Leading and Inspiring
Original Airdate: July 10, 2008
We're back! After out short hiatus, which was longer than we planned, we're back on the scene with more episodes for your listening pleasure.
This week we talk about leading others. It's not the kind of leading the bible speaks to when it talks about some who are leaders. This isn't kind of leadership that sits at the top of churches and guides their directions. This is the kind of leadership that's more of a guiding light to the people around us. So, come join up for an episode that moves from the theoretical to the practical of super average leadership.
Glad to hear you gentlemen
Glad to hear you gentlemen back.
Humility
It's funny. During a Bible study I attended just last night, one of the questions asked to define humility. Many of the definitions that came from members in my group dealt with putting others first, serving, submitting to God, etc. which were all great defintions.
However, I defined humility as acknowledging my own state--mortal, temporal, and sinful--and what that means. Which I think goes along with a lot of the things you guys mentioned.
Leading others, especially in a Christian way, I think, means worrying about yourself and your relationship with God first and foremost and then using that relationship to bless others. That even puts the whole "log/plank in your eye" passage into a new light.
The 360 Degree Leader
Glad to hear the SAP crew back in action! This podcast was a great discussion. Maybe it was your best so far, or maybe it's just been a long time, but either way, it was good stuff.
As far as the difference between Christians and non-Christians, I think it starts with motivation to live at a higher level. Even so, we can do nothing in our own strength, neither modeling Christ nor understanding scripture. The Bible says that it's the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that makes either of these things possible. Going to Him in prayer for guidance can make a big difference in either of these areas.
In the context of your discussion about leadership, I highly recommend John Maxwell's The 360 Degree Leader. We are all leaders. That doesn't mean we're all in charge. In most organizations, there's only one person at the top. But even the lowest person can, as someone mentioned, lead themselves. Maxwell asserts that we lead up, across and down.
For example, Bob and Matt led up when they influenced their church leadership to implement a community web site. You're leading up to pastors and leaders in other churches via the G&G podcast, the conference, and business relationships. You lead across to other podcasters. I know, because I've heard other podcasts mention G&G. You lead down by helping those who are just starting out and are coming to you for help. You're leading a bunch of G&G listeners like me who listen to SAP just because it's you guys, and have us thinking about Christian issues we might not otherwise be considering.
Nobody came out and gave you the official title of "The Church Drupal Guys," but by stepping up and deciding that you wanted to help people in other churches, your area of influence has grown to what it is today.
If you define leadership in those terms, then yes, every one of us is a leader. In one of his books, Maxwell used the metaphor of a dog sled team. When you're leading from the middle of the pack, the view doesn't change much. In those cases, we just have to keep following the one with the larger vision. But we're not just along for the ride, we're still pulling our piece of the rope.
I agree with Dion and Joe that no, we can't all be in charge, and it's not usually our place to tell others what they should be doing. But we all have a place where we can lead by example, for good or for bad, and we should be intentional about those areas of our lives.
Micah