Developing Kingdom Leaders – Tom Yeakley

Taking the Mystery out of Leadership

Archive for the month “June, 2019”

24 Jun 2019

Kingdom Wisdom’s 7 Pillars – #7

In Proverbs 9:1 we read, “Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars” (NIV 1984).  What are the seven pillars found in the house of wisdom?

We find them listed for us in the previous chapter in Proverbs 8:12,14 (NIV 1984):  I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion… Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have understanding and power.  And note how verses 15 and 16 connect wisdom to leadership.

By power we mean the ability to act, to produce an effect. Power involves having authority over others and possessing qualities that allow individuals to achieve their aims. Within godly leaders, this power is often seen as an inner strength—personal courage to trust God to accomplish what that leader has determined as their divine purpose. Wise leaders seek to use both positional and relational authority to serve and bless others.

Positional authority comes with the organizational title or job and is defined by one’s job description. Personal authority is authority voluntarily given by another to you based upon your character or perceived competency and is not limited by any role or responsibility. Wise leaders do not use either type of authority to promote themselves or further selfish ambition. They know that to have institutional power is not necessarily to have Kingdom power, and to have Kingdom power is not necessarily to have institutional power.

All power and authority find their source in the relational dynamic of leader and follower. Note what the devil offers Jesus in the second desert temptation: “The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to” (Luke 4:5-7). Jesus would have to first acknowledge the devil’s leadership, then be given worldly power. Jesus did not refute the devil’s ability to give it. The devil has authority, but it is limited under the ultimate authority of Christ who has “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18).

Contrasted with worldly power founded on a leader-follower relationship is the power that comes from the Lord—an anointing of His Spirit that is given to accomplish His purposes in and through us. Through the blood of Christ and because of His atonement, believers now have power over sin, demons, and our ultimate enemy, death. God’s servant leaders are given authority to lead and influence others and are called to steward that influence well. Spiritual leaders will all give an account to Him of how they use this authority and influence (see Hebrews 13:17).

Are you stewarding well both your positional authority and power as well as your personal authority and power?  We will have to give an account for it one day!

For more thoughts on leading with Kingdom wisdom:  Growing Kingdom Wisdom

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17 Jun 2019

Kingdom Wisdom’s 7 Pillars – #6

In Proverbs 9:1 we read, “Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars” (NIV 1984).  What are the seven pillars found in the house of wisdom?

We find them listed for us in the previous chapter in Proverbs 8:12,14 (NIV 1984):  I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion… Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have understanding and power.  And note how verses 15 and 16 connect wisdom to leadership.

Understanding is the ability to see the relationships between a series of facts. As such, it is closely related to knowledge. Once we have gathered knowledge, this information must be correlated in our minds so we can understand how things work or how they influence each other. The world uses the scientific method, for example, to show the relationship of various elements. Once an experiment is shown to be repeatable, we arrive at a certain level of understanding. For example, when we apply heat to water, we know that the water boils when it reaches 212ºF (100ºC) at sea level. By combining the facts we know about water and heat, we understand that by turning on a stove and applying heat to the bottom of a pan of water, it will boil at a very specific temperature, given enough heat and time. This type of understanding is useful in life, but it is still short of the goal of wisdom.

Understanding allows us to discern trends or patterns in behavior, seeing whether something is a onetime aberration or the beginning of something new. Understanding patterns of behavior helps us to not only see actions but also discern motivations. Additionally, it helps one see a person’s strengths for contribution and then position them where they can contribute from these strengths. It allows a leader to select and recruit valuable team members who are complementary in their strengths to yield a well-balanced team.

Understanding that leads to godly wisdom includes what we can observe about God’s character manifesting itself in the way He interacts with people in the Bible. For example, we will realize that God makes promises, and that because of His very nature, He does not lie or change. Therefore, we understand that His promises found in Scripture can be trusted. Psalm 119:140 says, “Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.” Our love for God’s promises (and the Promiser) will grow as we prove the promises true by seeing them fulfilled in life.

God gives understanding that can lead us to make wise decisions as Kingdom leaders.  Ask Him to give you ‘eyes to see” what is happening around you.

For more thoughts on leading with Kingdom wisdom:  Growing Kingdom Wisdom

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10 Jun 2019

Kingdom Wisdom’s 7 Pillars – #5

In Proverbs 9:1 we read, “Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars” (NIV 1984).  What are the seven pillars found in the house of wisdom?

We find them listed for us in the previous chapter in Proverbs 8:12,14 (NIV 1984):  I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion… Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have understanding and power.  And note how verses 15 and 16 connect wisdom to leadership.

By sound judgment we mean “efficient wisdom,”1 wisdom that leads to practical application and success in problem-solving. “Sound judgment is based on the righteous character of God’s rule. The upright have sound wisdom hidden in them (Prov 2:7).”2 Sound judgment is closely linked to discernment—the ability to see strategically, discover root issues, and determine cause-and-effect relationships. Note that Solomon prayed for a “discerning heart.” This relates to a wise leader’s ability to identify leverage points that will bring about change in the best way possible and to recognize a way forward into the unknown future. It speaks of resourcefulness and competence.

The sound judgment of a leader is often seen in retrospect rather than in the moment. As Jesus reminds us, “Wisdom is justified by all her children” (Luke 7:35). The results of a decided course of action demonstrate whether that decision was a sound judgment. The path is sometimes counterintuitive and countercultural. It takes great courage for a leader to stand for God’s ways rather than compromising and aligning with the world’s ways.

Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” The world’s ways are often logical, common, politically correct, seemingly easier to follow, and may even yield short-term wins. But the world’s ways result in long-term loss. In contrast, God’s ways are often illogical (counterintuitive from a human perspective) and uncommon. Because so few people choose to follow them, God’s ways are countercultural and seemingly difficult to follow. And just because something is uncommon or difficult does not necessarily mean that it must be God’s plan. Here again, sound judgment can discern the wise way, not just any way forward.

Leaders with sound judgment differentiate between the ways of the world and the ways of God. They choose to follow the ways of God rather than conform to the normal patterns of the world.

For more thoughts on leading with Kingdom wisdom:  Growing Kingdom Wisdom

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03 Jun 2019

Kingdom Wisdom’s 7 Pillars – #4

In Proverbs 9:1 we read, “Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars” (NIV 1984).  What are the seven pillars found in the house of wisdom?

We find them listed for us in the previous chapter in Proverbs 8:12,14 (NIV 1984):  I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion… Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have understanding and power.  And note how verses 15 and 16 connect wisdom to leadership.

Leaders are often looked to for advice. It is a wonderful privilege to truly help another by pointing them to the Lord and His Word as we give godly counsel. There is also a trap to avoid.

Our inflated egos often drive us to offer our own thoughts and commentary instead of His thoughts. Rather than referring others to God’s Word for the best counsel, we share our own experiences and insights without referencing the Bible. Our experiences can be used to illustrate wisdom from His Word; in fact, this real-life application builds authenticity when counseling another. But it should never substitute for God’s thoughts as recorded in Scripture.

Giving wise counsel is an art to develop. It involves listening well, asking questions for insight and discernment, trusting God for solutions to difficult problems, and walking by faith after reaching decisions. Those who mentor others must be excellent counselors — not in the clinical sense of counseling the hurting or broken but in the sense of guiding another person’s growth and development. Those who possess wisdom are often (though not always) recognized by others and thus sought after for advice.

Leaders are frequently asked to solve problems that are too difficult for another person to solve. They are frequently asked for help because they have authority to make the exception or decide between two pathways of equal validity. Counsel that will truly resolve an issue or at least move forward toward its resolution must be rooted in wisdom from above.

Not every issue is necessarily a biblical one. For example, should we open a new ministry initiative in this city or that? What makes one a better, wiser choice than another? Our strategy would have a lot to say about which city we choose. The Bible helps inform and shape our strategy and the process by which we arrive at a strategic decision, not necessarily the decision itself. But, when choosing members of a ministry-leadership team, we’d want to have some clear criteria, especially in moral behavior, because of the influence and tone they would set in the ministry. Here, the Bible clearly has a lot to say about qualifications for leadership.

Are the Scriptures informing and shaping your leadership counsel?

For more thoughts on leading with Kingdom wisdom:  Growing Kingdom Wisdom

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