Developing Kingdom Leaders – Tom Yeakley

Taking the Mystery out of Leadership

Archive for the tag “Personal development”

24 Apr 2023

The Power of Modeling

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1 ESV

Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 ESV

Never underestimate the power of your own example. Your pursuit of Christ and your application of the Word of God to life will challenge, encourage, and embolden those who are on the journey with you. The power of modeling is not limited to the ‘older and wiser’ as one might assume from Paul’s exhortation to imitate me as I imitate Christ. Rather, Paul’s exhortation to Timothy, a ‘youth,’ was to set the example for others in speech, behavior, and Christlike character.

It has been said, “More things are caught than taught.” In my own life I have been deeply impacted by a few whose life example so moved me to want to be like them – to follow their example as they followed Christ. But one thing is necessary for this type of modeling – it’s the principle of contact. We have to be in contact with others if we are to be a model for them. And once in contact, we also need to be transparent enough for them to see through any idealistic facades they may have in order to truly see our lives. These life models will be few, but their impact on us will be great and lasting.

There is one category of models for our development that is often overlooked. It’s the group of influencers that Dr. Bobby Clinton refers to as ‘historical mentors.’ Most of these we will not have the opportunity to meet personally, but we can ‘meet’ them through their biographies. For my own life, outside of the Bible, the greatest leader development books have been biographies of Christian leaders – particularly missionary biographies. As we read about their lives and how they personally pursued Christ, their example can serve to motivate and inspire us to great things for God. Remember, leaders are readers! Read biographies of great followers of Christ and you’ll be the better for it.

Here are a few titles that have deeply impacted and challenged me. If you have not yet read these, may I humbly suggest that these go onto your ‘to be read’ shelf.

  1. Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret, by Howard and Geraldine Taylor (Moody Press)
  2. Behind the Ranges – The Life Story of J.O. Fraser, by Geraldine Taylor
  3. Gladys Aylward: The Little Woman, by Aylward and Hunter
  4. Through the Gates of Splendor, by Elisabeth Elliot

We are all modeling, but the question is, “What are we modeling?”

May your own pursuit of Christ be a model for others to imitate.

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17 Apr 2023

The Leader Development Model – Know, Be, Do

As you think about and execute your own leader development plan or a plan to develop other leaders, what grid or template to you organize around? Leadership is such a complex and challenging subject to grasp and Kingdom leadership adds an additional level of alignment. It can be like ‘trying to nail Jello to a wall,’ seemingly impossible unless one first freezes the Jello. A classical developmental grid for leaders is the Know, Be, Do grid.

In Acts 22:10, 14-15 (NIV) we can see God’s development plan for Paul outlined. ” ‘What shall I do, Lord?‘ I asked. ” ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ … “Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard.” Note how Paul immediately jumps to the end of the process in his conversation when he asks about ‘doing.’ Leaders are like that – they are doers. But God reminds him that first he must know the will of God, to see the Righteous One, and hear his words, and then he will be a witness a witness to all people.

Paul was the top of his class – a man with a first-rate education and experience, coupled with a zeal for God that exceeded many. But he was not prepared for the purposes God intended. From the world’s perspective He was ready for assignment, but from a Kingdom perspective he was lacking. Must scholars agree that it would be nine years of development from his conversion before Paul was sent with Barnabas on their first missionary tour. Three of those nine years were spent in isolation in Arabia, no doubt resetting his worldview and getting to know the words of His Savior.

So, as you plan your own leader development, select and area of leadership that will be your focus. Then, break it down into what you want to Know about this subject, particularly what the Bible says about it. Next, what must you Be – what inner qualities must be developed – for you to become this type of leader? And third, what are you to Do – what skills are needed to execute well in this area of leadership?

How do you ‘eat’ the leadership ‘elephant?’ One bite at a time! Know, Be, Do. Head, Heart, Hands. Understanding, Formation, Practice. Be intentional about your own development and intentionally develop more leaders. And remember, ‘A little bit of intentionality goes a long way!’

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10 Apr 2023

Kingdom Leader Development and the Word of God

The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the LORD. The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word. 1 Samuel 3:19-21 NIV

Samuel had been dedicated to the Lord by his parents and raised in the family of Eli the High Priest. He was called by God to service as a young man and God’s hand was on him as affirmed by others. Yet, there was a lifelong process that would finally result in God’s blessing and allow him to influence many. God revealed Himself to Samuel through His Word (see above).

Kingdom leader development must be anchored in the Bible. But note what the development of Samuel says, God revealed Himself to Samuel. It is not the gaining of much Bible knowledge that allows one to lead well in the Kingdom. Rather, it is a knowledge of the Living God as revealed through the pages of the Book that allows one to represent Him well as we lead.

As you think about your development, are you truly pursuing God daily, growing in your intimacy with Him as you interact with the Text? Are you getting to know Him, or about Him? It’s a subtle distinction that makes all the difference. For we lead from an overflow of our intimacy with Him. It is the abiding in the Vine (see John 15:1-5) that will allow you to ‘bear much fruit.’

But often with the busyness of leadership comes a habit of simply ‘tipping our hat’ towards our Maker as we spend time in His Word. We don’t neglect to have our daily devotions, but they become routine and shallow rather that transformative and life-giving. We ‘check the box’ for our daily quiet time, increasing knowledge about God, but not growing in knowledge of God.

D. L. Moody said, “The Bible was not given to increase our knowledge, but to change our lives.”

Can you say like Paul regarding his pursuit of Christ, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14 NIV

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27 Mar 2023

Facing Hardship

After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’ ” When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.” After this, we started on our way up to Jerusalem. Acts 21:10-15 NIV

Paul was coming to the end of his third missionary tour. It had been a long four years of service, with most of it in Ephesus. God had given amazing fruitfulness (see Acts 19:10), but now it was time to return to Jerusalem. The prophet Agabus, moved by the Holy Spirit, foretold of Paul’s impending arrest and imprisonment by the Gentiles. Not exactly an exciting future!

We note Paul’s response compared to his companions. They assumed that this arrest and imprisonment was something to be avoided at all cost. They pleaded with Paul, seeking to influence him to change his mind about returning to Jerusalem. They assumed that this was not what God wanted, for certainly God would want his servant to continue his ministry.

Paul’s response was very different. He had no ‘death wish’ nor was he a fatalist. But he was not one to be driven by fear of the future or a fear of man. He had many times in the past seen the Lord deliver him (see 1 Corinthians 1:8-11). His confidence was in the Lord. He would not be dissuaded. Jerusalem awaited and there he would face his destiny.

It’s easy to assume that the avoidance of known opposition, persecution, or trial is the way of wisdom. Certainly one should not go looking for a fight. Remember Ecclesiastes 9:4, “Anyone who is among the living has hope–even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!” But, Paul’s destiny had been outlined by the Holy Spirit through Agabus the prophet. We note that none of Paul’s companions we saying, “The Holy Spirit spoke to me and says, ‘Don’t go to Jerusalem, Paul.'” No, it was their emotions emanating from the thought of losing their friend, Paul, that drove them to plead for him to change his mind.

Sometimes we may have to choose between the Lord and the pleadings of our friends. Those can be difficult choices in the moment. Listen carefully to be sure it is the Lord speaking and not just the burrito you had for lunch! Then, trust Him who knows the future and is able to ‘do above and beyond what we can ask or imagine.’ He is faithful!

But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.  2 Timothy 4:5 NIV

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13 Mar 2023

Your Ambition is Showing

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 1 Timothy 3:1 ESV

Leaders want to lead! But for Kingdom leaders we can sometimes feel like we should aspire to influence others. We tell ourselves that aspiring to lead is somehow like self-promotion rooted in pride and something that we should keep under wraps. Don’t show it or someone may think your ego has the best of you!

Remember what Jesus said to the Zebedee brothers when they aspired to the top two positions in the coming Kingdom – to sit on His right and left? In Mark 10:25ff we see their aspiration verbalized by their bold request. We can imagine the reactions of the other ten upon hearing this request – “And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.” Mark 10:41 “Wow, I thought that we were all in this together? I thought we got selected together to this leadership training team three years ago we were all peers?” they must have thought. “Who died and made you king over us?”

Jesus listened patiently and then pointed out several key leadership points related to the Kingdom. First, don’t think that self-promotion will get you ahead in the Kingdom. Leadership positions are determined by the Lord. Let them come to you rather than you chasing them.

Secondly, we note that Jesus did not rebuke them for aspiring to lead, but He did point them to the process for getting ahead in the Kingdom. Choosing to serve others rather than lead others is the path to Kingdom influence. Kingdom leaders can aspire to express their servant identity should God grant them the privilege of leadership. They don’t aspire to leadership positions because of the power they might have, but rather to Kingdom responsibility for God’s glory, not their own ‘lording it over others.’

Thus, Paul reminds Timothy that it’s a good thing to aspire to the role of overseer/elder for this leadership is a ‘noble task.’ Just check your motives. Is it about me or is it about God and His purposes? He knows your heart.

And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:41-45 ESV

Be like Jesus!

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02 Jan 2023

Launching the New Year

2022 has ended and now we launch 2023!  As we end one and begin a new calendar year, it’s good to pause and reflect upon what was and what we hope will be.  It is through reflection that we can gain perspective and see more clearly the overarching, God-orchestrated, macro-movements of our lives.

Leaders are often too busy to stop and reflect.  We always have more things to do and people to see.  We take one item off the do-list and add three more!  Who has time to stop and think?

Today…..now is the time to stop and reflect upon who you are becoming and what you are doing!  Your personal diary, journal or devotional notebook can be of great help to you as you look back and observe themes or topics the Lord has been addressing in you.  Here are some questions to get you started in this reflection time.

Are you satisfied with your own personal spiritual walk and growth?  More importantly, is Jesus pleased with your pursuit of Him?  How’s your current pace of life?  Is it sustainable long-term?  Do you have a margin in your schedule?  Are you living and leading from an overflow?  How’s your family doing?  Are you paying the price to experience the marriage you committed to on your wedding day?  Are you investing deeply in your children and grandchildren, knowing that the years for significant influence are rapidly passing you by?

What fears are you trying to ignore related to your leadership?  Are you leading with faith and courage?  Are you more concerned about your reputation or God’s glory?  Is the vision of where you are leading to focused or foggy?  Do you have a team that is unified and empowered around a shared vision?  Are you making progress in the God-given mission that you intended to accomplish?

These and many more questions are helpful for taking stock of where you are today and where you intend to be/go tomorrow.  Use this season for reflection and refocus as you start a new year full of new hope and new beginnings.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.    Hebrews 12:1-2  NIV

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2023!

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26 Dec 2022

Silent Night

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 during the Protestant Reformation and the singing of Christmas carols became part of our Christmas celebrations as we remember the birth of our Savior.

“Silent Night” is the most popular Christmas carol.  This beloved carol was first written and sung on Christmas Eve in Obendorf, Austria in 1818.  Joseph Mohr was a young priest who had written the words to the hymn two years previously, but now refined it as he walked in the snow, house-to-house, inviting his church members to the worship service that evening.

Returning to his church, the priest asked the church organist, Franz Gruber, to put a melody to the lyrics he had composed.  The organist did so, but reminded the priest that the church organ was broken and not functioning.  They would have to use different accompaniment that night instead of the usual organ.  Thus, Silent Night, was sung for the first time at the service that evening, but it was sung to guitar as Gruber led the congregation in worship!

From this small and seemingly insignificant beginning in an obscure village in Austria the carol, Silent Night, has moved around the world and passed from generation to generation as our most beloved Christmas carol.

Don’t despise small beginnings!

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.  And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.    Luke 2:6-11  NIV

Merry Christmas!

Posted in #1 KNOW- How a Leader Thinks and tagged , , , ,
28 Nov 2022

The Hope of the Resurrection

As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” … See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. … They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them. Luke 24:36, 39-40, 42-43 ESV

As followers of Christ having accepted Him as Savior and placed our trust in Him for the forgiveness of our sins, we are promised by the Lord Himself a new body at the resurrection of the righteous. This new body will be different from our current one in many ways, yet still maintaining the same basic shape (two hands, two feet, head, torso, legs, etc.) We draw these conclusions from the model of the resurrected body of Jesus when He appeared to His disciples during the 40 days after His own resurrection. Let’s note some of the characteristics of His new body.

What appears to be the same – He still has the nail marks from His crucifixion in His hands and feet (will they remain for all eternity as a reminder to us all in heaven of His sacrifice for us)? He has two hands and two feet. He can walk. His body appears as ‘flesh and bones’ – not some spiritual ghost-like body. He has a mouth and He can eat with it. Do you wonder, at least I do, about the digestive process in the resurrected body? He can speak with this new mouth, and apparently hear with His new ears when spoken to by the disciples. Earlier on the first Easter morning when appearing to two on the road to Emmaus He walked and talked with them, sat down, prayed, tore bread, and passed it to the two (see Luke 24:28-32). Perhaps it was in the passing of the bread that they saw His nail marks and recognized Him?

But for all these similar characteristics, our eternal bodies will have major upgrades. First of all, it is an eternal body – no degenerative aging or decay. It will last forever! Jesus in His new body was able to materialize and disappear at will. With His new body He could move through walls and enter locked rooms (see John 20:19ff). He could ascend into heaven from earth at will (see Acts 1, and the end of Luke 24). He moved about on the earth – appearing in and around Jerusalem and Galilee (around Capernaum) as well as making personal visits to Peter and to James His brother (see 1 Corinthians 15).

We know enough to have anchored hope in the promised resurrection of our new perfect body. But there is also the reality that, “… No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT)

Therefore, comfort and encourage one another with these words!

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21 Nov 2022

God’s Favor on your Leadership

[ David ] …who enjoyed God’s favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. But it was Solomon who built a house for him. Acts 7:46-47

David, the man after God’s own heart, enjoyed the favor of God on his leadership. He saw God fulfill his destiny when as a teen he was anointed by Samuel and declared to be the king after Saul. He refused to take the kingship by force, waiting upon God to fulfill what He had promised through Samuel. He saw the Lord deliver him multiple times from Saul’s plots to kill him. He saw God open doors of sanctuary among his enemies and spare him from having to fight against Saul. The tabernacle built by Moses was now under his control and he desired to build a permanent home for the place where God met with His leaders.

All of these instances and others not recounted showed God’s favor towards David. With Joseph we saw God’s favor was manifested in the midst of many life trials. With David we see God’s favor in opening multiple doors of blessing and opportunity. It appears that David presumed he would also be the one to build the permanent temple for God instead of the ‘temporary’ (mobile) tabernacle. But it was not to be. David was told that it would be his son, his successor, who would build the temple for God. How surprising! How disappointing!

David was not given the opportunity to construct the temple in Jerusalem that would become God’s ‘tent of meeting’ where the visible presence of God would dwell. It would be another. David made the plans and acquired the materials, but it was left to Solomon to execute the plan and build the temple. Even though David ‘enjoyed God’s favor there were still limits to what God permitted him to accomplish.

How about you? You may sense God’s hand upon you and your leadership, but that does not mean that everything you desire will receive God’s blessing. God has purposes and ways that are not ours. And we are to submit to Him and His plans, not just assume and expect Him to ‘rubber stamp’ all of our leadership initiatives. Even though we have seen His favor in other areas, there may be some where He says ‘no,’ this is not for you to execute.

It is how we respond when God says ‘no’ that reveals our hearts. Do we wave our raised fist against God and demand He grant our desires? Or are we more clever and think that we can somehow maneuver things to make it happen without His favor? Or, do we humbly submit our desires to His plans and ways, trusting that His ways are right and perfect?

It’s a matter of the heart. How’s yours?

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14 Nov 2022

Asking for and Accepting Help

As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. … They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. Luke 19:29-30, 35 NIV

As Jesus neared Jerusalem on Sunday of the Passion Week (Palm Sunday), he needed help. To fulfill the prophesy of Zechariah (see Zech. 9:9), He needed a colt to ride into the city. So, He asked (directed) two of the Twelve to go before Him into the village and bring back the colt for Him. They did as directed and return with the colt, placing their cloaks upon the back of the colt and then lifted Jesus up onto the back of the animal. Jesus then rode the colt into Jerusalem as people laid palm branches in front of the colt, shouting and praising God as He entered the city.

Note the help Jesus needed in the recruitment of resources (a colt to ride) and the assistance He needed to get onto the animal. Here is the King of Kings asking for and accepting help from others. What humility!

Many Kingdom leaders are passionate to use their leadership to serve others. This is good and right – an admirable motivation. Yet, many struggle to ask for help from others or accept the help from others. They are used to providing help and find it difficult to ask for themselves the help they need. Perhaps it’s our ego or just habit that we don’t ask for ourselves. Regardless of why we don’t ask for help, this was not so with Jesus!

What help do you need now to accomplish the mission God has called you to? Have you asked the Lord for His help? Have you asked others for their help also? It’s not ‘either-or’ but ‘both-and’ for your requests. Is your pride preventing you from asking others to help you? Have others offered their help but you are reluctant to accept it? Why? Perhaps the Lord is moving them to come to your aid?

Ask and you will receive!

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

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