SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP

 

SERIES  : PART 4 - A SPIRITUAL LEADER HAS COURAGE CREATED BY CONVICTION 

By Lt. Colonel Patrick Sithole 

He is convinced that God has called him to and equipped him for the task, that he has (in the words of Esther 4:14) been providentially placed by God in such a place as this for such a time as this and for such a purpose as this (he is the right person in the right place at the right point in time for the right purpose). 

He is a man of faith, not fear (you can’t have one with the other, Matthew 8:26). 

His faith is in the Word of God and in the God of the Word. 

His authority comes from an apprehension of the fact that he has been divinely authorized to act (Joshua 1:9 and Matthew 28:18-20); his authority to lead comes from his authorization by the Lord. 

The more completely convinced he is from God’s Word of what God has called and commissioned him to do, the more confidently and courageously he will lead. 

The more clearly, he is able to communicate this commission, the more competently he will lead. 

He is not afraid to fail, nor afraid to try to keep from failing. 

He is not afraid of his followers, but of the One he is following. 

He is not afraid to fight when the cause is right (while he may prefer to be a lover rather than a fighter, he is a leader, so he will do both). 

He is a man with guts, like Athanasius in the 4th century, who, when told that the whole world was against him in his fight against Arianism and its heresy that Christ was created, replied, “Then I am against the whole world!” 

Courageous leadership is the willingness to exert influence, make decisions, and communicate clearly when circumstances are difficult, solutions are unclear, and the consequences are significant. 

Truly courageous leadership is not driven by personal opinions or self-promotion; it is motivated by biblical convictions and the need to point people to Christ. 

Courageous spiritual leadership cçççis so convinced of the Word of God and concern for the church of God that it is willing to pay any price necessary to lovingly lead people to follow Christ. 

•Lt. Colonel Patrick Sithole is the Secretary for Business Administration in the Zimbabwe and Botswana Territory (Madagascar). He holds an Executive Master's in Business Administration. - Salvationist online