Developing Kingdom Leaders – Tom Yeakley

Taking the Mystery out of Leadership

Archive for the month “April, 2026”

20 Apr 2026

The Launch Determines the Orbit!

When you first arrive at your new ministry location you will be greeted by excited people who welcome you, saying all sorts of nice things.  “We’ve been praying for a disciplemaking ministry here…” or “You are such an answer to prayer…” or “We’ve been telling everyone about you…”  So uplifting! So exciting!

These people mean well and perhaps you are an answer to prayer – someone’s prayer.  And in your zeal to get started quickly with ‘short term wins’ you invite these people into a core group bible study or even begin to meet with them one-to-one.  You assume that God has prepared this ‘fruitful field’ and that these initial contacts are the foundations of many future spiritual generations.  This is a very wrong assumption.

What often occurs is that these people are attracted to the latest new and exciting thing and you are it – for the moment.  But next week or next month there will be another new and exciting thing starting and they will be there to greet them and welcome them like they did for you.  That’s their strength and design.  Nothing is wrong with this, just realize that your foundational ministry people will probably not be the ones who you initially meet. 

Go slow in your commitments to others.  Get to know your new ministry environment.  Seek to know and be known.  Pray and wait for the Lord to confirm who it is that He has chosen for you to build the foundation upon.  And don’t be surprised if it is not the people who you initially connected with when you arrived at your new ministry location.  Don’t build your ministry on those who greet you at the train station! 

You only get one ministry launch!  Make it a good one!

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06 Apr 2026

God Himself Will Provide the Lamb

In Genesis 22:1-18 we read of the faith trial Abraham faced when God directed him to sacrifice his son. Abraham had waited 25 years for the fulfillment of the promise that through his offspring the entire world would be blessed, and they would multiply like the sand on the seashore or the stars in the sky.  Isaac was born at age 100 and now a few years later the young man and his father were off to make a sacrifice.  Isaac carried the wood, but no sacrificial lamb was found.

Isaac noted the lack of the sacrificial lamb and asked his father about it.  Abraham’s prophetic response was simply, “The Lord Himself will provide the lamb.”  Romans 4 tells us Abraham reasoned that even if God did allow him to plunge the knife into the neck of his son, God had the ability to raise him back to life.  What amazing faith and trust!  Of course, God stopped Abraham and as he looked up, there was a ram caught by its horns in the thicket.  It was the perfect sacrifice at the perfect time! 

Your leadership will be full of trials of faith where there is no visible means of deliverance.  The storm clouds will surround you, lightening will crackle, and the peals of thunder will rattle the walls.  You will fear all is lost.  But remember, God is never in a hurry, but always on time.  At the perfect time and in a way that brings glory and honor to Him, you will see His answer.  Stay the course.  Do not give way to fear.  Trust Him and His promises.

All who you lead will be looking to you for strength and hope.  You must point them to God who promises to deliver in times of trouble. (Psalm 50:15)  God Himself will provide the ‘lamb’ you need.  Don’t be like Israel who tested God in the desert, and  said in their unbelief, “Can God spread of table in the desert?” (Psalm 78:19).  Yes, He can!  And yes, He did!  He will do the same for you as you trust Him.  Plead the promises to Him!

Posted in #2 BE - Who a Leader Is, #3 DO - What a Leader Does and tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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