Dan Allender brings an interesting perspective on leadership from the standpoint of both a business organization and a church/Christian ministry in his book “Leading with a Limp.” Most intriguing is the brutal honesty he brings to the cost of leadership. Decision is appropriately equated with death, as each choice cuts off more than just opportunity cost, but also the hopes and dreams of someone on the team. He strips away all the superficial ego-stroking glorious power misconceptions that often come with being a leader and reveals the grim realities of crisis, complexity, betrayal, loneliness, and weariness. Allender's response to this dark side of leadership seems counter intuitive at first. Instead of basing your leadership on your strengths and gifts, to embrace vulnerability and lead out of your weaknesses and failures. (Click "Read More" for full review)
Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
The Achilles heal of strength
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Biblical Foundations of Leadership Notes
MIN5310 – Roy King
Winter 2011
Other Notes Takers:
Larry Epps,
Sandra Ladson,
Wayne Hill
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9)
I've never thought about the difference between ‘peacemaking’ and ‘peacekeeping’. Dr. King's point that unity is not simply peace rings true. "Peace can be reduced to avoiding engaging in open conflict and yet still be emotionally distant and cold."
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Biblical Foundations of Leadership Notes
MIN5310 – Roy King
Winter 2011
Other Notes Takers:
Larry Epps,
Sandra Ladson,
Wayne Hill
Though I've never served in the military, I have received a taste of combat training within martial arts. Life in preparation for combat seems to cycle through long hours of waiting and training only to be followed by intense blink-of-an-eye battles. And the cycle often repeats depending the tour of duty.
Christians often interpret various bible passages differently and different ministry methods or theologies emerge. I agree with Roy King that many biblical truths seem to exist in tension with a counterbalancing belief. Sadly, many books and popular speakers seem to market themselves by embracing one consistent extreme while denouncing all opposing views. This not only breeds disunity, but denies elements of the truth inherent to the opposing view that creates the tension. The key is to recognize that the solution normally doesn't lie in compromise, but in a "third" and potentially unknown means of reconciling the two positions. Sadly, the difficult challenge of navigating the Truth to stand in the center of biblical tension seems overlooked.
(Roy King - Learning from God HOW to communicate change)
I once gave a
sermon equating pride to the tumorous looking root of a thorny backyard weed, but I think sometimes we underestimate how deep those roots can go or the forms they can take.
- The pride of "Intentional Choice" is Rebellion. We choose something or someone to worship in our own way in a crude form of idolatry, or we choose to worship and exalt ourself as a way of saying "I am my own god."
- The pride of the "Unintentional Choice " is Drifting. As we get caught up in the distractions of life we tend to forget who God is and what he's done for us. As life gets busier and we get more overwhelmed our time spent with God dwindles. In the end we end up living as an practical-atheists. We say we belief, but actions and our lives say otherwise as we strive to live purely under our own strength.
- The pride of "Failed Choice" is Unbelief. Not making a choice is ironically a choice (aka "silence is consent). As a result, the world will rush to fill the void of the unmade choice to trust God with fear and worry.
(Roy King - Humility)
Volumes could be written to answer this question, but Roy King provides us with a brief four-part response:
It is the demonstration of God’s steadfast love
Psalm 107 reveals the consistency of God's love despite the rampant evil and destruction of this world.
It is the encounter with God’s redeeming power
Psalm 107 continues to reveal that those exposed to God's redeeming love can't help but exude gratefulness and praise for The Lord.
It is the source of joy for all people
John 16:20-24 reveals that our sorrow will turn to joy and only in the presence of our creator and savior will we fully fulfilled.
It confronts and replaces idols who rob their followers of life
1 Thessalonians 1:8-10 reveals that our purpose cannot be found or fulfilled in the things of this world, but only in Jesus Christ.
(Roy King - How Does the Church Spread the Gospel)
Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4 ESV)
The first time I heard Psalm 37:4 I somehow only focused on the second half. I followed the world's natural eisegesis that surely God wants me to be happy, so he'll give me whatever personal things my heart desires. (Click "Read More")
