Servant Leadership is More about Character than Style |
- Servant Leadership is More about Character than Style
- Our Doings are the Reflection of Our Thinking and Theology
- Use Plain Language
- Seventeen Messages (Sort of) from God
| Servant Leadership is More about Character than Style Posted: 24 May 2014 07:59 AM PDT
"Servant leadership is more about character than style" (Ken Blanchard) In his book, Servant Leadership, Robert Greenleaf defines two kinds of leaders. Strong natural leaders are those who try to take control, make decisions, and give the orders in any situation in which they find themselves. They have a need to be in charge. Strong natural servants, on the other hand, will assume leadership only if they see it as a way in which they can serve. You would think that natural leaders would use a directive, autocratic style while natural servants would use a more supportive, participative style. This assumption falls short because it confuses style with character. I want to be led by strong natural servants because they are willing to use whatever leadership style – directive, supportive, or some combination – best serves the needs of those they lead. Remember that the primary biblical image of servant leadership is that of the shepherd, because the flock is not there for the sake of the shepherd; the shepherd is there for the sake of the flock.* THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP. *taken from Ken Blanchard's The Heart of a Leader: Insights on the Arts of Influence.   | ||
| Our Doings are the Reflection of Our Thinking and Theology Posted: 22 May 2014 08:55 PM PDT
Like it or not, people will judge us by our actions. Small acts of kindness are not insignificant gestures, they are thoughtful expressions which say, without verbalization, "God loves you." Unfortunately, to many, small acts of kindness are becoming a lost art. Don't let this happen. Be the one who still place on importance on small acts of kindness which make others feel important in the eyes of God and you. It is good for us to know that people are not so interested in hearing us expound on our particular philosophy of life or our theological knowledge on everything. I'm not saying that all of these are not important – it is! – But first people are more interested in seeing how our beliefs and convictions are working. Our actions are reflections of our thinking and theology. If others see that we are joyful, self-control, patient, kindness, truthful, they will ask what we are doing to make these things happen. How God have changed your life. There is not need to be "preachy" because, as the saying goes, "More truth is caught than taught." Religious people may talk about peace, love, faith and their great happiness in religion, but all we have to do is look at their lifestyles to know just how well it is working. Lord Jesus puts it this way about the false prophets and those who claim their pious religiosity: "By their fruits you will know them" (Matthew 7:16, 7:20). Are you exercising your faith now? The Holy Spirit be with you. Amen. THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP. | ||
| Posted: 22 May 2014 06:54 AM PDT  We simply cannot communicate with others unless we learn how to use plain language. Something definitely lacking in our ability to communicate if what we says cannot be understood by a child (I still have this difficulty though). Now this may sound ridiculous, but is it true. In my early years as a Christian staff worker, I discovered that the effectiveness of my Bible Study with students was directly related to how simple I could make complicated, hard teachings easy to understand (or at least help them to think systematically about it). The burden of holding someone's attention, whether it be an audience or individual, falls on us. And no one will pay attention to what they don't understand. I observe that many passionate first-time urban Christians when they go to rural area for mission trip cannot communicate with those on a lower knowledge level because they have never learned or been taught how to make Bible teachings simple enough. If someone fails to understand us, it does not necessarily mean that they are stupid or rebellious. More than likely, we have not explained our point clearly or simply enough. Not being simplistic but plain and simple. Read the Gospel's stories and you'll noticed that Jesus doesn't communicate the truths in a King James's language, He talked in plain language – the contemporary language of the people. He speaks great truths in everyday language and parables. Let's learn lesson from Jesus and use simple stories, demonstrations, parables and examples to convey what we mean, what God mean. In communicating Biblical truths we must rely on the Holy Sprit to open people's hearts and their mind's eyes to accept and understand the truth. But it doesn't mean that we're not responsible on how they received it. We must, by all cost, learn to use plain language so that people can genuinely respond to Jesus' work on the Cross and says, "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28). THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP. | ||
| Seventeen Messages (Sort of) from God Posted: 21 May 2014 05:59 AM PDT  In 1998 a Fort Lauderdale advertising agency launched a billboard campaign (including the inside and outside of buses) that included seventeen different "messages from God":
If God is not all things to you, He is not everything to you. THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP. |
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