Developing Kingdom Leaders – Tom Yeakley

Taking the Mystery out of Leadership

Archive for the tag “Personal development”

29 Dec 2014

Happy New Year!

As we come to the end of another year and look ahead to the beginning of a new one, it’s a great time to stop and reflect.  Put aside that busyness and reflect upon your life past, present, and future.

Some questions to help with your reflection:

1.  What has God been speaking to you about during these past few months?  Are there general themes or topics that seem to be repeated?

2.  Is your life in alignment with the general purposes of God and does it reflect an eternal value system?

3.  Are you at peace?

4.  Are you contributing in your strengths and operating out of your passions?

5.  Does your lifestyle model something that is attractive for others to imitate?

One of my favorite passages on new beginnings is Isaiah 43:18-19  –

“Forget the former things;
    do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland.

May this be the year of new beginnings – a year that brings Him glory!

Happy New Year!

Posted in #1 KNOW- How a Leader Thinks and tagged , , , , , , , , ,
22 Dec 2014

Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?

One of the blessings of the years our family spent in Indonesia was that we lived as a Christian minority.  The blessing in this became evident at the time of major Christian holidays, like Christmas.  There were no cultural distractions to have to explain or avoid.  Rather, Christmas was what we made it.  We could introduce our own traditions and values without having the distractions from the society around us.

Today we live in America once again and are confronted with all of the Christmas traditions that go with the holiday season.  Perhaps like me, you’ve wondered where all of these traditions came from.  Here’s some background to help with giving some new (old?) meaning to these seasonal traditions.

December 25 – The Day of Jesus’ Birth

In ancient times birthdays were celebrated only by kings and royalty.  It was not customary to record the specific date of an individual’s birth.  Being unsure of the exact date of Jesus’ birth, many dates began to be observed as Christianity spread from country to country.

Bishop Hippolytus calculated the birth of Jesus to be December 25 in 235 AD.  Emperor Constantine ordered the celebration of Christmas in 320 AD.  Since 400 AD Christendom has accepted this date as the traditional date of Jesus’ birth.

Christmas was first celebrated in America in 1607 in Jamestown, Virginia.  In 1836 Alabama became the first state to establish Christmas as a legal holiday.  Colorado recognized Christmas as a state holiday in 1861.

St. Nicholas or Santa Claus

Nicholas was born and raised in Turkey in 280 AD.  When Nicholas reached age 19 he entered the priesthood.  He became known as the ‘patron saint of children’ because of his habit of leaving unidentified gifts at the homes of needy families.  This mysterious donor is called “Father Christmas” in England.

Introduced as “Sinterklass”  to America by the Dutch as the patron saint of their colonies or as the English and French said, “Saneta Claas.”  In 1809 Washington Irving portrayed a jolly fellow who rode in a sleigh pulled by reindeer; a far cry from the original St. Nicholas.  The giving spirit of St. Nicholas should inspire us all.

Candy Canes

A candy maker in Indiana wanted to make a candy to celebrate the birth of Jesus, so he made the Christmas Candy Cane.  He incorporated several symbols for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus.

He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy.  He chose white to symbolize the purity and Virgin Birth of Jesus.  He made it in the “J” shape for the name of Jesus.  The shape is also that of a shepherd’s staff, to remind us that the Bible calls Jesus the Good Shepherd.  The red stripe is to remind us of the blood Christ shed for us when he died on a cross.

Christmas Carols

Until the Middle Ages there was no congregational singing in Christian churches.  Trained choirs sang chants and monotonous songs.  After the Christmas services, the church members would often gather in the streets to sing songs about the birth of Jesus, called ‘carola.’  Martin Luther introduced congregational singing to the churches.

“Silent Night” is the most popular Christmas carol.  Written on Christmas eve in Obendorf, Austria in 1818 by a priest as he walked in the snow house-to-house inviting his members to the service that evening.  Returning to his church, the priest asked the organist to write the melody to the lyrics he had composed on his walk.  Sung for the first time at the service that evening, it was sung to guitar as the church organ was broken!

Christmas Trees

This tradition was borrowed from the non-Christian people of northern Europe and given a new meaning.  These people would bring evergreens into their homes during the winter months to remind them of the hope of the coming spring.

Christians adapted this custom and added that the evergreen symbolizes the everlasting life offered through belief in Jesus as our Savior.  Trees were set up on Christmas and decorated with lights (candles) to symbolize that Jesus was born on a beautiful, starry night in Bethlehem.  Tradition says that Martin Luther was the first to add lights to the decorated tree.

Creche or Manger Scene

Until the 13th century, those that celebrated Christmas generally overlooked the lowly conditions of Jesus’ birth.  In 1219, St. Francis of Assisi visited Bethlehem where he was struck by the simplicity of Christ’s birthplace.  He was dismayed by the contrast of Jesus’ humble beginnings and the lavish church celebrations of his birth.

St. Francis created a rustic stable scene for midnight mass on Christmas Eve 1223.  He used live animals and people portrayed Mary and Joseph, shepherds and the angels.

Stockings

Long before Christmas trees were a part of the common Christmas traditions, stockings were hung in anticipation of the arrival of St. Nicholas.  English immigrants brought this custom with them to America.

The original Christmas stockings that were hung were those worn for everyday apparel.  They were hung with the hopes of being filled with treats from the visit of St. Nick.

What traditions are a part of your Christmas celebrations?  What values are you communicating as you celebrate?  Perhaps you can lead your family or your friends in remembering the true reason for the season as you reflect upon some of these established traditions.     MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Posted in #1 KNOW- How a Leader Thinks, #3 DO - What a Leader Does and tagged , , , , , ,
01 Dec 2014

Developing More Leaders – REPRODUCE

We continue to reflect upon a good way to organize our understanding of the complex subject of leadership.  Using the simple outline of Know – Be – Do – Reproduce we can categorize the important functions of this vast subject called leadership.  Today we will address the category of “Reproduce – Developing More Leaders.”

An essential part of your leadership is to multiply more leaders.  Yes, we must accomplish mission and task, but don’t overlook the very important task of leaving behind more leaders.  Be intentional about developing those leaders on your team to ensure the are reaching their potential for contribution.

Some leaders are so personally insecure that they avoid developing those on their team.  They see their team member’s development as a threat to their leadership, thinking, “If they reach their potential, they could take my role and then what would I do?”

The reality is that all leadership is temporary.  We lead for a while and then transition our leadership to another.  We can make this transition healthy and positive by intentionally planning our transition.  Or we can ignore it and wait until a crisis occurs and then leave the work ill-prepared for the next leader.

Here’s some practical reminders about developing the leaders on your team.

  1. You don’t personally have to do the development of your team members, just lead your team in their development
  2. Be intentional about your team’s development as a whole and as individual members
  3. Model intentional, individual leader development for your team; set the pace
  4. Make leader development fun and interesting, not a duty!
  5. Make sure that the Scriptures are central in your team’s leader development
  6. Reading a book or and article on leadership together as a team and then discussing how it might be applied in your context is an easy way to lead your team in development
  7. Bring in outside resources (people and tools) to help your team grow and develop
  8. Development is a part of your regular team meetings, but can become a focus for an extended team retreat
  9. Have your team members set 6-month personal development goals related to their development as a leader and then hold them accountable for them
  10. Remember to keep this question before your team – “Development for what?”  Their personal leader development and the development of your team is to help you all accomplish your God-given mission or task.

Are you being intentional about your personal leader development?  Are you leading your team in development?

 

Posted in #4 REPRODUCE - Developing More Leaders and tagged , , , , , , ,
17 Nov 2014
4 Comments

The Leader – BE

We continue to reflect upon a good way to organize our understanding of the complex subject of leadership.  Using the simple outline of Know – Be – Do – Reproduce we can categorize the important functions of this vast subject called leadership.  Today we will address the category of “Be – Who a Leader Is.”

1. Develop personal depth

Lead from an overflow of your walk an intimacy with Christ

  • Your intimacy with Christ grows as you spend time with Him in the Scriptures
  • Seek to know God’s ways, not just His actions
  • Develop depth and breadth in the Bible!
  • Bible reading plans can be very helpful – repetition is the key to learning

Read more and read selectively

  • Read and re-read good books!
  • Good books are tested by their continued influence over a long time
  • Read critically – always compare what you read with the Scriptures to insure alignment with Kingdom truth
  • Just because a book is popular today does not mean you should spend your precious reading time on it
  • Often our egos get involved because we want to seem “with it” by saying that we have read the “cool and current” rather than the “tried and true”
  • Create a “To Be Read” bookshelf and a folder for  current articles

We lead more from who we are, rather than from what we know

  • Lead from the inside out!
  • Lead from the strength of your God-given design and gifting
  • Lead from your ‘life messages’ given to you through your life experiences
  • Speak truth to those you lead, but always tempered with love

2. Develop Christlikeness

Be intentional about your character development

  • Leaders are like toothpaste tubes, when you squeeze them, what’s inside comes out!
  • We default to who we are when we are under pressure
  • Foundational areas for Christlike character development – love, humility, integrity, courage
  • Remember ‘The Golden Rule of Leadership’ – “Lead others the way you would want to be led.”  –  see Luke 6:31

3. Recharge your batteries – even the Energizer Bunny runs out of power!

Get some time away from your leadership responsibilities

  • Insure that your daily and weekly schedules have margin
  • Turn off your cell phone – you’re really not that important
  • You don’t have to answer every call immediately – use voice mail to your advantage to maintain your daily work efficiency and flow
  • Limit the number of times you check your email each day – you’re really not that important

Get a life outside of your ministry / work

  • Develop friendships with people outside of your work or ministry circles
  • Recreation and hobbies – know yourself and do what ‘fills your tanks” not what others think or do to fill their tanks
  • Take a break / take a vacation  –  you’re really not that important
  • Push yourself to learn something new!

Lead from an overflow and from a reserve!  How’s your leadership ‘gas gauge?’  Are you running on fumes?

Posted in #2 BE - Who a Leader Is and tagged , , , , , ,
10 Nov 2014

Leadership Thinking – KNOW

Using the simple outline of Know – Be – Do – Reproduce we can categorize the important functions of this vast subject called leadership.  Today we will address the category of “Know – How a Leader Thinks.”

How we think as leaders directly influences how we act as leaders.  Here are some practical ideas on thinking well as a leader.

1.  Take personal responsibility for your development as a leader
–   Focus on developing your strengths, not weaknesses, unless it’s a ‘career stopper’
–  “Maximize your strengths and staff to your weaknesses.”
–  Find a mentor to help you grow in specific areas
–  Ask them to help you in a specific area for a specific time
–  Guide your learning from them with good questions on topics you are interested in

2. Communication is key to good morale – your morale and those you lead
–  Dwight Eisenhower – “Morale is the greatest single factor in successful warfare.”
–   Ask questions of your leaders – know ‘why’ you’re doing what you’re doing; know the next 6 months events that you will be expected to attend and plan accordingly
–  Keep those you lead informed about upcoming events, organizational changes, personnel changes, etc.
–  Keep your family informed

a. Travel schedules – goals; itineraries; prayer requests for the trip
b. Help your children communicate what you do to others
c. Help your children feel special regarding the ministry of their parents

–  Help your extended family communicate what you do to others
–  When returning from a trip; set some guidelines for communication

a. What will your spouse need to hear from you?
b. When will you debrief and reconnect?
c. How will you re-engage with your children?

3. Relationships are key to the breadth and depth of your influence

–  Spend individual, personal time with those you lead

a. Get individual time at meetings
b. Phone calls without a reason other than to say ‘Hi’ and catch up
c. Birthday cards or personal email notes

–  Visit those you lead in their homes as often as possible
–  Focus on the family, not just the ministry

a. Go with them to family events (i.e. sporting events, school activities)
b. Take the family out for dinner; let them choose the restaurant

–  Get into the Word together
–  Pray together
–  Listen much, talk little; seek to understand, rather than to be understood

a. Be an active listener; give feedback and ask probing questions to really understand what God is doing in their lives

4. Bring intentionality to your leadership

–  Pray, Teach, Model – 3 primary means of influence
–  Never underestimate the power of your own example; you are being watched!
–  Travel with someone – the ‘apprentice model’ for developing others
–  What you speak on or write about is what you will become known for; therefore choose your topics carefully!
–  As a leader you speak at a volume of 2, but are heard at a volume of 10!
–  Be sure you’re setting a spiritual tone for the work of the ministry!

Posted in #1 KNOW- How a Leader Thinks and tagged , , , , , , , , ,
03 Nov 2014
2 Comments

Organizing Your Leadership Thinking

Leadership is a complex and challenging subject to grasp the whole of the topic.  All one has to do is to look at the shelves of leadership books in the local bookstore to see that few are attempting to address the entire subject.  They each take a slice of broad subject, dissecting their particular piece of interest, but failing to address where this fits within the whole.

Some time ago in a brainstorm session with a colleague we attempted to address the subject of leadership as a whole, breaking the topic down into its major components.  After much thought and debate we came to these four big categories as a way to think about the subject of leadership.

Leadership Outline

  • Leadership Thinking – KNOW
  • The Leader – BE
  • Leading – DO
  • Developing Other Leaders – REPRODUCE

The US Military Academy has some of three of these components in their outline of the subject as described in the book, The West Point Way of Leadership.  Their outline of Know, Be, and Do is a great developmental model for general leader development.  But as Kingdom leaders we must add one additional topic – Reproduce.

By looking at the perfect Kingdom leader, Jesus, we now see the complete outline of the subject of leadership and leader development.  Jesus spent a great deal of His leadership developing the next generation of leaders who would carry on the movement after He was gone.  It is the responsibility of Kingdom leaders to develop more leaders.

As you think about your own development as a leader you will want to focus on these four general areas of leader development.  As you think about developing other leaders you will also want to think about these four areas.

When mentoring another leader often their felt need is for leadership skill development.  Perhaps the main reason for this felt need is the fact that new leadership responsibility often comes with deadlines.  Thus the pressure to grow in a previously unknown skill to meet our deadline.  That’s why the bookshelves are full of ‘how-to’ leadership topics, for the authors are often addressing the felt needs of the readers.

While leadership skills are important, we must not neglect the other three areas of a leader’s development.  We can have wonderful leadership skills, for example, but no character to support them and end up with tyrants or dictators.  All four areas are necessary for good leaders and leadership.

How’s your thinking about leadership?  Can you point to the gospels and identify where Jesus demonstrated these four areas of leadership?  Can you also see where He addressed these same areas as He developed The Twelve?

Posted in #1 KNOW- How a Leader Thinks, #4 REPRODUCE - Developing More Leaders and tagged , , , , , , , , , ,
27 Oct 2014

Self-Development for Leaders

Alan Andrews, former US President of The Navigators put together a helpful outline for some how-to’s in self-development.  Here’s his thoughts with my additions in brackets.

HOW TO DEVELOP YOURSELF IN A GIVEN AREA
by  Alan Andrews

A.   Identify your areas of need.

B.   Prioritize areas of need.

C.   Make self-development an integral part of your lifestyle.

D.   Plan self-development over six-month blocks.

E.   Identify the key area of self-development that the Spirit of God is indicating to you.

F.   Pray constantly that God would enlighten your mind and heart.

G.   Delegate research to interested individuals.  [This assumes that you have an executive assistant or someone working with you than is available to do this research.]

H.   Try to obtain a mentor in a particular area of development.

I.   Use the Bible as your primary source and authority.  [Kingdom leaders need a biblical leadership grid from which to operate and evaluate other leadership input.]

1.  Identify the number of times key words are used
2.  List the verses in order of appearance in Scripture, writing out each passage
3.  Identify key verses and passages
4.  Outline key verses and passages
5.  List key observations
6.  Cross-reference to other passages [to develop depth]
7.  Do word studies to discover various word meanings [be sure to study words in the original languages]
8.  Read outside material on the subject  —  both secular and Christian
9.   Check with  your mentor [for suggestions on resources or help in your development]
10.  Review your study asking new questions
11.   State your overall conclusions

J. Draw on resources of experts, churches and other organizations.

K. Keep your development always in line with the aim of your calling.

L. Don’t strive to master everything you read. Read to generally identify crucial points in your overall purpose.

M. Develop a consistent pattern of thought.

1. Concept first
2. Content second
3. Personal application third (tell them what you thought, not what you’re thinking)
4. Apply cautiously on an organizational basis

N. If experience does not vindicate your study, go back to the drawing board.  [Be humble enough to admit you were wrong; and today always acknowledge that this is what you understand at this stage of your development.]

O. Once your development has the confirmation of experience, of your co-laborers and of the peace of God, then begin to package your material for communication purposes.

P. Exercise leadership in the area of development.

1. Oversight
2. Shepherd
3. Develop

Q. Always add or change information as the Lord gives new insight. [Be a life-long learner.]

R. Always maintain balance of communicating your convictions and keeping a humble, open mind to other points of view.  There is still plenty of room to grow.

Are you being intentional about your own development as a leader.  Just because you are gaining experience does not necessarily translate into you becoming a better leader.

Posted in #1 KNOW- How a Leader Thinks, #4 REPRODUCE - Developing More Leaders and tagged , , , , , , , ,
15 Sep 2014

Leaders and Love

In March 2003 I had the opportunity to interview Lorne Sanny regarding the topic of Leaders and Love.  The following are my notes from that insightful conversation.

Love means we freely accept others just as they are

o Acceptance is a matter of the heart
o People know whether you love / accept them or not

Love means we always seek their highest good

o This does not mean we tolerate sin
o It does mean we speak the truth to them – Jn. 8 (woman caught in adultery)

Love means we think of others before we think of ourselves

o When returning from a trip, take a walk around the office; not to tell them about your experiences, but to find out how they are doing

Love means we always seek to affirm and encourage others

o Public affirmation goes a long way
o “Praise in public, correct in private”
o “God never gives a hard message to a hard heart to deliver.”
o Affirmation is like making deposits into a bank account, for we know that we will have to make withdrawals (corrections, rebuke) in the future

Love means we give people feedback on how they are doing

o Progress reviews, not performance reviews
o Performance means the work is already finished
o Progress implies work is in progress and we can still affect the outcome
o With my own team sought to do progress review every 3 months
o With international leaders it was once a year
o Based upon agreed upon goals, outcomes, or “focus items”
• Some personalities don’t like goals – use “focus items”
o Have them evaluate themselves by asking questions
• Many are harder on themselves than we would be, so we can affirm them and bring true perspective to them
• “The imagination is often worse than the realization”
o “Is there anything I can do to help you accomplish your goals?”
• “What do you need to accomplish this?”
o End the reviews by asking, “Is there anything you want to say to me?”
o On difficult issues, help them think by asking questions
o Don’t use progress reviews to correct problems!  Do that on day-to-day basis.
o Evaluation – Romans 14:17-18 – outline for progress reviews

Posted in #1 KNOW- How a Leader Thinks, #3 DO - What a Leader Does and tagged , , , , , , , ,
07 Jul 2014

Mentoring Others for Their Development

6 Reminders for Helping Others Create Goals and Development Plans

As we think of helping others create their personal goals and development plans, one of the first thoughts that should enter our minds is this:  What’s the purpose of this exercise?  Remembering the adage – always begin with the end in mind – we are instructed to ask ourselves, “What’s the desired outcome of these plans?”  Once that’s clearly defined, then the actual plans themselves are more easily identified.

The more specific the outcomes articulated, the more specific the plans can be to help accomplish them.  For example, a poor outcome would be, “to grow in Christlike character.”  Not that this is a bad overall objective, but a better outcome might look like, “to grow in Christlike humility.”  Note the sharper focus.  Now the plans on how to actually work intentionally on growing in humility will naturally flow out of this outcome.

A second reminder on setting goals and plans is that they must have a specified time period (time horizon) for their accomplishment.  In the collegiate context, we normally think in terms of semesters or summer breaks.  In the marketplace we think more along the lines of fiscal years or calendar years.  Knowing the time frame for accomplishing the goals again makes it easier to determine what realistically can be accomplished during the time allotted.

A third reminder is that as we help others in setting these goals, the outcomes must be agreed upon from the beginning of the time period.  If we do not have agreement on the outcomes, then, when it comes time for evaluation or feedback related to accomplishment, we will have major problems.  There should be no surprises on what was expected because from the beginning both parties agreed upon what the desired outcomes were.  Now we can objectively look at the facts of what really got accomplished during the time determined.  Did we hit the mark, overshoot, or undershoot?

A fourth reminder is to help others set realistic goals.  Many of us have over-zealous ambitions (ideas) on what we think we can get done in a given time period.  We too often shoot for the moon and barely hit the ceiling!   Helping others create goals and objectives that are realistic, allowing some margin for obstacles and unexpected challenges along the way, is part of the art of leadership.  Some may have to be challenged to stretch a little more than they are comfortable with, perhaps fearing failure more than stepping out in faith.  Again, the art of helping them put more stretch, growth, faith, etc. in their goals is an art, not a science.

Fifth, whatever goals or plans we finally settle on, remember that, “Man plans his ways, but God directs his steps.”  Plans and goals are simply tools to help us live more fruitful and obedient lives as we follow Christ.  They are not to master us, but rather serve us as we live day-to-day.  We must be careful that we don’t become slaves to our plans.  Plans are great servants, but poor masters!

Finally, remember to follow through on a period of feedback when the time period is finished.  As a mentor, it does not help the development of others if I don’t review with them their accomplishments after the time period is up.  This review should be one of overall affirmation, with few surprises.  Any shortfalls should have been highlighted along the way, not waiting until the end of the time to communicate dissatisfaction or failure.  If the goals were specific enough to begin with, then the outcomes should be self-evident.  In the case of shortfalls, we’ll need to discuss the “whys” and how to avoid them in the future, as well as lessons learned through the experience.

Creating goals and development plans are helpful for living focused and fruitful lives for the King.  Develop the habit and seek to help others do the same.  You’ll be amazed at how much more you can accomplish for His glory!

Posted in #4 REPRODUCE - Developing More Leaders and tagged , , , , , , , ,
30 Jun 2014
2 Comments

Solitude in the Ministry

Here’s another great reminder for busy leaders from my “archive.”

Taking it From the Top
Moody Monthly – May 1991     Dr. Wayne Hopkins

Each of us regularly needs solitude, especially those in the ministry. At least one day a week you and I, individually, must get away. Normally, Sunday is not that day! For those in the ministry, it is a battle day.

In light of what a typical servant of God routinely faces and in order to remain calm in heart and gentle in spirit, a full day with God alone every week seems to be a minimum. Streams of living water do not pour forth from barren and burned places.

Life presses on us, leaving us alarmed in heart and hard in spirit. ”The length of our days is 70 years–or 80, if we have the strength–yet their span is but trouble and sorrow; for they pass quickly, and we fly away” (Ps 90:10).

American culture structures against one literally taking a day in seven for rest and reflection. The corporate world believes, as do some hard-working Christians, that any form of “shut-down-time” is sloth and dawdle. But alcoholism, deception, divorce, superficiality, and ulcers rank high among these same folks.

Solitude, found in isolation, has several components. One, the day must be one of studying the Scriptures (Deut 17:18-20; Ezra 7:10). A soul weary with sorrow is strengthened with God’s Word (Ps 119:28). A brief quiet time, even observed every day, has never been enough.

Two, the day of solitude is constructed with stillness (Ps 37:17; 46:10). Such a day probably impossible to attain by a neurotic American, or by a guilt-driven believer, is characterized by a moratorium on activity (Ps 4:4): no chores, errands, phone calls, or TV (Isa 30:15).

Three, quietness is required (Lev 10:3). Sitting still for some does not eliminate noise. But the radio, music, Walkman, even mental racket must go. For in the long hush, not in the loud hurry, we learn about God (Ecc 5:1-7; Jer 17:19-29). Only privacy provides the silence needed for God to re-order my life, bashed and sapped from six days of mauling (Prov 17:1; Lam 3:25-33).

Four, waiting for God with patience is mandatory (Ps 5:3; 130:5-6). The rude, robust, and righteous person chafes at lingering in God’s presence for any period longer than a 30-second church prayer (Hos 8:4; 10:12-13). For a society that measures Olympic races in hundredths of a second, a full day can be an eternity. However, the barbarian heart which undercuts God’s kingdom naturally jeers at any apparent dilly-dallying or wasting of time by reposing before God (Ps 131:2; Isa 8:17).

Not uncharacteristically, Moses waited, not only 40 days on two occasions, but six days on another (Ex 24:15-18); Ezekiel tarried seven (Ezek 3:15-16); and Jesus fasted 40 (Mt 4:2). Frequently, God’s servants–e.g. Job, Abraham, Jeremiah, Elijah, Daniel, John the Baptist, and Paul–logged days in seclusion. The willingness to wait, both before Him and for Him, displays courtesy, faith, and dependency (Isa 30:18, 33:2; 40:31). Personal and work-related mission, passion, and creativity surface and flame in those hours.

Five, meditation is an absolute (Ps 1:2; 119:27). Pondering deeply the nature and the ways of God takes not only time and serenity but controlled thinking. Totally unknown to anxious Americans addicted to action, speed, work, and noise, meditation is the only vista whereby I can meet with Him (Ps 119:15,23,27,48,55,62,78,97,148; Isa 57:11). While we praise God loudly in music and testimony, we learn about Him in silence-free from distractions-as we mentally and calmly dwell on Him (Ps 86:1-17; Prov 22:17-21; Lk 10:38-42).

Six, fasting follows next (Ps 35:13). The discipline of fasting, not originally initiated for hefty American pastors or missionaries, decreases the clutter and static for the day’s devotion and, in turn, enhances solitude (Ps 69:10; 109:24). Never intended to be routine or ritualistic (Isa 58:1-14; Mt 6:16-18) or even a total abstinence, fasting portrays an inward awe for God which is particularly appropriate at critical decision times (Ezra 8:21-23;Acts 13.1-3). To consult truly with God over heavy matters in life, one’s inner contriteness and brokenness are matched by an outer withdrawal from daily routines. Jesus directed that fasting would be fitting after His departure and during His absence (Mt 9:14-15).

Seven, a prayer response to what God shows one in secret is expected (Job 42:5-6; Isa 6:5). Confession qualifies me for further illumination regarding God’s truth, whether about Him or me (Josh 9:14; 1 Ch 10:14; 15:13; 2 Ch 16:12). Some devotees ask to be taught how to pray. But as God teaches solitude and these disciplines of the soul which compose it, prayer is a natural reaction to what He discloses. Prayer without revelation is vain religion.

As serious Christians today with a penchant for action, we are impressed with David’s valor in defeating Goliath. We puzzle over how he did it, perhaps failing to notice that as a shepherd he received his boldness for the battle not from the frenzy of the freeway but from the solitude of a sheep meadow (1 Sam 17:34-37). God loves shepherds. They are known for their solitude.

Busyness is normative for leaders.  If you don’t want a busy life, then don’t lead!  But the busyness of leadership is no excuse for spending time with the King in quiet reflection, meditation, and prayer.  When’s your next time of solitude with the King?

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

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