Developing Kingdom Leaders – Tom Yeakley

Taking the Mystery out of Leadership

Archive for the month “September, 2019”

30 Sep 2019

Leading from Trust Relationships

And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.                   Luke 5:4-11  ESV

Early in His relationship with these two pairs of brothers who were also fishing partners, Jesus needed to establish a trust relationship for He would ask them to follow Him into an unknown (to them) future.  Their sacrifice and cost would be great and He, knowing this, had to establish a platform of trust from which they would be willing to follow Him.

Note Peter’s response when instructed to put out into deeper water and let down their nets.  He knew that daytime was not the time to fish.  He knew that they had already tried and failed on their own.  They had lots of previous experience and fishing was their expertise, so why do this futile exercise?

Peter says to Jesus, “But at your word I will let down the nets.” This was foundational in his relationship with Jesus – obedience to Jesus and not logic, experience or worldly wisdom was key.  He trusted the word of Jesus, no doubt with some hesitancy, and was rewarded with an amazing haul of fish.  Peter’s response was submission and a willingness to follow Christ and His leadership, even to the point of leaving his vocation.

Kingdom leaders lead from a platform of trust that we build between ourselves and those we lead.  This trust is built over time as we ask others to trust our judgment and follow our lead.

Trust is earned, not given.  It is built over time as we make deposits into our ‘trust bank account.’ But it can be quickly lost and the bank account emptied through untrustworthy behavior.

Major on building trust with those you lead and they will follow!

 

Posted in #2 BE - Who a Leader Is, #3 DO - What a Leader Does and tagged , , , , , , , , ,
23 Sep 2019

Jesus and Priorities

These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  Matthew 10:5-6  ESV

Does not God love the whole world?  Of course He does!  Does not the mission of the Messiah, Jesus, include taking the Good News to both Jew and Gentile (non-Jew)?  Of course it does!  (see Isaiah 49:6)  Then, why would Jesus restrict His apostles from going to the Gentiles and Samaritans (half-Jewish and half-Gentile)?  It was a matter of priorities and strategy.

Jesus would eventually (2+ years later) after sending out the Twelve in pairs for a ministry training exercise, send them and all of His disciples on a mission to make disciples of all the peoples of the world (see Matthew 28:18-20).  But at this time, His priority was training the Twelve and preparing them for the ultimate mission.

They needed an audience that would be somewhat familiar – Galileans.  And yet, it would still be by faith, as He restricted their provisions on what they were to take with them.  It would be by faith in that not every village they entered would welcome them.  It would be by faith because He was not with them.

So, the priority for the moment was a faith training, practical ministry exercise.  His priority for the moment was preparing the Twelve, knowing that within a relatively short time He would expand their mission to include all the peoples of the world.

Short-term goals can seem contradictory to long-term mission if we don’t understand strategy.  Jesus knew the strategy included training these future leaders of the world-wide mission and thus He focused their ministry efforts within Galilee for the short term.

Mission requires leaders execute a strategy to accomplish their overall task.  This strategy will need to be sequenced and prioritized within a timeline.  Jesus demonstrated this and in His prayer before the crucifixion says, “I have completed the work you gave me to do.” (see John 17:1ff).

If Kingdom leaders have a clear mission and vision, you will need a strategy to accomplish both.  Remember that your strategy must be sequenced and prioritized – you can’t do everything all at once.

“Mile by mile, it’s a trial.  Inch by inch, it’s a cinch!”

Posted in #1 KNOW- How a Leader Thinks, #3 DO - What a Leader Does and tagged , , , , , , , ,
16 Sep 2019

Aim for the Ripple, Not the Splash!

No doubt you have heard of D.L. Moody, the great 19th-centrury evangelist. But have you heard of Edward Kimball?

Moody, when 18 years of age, was a boot salesman in his uncle’s store in Boston. His manners were brash and crude.  His uncle told him he must attend church as a condition for employment in the store. So, he chose to go to a Sunday School class with other teen-age boys.

His Sunday School teacher was a dry goods salesman named Edward Kimball, and he had set his heart on winning the young man for Christ. After praying about the matter, he arranged to visit him at the boot store. “I was determined,” to use his own words, “to speak to him about Christ and about his soul and started down to Holton’s boot store. When I was nearly there I began to wonder whether I ought to go in just then during business hours. I thought my call might embarrass the boy…  In the meantime, I had passed the store, and, discovering this, I determined to make a dash for it, and have it over at once.”

“I found him in the back part of the building wrapping up shoes. I went up to him at once, and putting my hand on his shoulder, I made what I felt afterwards was a very weak plea for Christ. I don’t know just what words I used, nor could Mr. Moody tell. I simply told him of Christ’s love for him, and the love Christ wanted in return. That was all there was. It seemed the young man was just ready for the light that then broke upon him, and there in the back of that store in Boston, D. L. Moody gave himself and his life to Christ.”[1]

Edward Kimball became a lifelong friend for Moody.  He mentored and helped him grow spiritually, laying a solid foundation.  Moody didn’t attend school beyond 5th grade, couldn’t spell and his grammar was atrocious.  He was never ordained.  Yet, it’s estimated that Moody preached to 100 million people and personally led 1 million to Christ. He also founded Moody Bible Institute that has launched thousands of graduates into the ministry around the world.

But the story doesn’t end there. Through his ministry, Moody was responsible for a London pastor named F.B. Meyer coming to faith. Meyer was responsible for J. Wilbur Chapman coming to faith, and Chapman influenced Billy Sunday, another prominent evangelist of the 20th century. Billy Sunday was integral in a man named Mordecai Ham coming to faith. And Mordecai Ham was the preacher responsible for leading a young man named Billy Graham to Christ. Billy Graham asked Dawson Trotman and The Navigators to train counselors at his crusades and discipling became mainstream.

And here you are today – reading a blog and touched by a legacy that started with Edward Kimball and eventually impacted Billy Graham, Dawson Trotman, and now you. That’s a part of your spiritual heritage!

Legacy is what lasts after you are gone.  Legacy is the ripple of your life, touching many who you will never meet.

                Aim for the ripple, not the splash!!

[1] Story from NewLife Christian Fellowship website; Wethersfield, CT

Posted in #1 KNOW- How a Leader Thinks, #3 DO - What a Leader Does and tagged , , , , , , , ,
09 Sep 2019

He is Out of His Mind

And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”   Mark 3:21 (ESV)

As Kingdom leaders follow their personal calling from the Lord, they are often surprised by a lack of support or encouragement from those that know and love them.  So it was with the mother and brothers of Jesus.

As Jesus was growing into a public figure and crowds began to gather to hear Him and be healed, word came to His family.  Their conclusion – knowing He had no training for such, was that He had lost His mind – literally, He had gone insane.  Thus, they came to Capernaum to take Him back home, for His own ‘protection’ no doubt and to save the family any further embarrassment.  But their mission failed.

Sometime thereafter, Jesus returned to Nazareth, His home town.  There, He taught in the synagogue, but few supported Him.  He could do little in their presence because of their lack of faith in Him (see Mark 6:1-6).  Jesus marveled at their unbelief and proclaimed that a prophet is not honored among those who know him well – even in his own house.  This must have been quite discouraging.

Towards the end of His public ministry we see another encounter with Jesus and His brothers in John 7:1-5.  His brothers (the term could also mean brothers and sisters) chided Him for not going to Jerusalem and publicly showing off His ministry to the world.  Why are you hiding in Galilee – if it’s attention you seek, then go to the epicenter of the Jewish world and show off!  John tells us that they said this because they did not believe in Him.

But, after the resurrection, Jesus made a personal appearance to His brother, James (see 1 Corinthians 15:7) that must have been quite the encounter!  The result was James’s conversion and belief in Jesus as His Lord and Savior.  Mary and her boys were in the room praying with the Eleven after the Ascension (see Acts 1:14).  Thus, during the 40 days post-resurrection, they came to belief.  James would later become the local leader of the Jerusalem church (see Acts 15).

In the introduction of his epistle, James identifies himself as, “the bond slave of God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (James 1:1).  What a transformation!  What humility!  And another of His brothers, Jude, also writes in the introduction of his letter, “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James…” (Jude 1:1).

Those who know you best may be slow to embrace your role or calling.  Jesus experienced the same.  Don’t let their lack of acceptance or support deter you from obeying the Lord’s clear destiny that He has designed you for.  Follow hard after Him and trust that those who know and love you will see Christ’s hand on you and your leadership over time.

Posted in #1 KNOW- How a Leader Thinks, #2 BE - Who a Leader Is and tagged , , , , , , , , ,
02 Sep 2019

Leadership Quotes 2

I’m still taking a break from my weekly blog writing.  When was the last time you took an extended break to refresh and recharge?

Here’s a few more of my favorite leadership quotes:

“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.”     Vince Lombardi

“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.”    Chuck Swindoll

“Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.”    Mother Teresa

“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.”    Ronald Reagan

“Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.”    Gen. Colin Powell

“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.”    Thomas Jefferson

“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”    Hebrews 13:5  (ESV)

Posted in #1 KNOW- How a Leader Thinks

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