lord to be your strength then secondly get that group of brothers around you that can pray with you and for you and that you encourage them and they encourage you, so that they are there in your life. Thirdly, take this to the Lord and remember there's nothing that is happened to you that did not happen to him, and beyond and he is able he is able to empathize you cast all your cares upon him. Fourthly, remember he's doing something he's burning off the draws he's refining you and like the refiners fire when he's doing this through you anticipate what is yet to come. And when he burns the draws off he'll look in and see himself in you more than he would have before. So he's doing something trust them. He'll give you the strength he will give you peace that passes understanding. Jesus himself will stand guard over your heart.

You call upon him. Be anxious for nothing in everything by prayer and supplication make your press note and the peace of God will be with you little in the BR hundred understanding and Christ himself will stand century over your heart. But the Lord's done. He's just run the school bell he's teaching you something. I don't know about you, I want to learn as fast as I can so you ring the next bill and I go to recess and so just go ahead and start learning it. Find out what is doing. I think it was Dr. Godfrey that said earlier. What Peter tells us in one of the things Peter's tone this is this he is bringing home what Jesus taught him and that was this if you live for Christ and if you lead for Christ you're going to be persecuted, you're going to be reviled. It here's here's the fact all who live in Christ are going to suffer to some degree in some manner to some for some reason in life and when you do, he will be with you, and you can count it all joy not because of rejoicing in the pain but rejoicing in what Christ is doing in this. That's why you get a guy like Tolkien and you get a guy like Lewis who can create wonderful words like you catastrophe that in the midst of this, there's something great and glorious going on and when he tells you.

I'm not promising you all things are good, but I am promising you all things work together for good, then you can believe that. And one more thing I would just tell you your people are watching their going to hit the hard dynamics of life in their going to suffer and when you and I have walked before them, and God willing, they have seen an imperfect but by God's grace and intentional model that we had put our confidence in Jesus in the midst of the trial, knowing he's got something for the eternal weight of his glory and the eternal good of my soul.

That's Dr. Harry Reeder was the senior pastor of Briarwood Presbyterian Church and the author of 3D leadership and the leadership dynamic reader was one of our speakers this past March international conference or theme was upholding Christian ethics are speakers considered how God's word takes the moral confusion that we see all around us and it puts it in proper perspective.

We have a biblical understanding of ethics were prepared to stand for the truth were prepared to love our neighbors well and seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, listening to Renewing Your Mind on the Saturday bodily web resource offer today is RC Sproul's book, everyone's a theologian, an introduction to systematic theology in it. Dr. Spruill surveys the basic truths of the Christian faith.

And if you've never contacted us before would be happy to send you a free copy you can make your request online. When you go to Renewing Your Mind.org. If you are new to the ministry, but we also recommend that you explore the many podcasts we producer is looking here.

For example, you can learn about the people and events that have shaped the church over the years with Dr. Stephen Nichols's podcast is five minutes in church history or Barry Cooper will teach you that the big words that we find in theology textbooks really want is difficult as we may think this podcast is simply put, you can explore them all@ligonier.org/podcasts next Saturday will hear another message from the 2022 lead international conference. Dr. Steven Lawson will encourage us to press on the drums for that next week here on Renewing Your Mind