Developing Kingdom Leaders – Tom Yeakley

J.O. Sanders

J.O. Sanders spoke to The Navigators’ Indonesian staff at our annual conference in September 1986 in Central Java.  I had the privilege of accompanying him afterwards across Java to insure that he arrived at his next destination in good order.  This time at the conference and the personal time with him afterwards was one of the highlights of my entire 11 years in Indonesia.

Here are some of the notes I gathered as a result of that time together:

1. You must pay for a spiritual ministry.  It is paid for a little at a time throughout life.  When you stop paying, the ministry stops.
2. Leadership trials all leaders face:  appetite, avarice (desire for things), and ambition
3. God prepares the ministry for the person and the person for the ministry.
4. The Lord does not always explain Himself.    John 13:7
5. The word “leader” is only used 6x’s in New Testament.
6. To see if you are a leader check and see who is following.
7. Spirituality alone does not make a good leader.
8. A leader leads in vision and faith.  Joshua got the vision for Jericho, but had to communicate the vision and faith to the people of Israel.
9. Leaders set the tone by their example.
10. Watch your life and doctrine closely – notice the order!   1 Timothy 4:11-16
11. Maturity is the fullness of Christ.    Ephesians 4:13
12. Becoming mature (Matthew 5:48) as the Father is ‘perfect’ is used in a relative sense.  That is, we are to be mature for our stage of spiritual growth, not mature in an absolute sense.
13. We are as close to God as we choose to be.     Exodus 33:13,17
14. Maturity is measured by the fruit of the Spirit, not the gifts of the Spirit.
15. Gifts can be counterfeited, but fruit can’t.
16. Tests of a Person’s Maturity

• Seeks the glory of God more than their own glory or advancement
• Prefer holiness instead of happiness
• Desire solid food, not milk from the Word
• Prefer serving others rather than being served
• Prefer giving rather than receiving
• Will be fruitful rather than barren (fruitful in character and in service)
• Will be joyous rather than gloomy
• Will accept rather than refuse the discipline of God
• Will accept responsibility in the service of God