Be secure

2022-04-06
2 Timothy 1:7 MSG

The foundation of good leadership is security. Paul told Timothy, “God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.” You must know with certainty that God called you, equipped you, and guaranteed your ultimate success. And you must keep this in mind when people stop liking you, when funding drops, when morale dips, and others reject you. If you feel insecure, fear will eventually cause you to sabotage your own leadership.

Confident leaders see what is, while maintaining their vision of what can be. They’re rarely content with things the way they are. As President Ronald Reagan once quipped, “Status quo… is Latin for ‘the mess we’re in!'” By definition, “to lead” is to be out in front, breaking new ground, vanquishing new worlds, and proceeding away from the status quo.

Dissatisfaction with the status quo doesn’t mean having a bad attitude or complaining; it has to do with a readiness to be different and to take risks. A person who won’t risk change is someone who fails to grow. A leader who loves the status quo is someone who soon turns into a follower. Raymond Smith of Bell Atlantic Corporation once remarked, “Administrators are easy to find and cheap to keep. Leaders – risk takers – are in very short supply. And the ones with vision are pure gold.”

Many people are more comfortable dealing with old troubles than doing what it takes to find new solutions; risk seems dangerous to them. The secret lies in having a winning attitude – one that comes from being secure in who you are and what you have been called to do. Think about it!

Soul food: Lev 8-10; Luke 22:14-23; Ps 50:1-15; Pro 9:10-11

Challenges for the church of today

2019-12-18
Ephesians 3:10 NLT

Here are three of the challenges the church faces today: (1) We can’t experience a new move of God if we insist on clinging to an old one. “God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety.” The word revival doesn’t simply mean awakening something that’s asleep. It also means resurrecting that which is dead or dying, and causing it to come to life again. (2) We fear excess, so we embrace mediocrity and call it balance. People aren’t drawn to us because of our similarities, but because of the things that make us unique. When it comes to our faith and our testimony, we mustn’t downplay, soft-pedal, or sidestep the very things God has given us that make us distinctive. If we do, people will be disappointed and go elsewhere. The disciples didn’t blend in with the crowd; their message and the demonstration of its power made them stand out. (3) We need to make room in the church for risk-takers and faith-walkers. In the first miracle Jesus worked, changing water into wine, Mary told the servants, “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it” (John 2:5). Our need to be liked and to be popular can lead to a religious spirit that cripples risk-taking and faith-walking. Jesus promised: “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me” (Acts 1:8). So when God tells us to “do church” differently, let’s not be afraid to step out and obey Him.

Soul food: Zech 9-11; John 21:1-14; Ps 12; Prov 31:1-5