Five Characteristics of Spiritual Leaders

Five Characteristics of Spiritual Leaders

“Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.”

1 Corinthians 11:1

Character is “the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing.”[1]  It is the core of who you are, the building blocks, if you will, upon which every other aspect of your life flows. (Proverbs 23:7)  As a spiritual leader it is vital that your character be rooted in Christ and your relationship in Christ.  How are these five foundational characteristics revealed in you?

1.    As a spiritual leader you must deny yourself and follow Jesus. (Luke 9:23)  This is the most basic of the characteristics needed to lead others in Christ.  Until you begin to live apart from yourself and for Christ you will stand between those God has given you to lead and Christ.  Taking up your cross is part of the denial process if you are to be a spiritual leader. 

2.    Abiding in Christ is a must. (John 15:4-5)  Who you are, what you do, how you think and your desires all flow from Christ when you abide in Him.  Energy, direction, strength, and wisdom come through Christ into you when you abide in Him.  It is from this relationship that discipling flows.  Without this relationship the best you can offer is sound theology.

3.    You are drawn to that which has your attention.  As a spiritual leader you must have your eyes fixed on Jesus. (Hebrews 12:2)  Jesus is the author and perfecter of your faith.  Jesus is the perfect example for you of life and godliness.  When your eyes are fixed on Jesus you know how to point others to Him in every situation and circumstance.

4.    When your eyes are fixed on Jesus you are also able to view others humbly, as more important than yourself, and serve them as Christ serves you. (Philippians 2:3-4)  Freedom from selfishness and empty conceit gives great clarity of mind in the service of others.

5.    Christ’s model and command is for leaders to be servants to those whom God gives to them (Matthew 20:25-28).  You are able to be a servant leader only when you have emptied yourself, you are abiding in Christ, your eyes are fixed on Jesus and you have a proper view of yourself and others.           

The unique thing about these characteristics is that they are commanded of every Christian, not just spiritual leaders.  At the very least, these characteristics should be foundational to spiritual leaders and growing in their disciples.

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© Written by Dr. Richard L. Roberts, Founder/Director of Life Focus Ministries. 

You can reach him at Richard@GrowLeaders.org or (423) 790-4994.

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[1]   Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Denying Christ

Denying Christ

“Peter answered and said to Him,

‘Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away.’

‘Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You.’”

Matthew 26:33 & 35

Peter is famous for his denial of Christ and often gets criticized as a result.  Yes, he was impetuous.  His insecurities seemed to be revealed by his talking without thinking, and he may have had a chronic case of foot-in-mouth disease. 

To be fair, while condemning Peter for his actions, one must also condemn the rest of the disciples.  Peter was not the only disciple that night claiming allegiance to Christ to the point of death, “All the disciples said the same thing too.” (Matthew 26:35). The brave assertions of allegiance by the disciples vaporized when faced with a great multitude carrying swords and clubs (Matthew 26:47).  ALL the disciples fled (Matthew 26:56). By running away, the disciples denied Jesus, any desire to be recognized as His followers, or as having been associated with Him.

Historically it is easy to criticize Peter, the individual.  Peter is a good example of how not to be when faced with the pressures of being a Christian in a hostile environment.  While Peter is often singled out, the whole Truth is that he was not alone in his denial.

Everyone abandoned Jesus at the time of His arrest.  No one stood by His side, no one was willing to be identified with Him, bearing the same consequences He faced.  That Truth broadens the application of this passage.  It is easy for one to say, “I would never be like Peter, I would never deny Jesus.”  It is more difficult to say, “I will not be like the rest of fallen mankind.”  It would be arrogant to say, “I am better than the rest of mankind.  I would never deny Jesus.”

The drive for self preservation can work against one’s witness.  One will not easily volunteer to be placed in the lion’s den, to step into a blazing furnace, to be ridiculed by one’s peers for taking a stand for the disenfranchised, or jailed for teaching the inerrant, unchanging Truth of the Scripture.  It is not easy to be a Bible-driven spiritual leader in the midst of a culture antagonistic to the Truth of the Scripture.  It is difficult to tell the Truth about divorce, abortion, fornication, deceit and manipulation, independence, and servanthood in a culture violently hostile to the Truth.  It is easier to “fudge”, to skirt around the hard issues, not preaching the whole gospel, denying Christ.

Each day, as a spiritual leader, you face spiritual challenges affording you the opportunity of witness or denial.  You do not speak a witness in all of those challenging situations, sometimes you flee.  This is a part of your fallen nature.  As a spiritual leader, it is vital for you to acknowledge your fallen nature and the times you fail to be the witness Christ offers you to be.  It is important for those God has given you to address the fallen nature which will, when threatened, at times deny Christ.

As a spiritual leader, Truth is the most important filter to teach to those God has given you.  The Truth is each of us is fallen.  The natural response when threatened is to self-protect, believing self preservation is our personal responsibility.  It is also True that in Christ that natural response can be overcome.  Like every other sin, the sin of denial can be overcome as the Holy Spirit transforms our mind to the mind of Christ (Romans 12:2, 1 Corinthians 2:16).  When a witness is given and denial is avoided, God, your Father, will preserve and protect you even as He has His children in the past.

© Written by Dr. Richard L. Roberts, Director of Life Focus Ministries.

 

Do You Not Care Jesus?

Do you not care!

“. . . do You not care that we are perishing?”

Mark 4:38

“Do you not care!” was the accusation the disciples made to Jesus. Their conclusion came from the circumstances around them. Calamity and fear overtook them as the storm tossed the boat around with the wind and the waves. They feared for their lives, they were sure to sink and drown! There was no way out!

And what was Jesus doing? He was asleep in the stern, on a cushion. To the disciples, that kind of peace in the midst of the storm reflected a lack of care. That is an interesting conclusion. What did they think would happen to Him if the boat were to sink? Why was caring about them more important than caring for Himself? This indeed was a sharp accusation against Jesus.
Like most calamitous situations the disciples focus was on the wrong thing. They were focused on the circumstances and their interpretation of the circumstances. They were arrogant enough to deem their interpretation as True and to come with an accusation to Jesus.

Jesus, before coming to earth in the form of a man, deemed the plan of salvation, His becoming man and bearing the sins of the world on Himself, as more important than His position of equality with God (Philippians 2:6[1]). He took on the form of a lowly man, a bond servant, limiting Himself in time and space, limiting His knowledge and power, to fulfill this plan. He even submitted Himself in obedience to His Father, God, to die an accursed death on a cross (Philippians 2:8[2]). The facts show that Jesus indeed cared, very much, and was in the process of paying a steep price for their salvation. Jesus was, even then, paying the price for their souls so that they would not perish for eternity.

Perhaps they did not know these things. They did not have the book of Philippians to state clearly His purpose and plan. Let us not be too lenient on them. They had the very presence of Jesus, the Son of God. By this time the disciples had seen Jesus perform miracles including the raising of the dead. Were the minds and the hearts of the disciples properly focused they would already know the love Jesus had for them. Were their minds and hearts properly focused they would have loved Jesus enough to warn Him of what appeared to be impending doom rather than waking Him with an accusation.

“Do you not care!” is still today an accusation too easily flung at God. Circumstances crowd in and calamity seems to rule around us. Things just aren’t going “right.” Apparently the end result will be death. All of this goes to show that God doesn’t care.

Part of the blessing of being a spiritual leader is that you can bring calm to the lives of those ruled by circumstances and chaos. You know the Truth. You know the price Jesus paid because of God’s love for them and you know the presence of God in your life. The broken hearted, the abused and the weary can be soothed through you by your sharing the many ways in which God has and is showing His love for the very people hurling accusations against Him. Time and again you can point out how appearances are false by pointing to the reality of who God is and who they can be in Him.

Jesus indeed cares!

© Written by Richard L. Roberts, director of Life Focus Ministries.
You can reach him at Richard@GrowLeaders.org or (423) 790-4994.

[1] Philippians 2:5-6 Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped NASB
[2] Philippians 2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. NASB

Do You Not Care Spiritual Leader?

Do you not care spiritual leader!
“. . . do You not care that we are perishing?”
Mark 4:38

“Do you not care!?” As a spiritual leader you have heard this cry or one similar from those God has given you to lead. It is often a cry of desperation and frustration. Without realizing it, it is a cry for help.
There are several reasons you will be accused of not caring. Perhaps the primary reason is because you live by a different set of standards than most. Your “caring” looks different than most people in the world today. Your caring comes with immovable principles and expectations of those God has given you to disciple. Your caring comes with a love that is unshakable. Often none of these things are understood by those making the accusation. All they know is that they are hurting and they think you should help them, in a way they approve, to relieve that pain.
It is precisely because you love them and care for them beyond the current moment that you don’t give into them and give them what they want. You are committed to giving them only what they need, that which builds them up, that which is good for them. You are just as committed to keep from them those things which are harmful to them and those they love. As such, you correct the unruly and set boundaries in which they can live a life under control; you encourage those who fearful to do for themselves what they can; and those who can’t help themselves you provide a safe haven in which they can live (1 Thessalonians 5:14[1]).
Those accusing you of not caring have the wrong focus. They are looking at the here and now, the quick fix. They are blinded by the thought, “If I can just get through this everything will be okay.” This focus blinds them to the depth of your caring and the long-term help you are offering. All they see is that they aren’t escaping their current circumstance.
God knew that spiritual leaders would get bombarded by those living in the temporal world with only temporal sight. He has left for you this encouragement: “And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.” Galatians 6:9 So, as the accusations against you fly, let this word be of encouragement and keep on caring!


© Written by Richard L. Roberts, director of Life Focus Ministries.
You can reach him at Richard@GrowLeaders.org or (423) 790-4994.

[1] 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15 And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men. NASB

We do not break the law of God written into the nature of things. We break ourselves on them. Those laws are color-blind, class-blind, religion-blind. Break them, and you’ll get broken. If you leap from a tenth-story window you will not break the law of gravitation, you will only illustrate it.
The Way, page 10
E. Stanley Jones

Being Strong and Courageous

Being Strong and Courageous
“Be strong and courageous . . . .” Deuteronomy 31:6

What does it look like for you, as a spiritual leader in the 21st Century, to be strong and courageous? The tendency, even in spiritual circles, is to establish a template and see how you fit. It is good to fight against this tendency. Every time you measure yourself against a template you leave out the role of The Holy Spirit. Every time you leave out The Holy Spirit you distance yourself in relationship from Christ. What are the living standards against which you can measure your strength and courage?

Perhaps the foundational standard is that declared in 1 Corinthians 15:58. After Paul’s “death is swallowed up in victory” speech he says, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” The strong and courageous in the Lord know Him, abide in Him and toil in His Kingdom without regard for temporal measurements. The reward you receive on this side of heaven is the relationship you have in Him. Even as the world toils to convince you that your life is being wasted, with eyes fixed on Jesus, you know the opposite is True. There is no wasted effort in Christ.

Being steadfast and immovable requires living the principles of scripture in an environment that is hostile to Christ for the world hates Him (John3:20, John 7:7[1]). There are multitudes of principles that fly in the face of modern society. Issues of life and death, procreation, self concept, the role and definition of family, the role of and relationship of God and man, sexuality, work, recreation, wealth and the environment to mention only a few. God speaks to each of these and those willing to live by and teach His viewpoint will be scorned, belittled and attacked by those who just don’t want to hear it.

Living the principles of scripture means both knowing the principles and personally applying them in everyday life, emulating Christ. Too often people try to apply biblical principles to others which they themselves have not yet applied to their own life. The Truth is, personally living the principles of scripture is often witness enough to get you into trouble with the world.

Living the principles of scripture means walking by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7[2]). When the Bible and culture conflict it takes strength and courage to stand up and proclaim the inerrant Truth of scripture. When it appears the walk of faith is having only negative effects, it takes strength and courage to continue in the knowledge that there is no wasted effort in Christ.

© Written by Richard L. Roberts, director of Life Focus Ministries.
You can reach him at Richard@GrowLeaders.org.

[1] John 3:20 "For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
John 7:7 "The world cannot hate you; but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil.”
[2] 2 Corinthians 5:7 for we walk by faith, not by sight —

Be Strong and Courageous

Be Strong and Courageous
“Be strong and courageous . . . .” Deuteronomy 31:6

The first time this phrase is recorded in scripture is when Moses spoke them to the Children of Israel just before his death. For the most part, those who had experienced slavery in Egypt had died in the wilderness. Those who were left had not witnessed the plagues that came upon the Egyptians, had not experienced fleeing Pharaoh and his army, and had not seen the bodies floating in the Red Sea. They knew only the leadership of Moses. Now it was time for him to die.
At this time Moses spoke these words, “Be strong and courageous.” But he went even further than that by telling them why and how they could be strong and courageous. To paraphrase, “The norm,” he said, “is to be fearful and tremble. Live contrary to the norm. Do not be afraid because Yahweh your God CONTINUES (emphasis mine) to go with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”

The focus Moses gave to the Children of Israel was that Yahweh was their constant. He is the one who led through Moses and He is the one who would lead through Joshua. In Him they could be strong and courageous because He will not fail them or forsake them.

As a spiritual leader you need to hear these words, be strong and courageous, and take them to heart. You live in times that are dark and getting darker. Remaining steadfast and immovable (1 Corinthians 15:58[1]) requires strength, courage and focus. Your strength and courage must come from the same source as the Children of Israel, a focus on God, who He is and how He is at work within, through and about you.

There are legitimate reasons for you to fear. The devil is scheming against you (Mark 13:22, Ephesians 6:11[2]), your daily battle is real and your enemy is fierce (Ephesians 6:12[3]). Focusing on Satan’s power and schemes would cause anyone to tremble.

Like the Children of Israel, the right focus brings out the Truth. God is at work in you, through you and around you. Through His “divine power” He has already given you everything pertaining to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3[4]). He indwells you with the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19[5]) who will teach you ALL things (John 14:26[6]) and guide you into ALL Truth (emphasis mine) (John 16:13[7]). His proven history of caring for His own is exemplary!

Be strong and courageous, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2[8]), He will not leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5[9])!

© Written by Richard L. Roberts, director of Life Focus Ministries.

You can reach him at Richard@GrowLeaders.org

[1] 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
[2] Mark 13:22 . . .for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order, if possible, to lead the elect astray.
Ephesians 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
2 Corinthians 11:13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
[3] Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
[4] 2 Peter 1:3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
[5] 1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
[6] John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
[7] John 16:13 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.
[8] Hebrews 12:2 . . . fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
[9] Hebrews 13:5 . . . He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,"