Leaders Decision Chapter 8

How to make decisions

Prayer

Every Spiritual leader makes decision based on the leading of the Holy Spirit through prayer.

3 ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ Jer.33:3

A spiritual leader must have a vibrant prayer life in order to make good sound decisions. This applies in the church as well as in the secular career.

Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God’s Agenda Leaders Make Decisions by Seeking the Holy Spirit’s Guidance

Pastors and leaders of Christian organizations are not the only ones God guides through prayer. God responds as readily to the sincere prayers of Christian business and political leaders. People tend to draw distinctions between secular and spiritual matters. God is not restrained by such artificial boundaries. He is as powerful in the business world as he is in the church. God’s wisdom applies as much to mergers, or investments, or hiring personnel, as it does to church matters. Decisions made in the political arena can have far-reaching ramifications and require prayer for God’s guidance.

Business is the greatest enemy of Godly discernment because the day-to-day activities have a tendency to diminish the leaders prayer life. They get so wrapped up with what has to be done that they neglect their prayer life. As a result they grow unfamiliar with the voice of God. This is a tragedy when faced with a big decision that requires God’s wisdom .

God’s Word

God’s Word gives Godly principles to life and decision making. It is the ingestion of God’s word that makes it available when it is needed. For example when a decision needs to be made and the leader doesn’t know what to do, the Holy Spirit will call to remembrance the passage of scripture that has been ingested that is pertinent for the decision that needs to be made.

Other Believers

A good leader surrounds themselves with good Godly counsel. They must choose their counselors wisely. Just because they claim to be a christian doesn’t necessarily mean that they are a wise counselor. A good leader analyzes his counselors lives to see if they make Godly decisions in their personal lives.

A good leader is willing to listen to all counsel. They do not discredit opinions or advice that contradicts what they believe should be done. They listen and consider the advice. John Gardner comments, “Pity the leader who is caught between unloving critics and uncritical lovers.”

Henry Blackaby and Richard Blackaby, Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God’s Agenda (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2001), 184.

A good leader makes decisions based off of the Godly counsel that is given.

Circumstances

Spiritual leaders do not discount “coincidences” as accidental. They view them with meaning. They ask, “Why has God allowed this?” Once they discover the answer they make the next decision. For example, an unexpected spike in sales. A good leader may find the Lord blessed them for the purpose of the lean days that are coming. A good leader would not over-leverage their cash position, but instead may increase retained earnings.

Qualities of a Good Decision maker

Teachable.

A good decision maker can not presume to know it all. They must be in a perpetual state of learning how to do things better. They must seek others that see things differently than they do.

Accountable to God

Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God’s Agenda Leaders Give an Account to God

Spiritual leaders are visible to the probing eyes of the media. In fact, the press takes particular delight in exposing the failures of Christians. But spiritual leaders must not shun public accountability. In fact, they should welcome it as a safeguard against the temptation to abuse their power and influence. They lead with integrity not only because they are accountable to public opinion or the judicial system, but more importantly because they know that God is observing and assessing their thoughts and actions all the time and because one day they will give an account to almighty God for everything they have done (Job 7:17–18). The writer of Proverbs observes: “By the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil” (Prov. 16:6).

9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for [a]his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. 2 Cor. 5:9-11

Every Spiritual Leader knows that ultimately they will be accountable to Christ for their decisions.

7 Critical Steps After a Decision Has Been Made

Leaders Accept the consequences. Whether good or Bad the Leader is responsible for the decision

Leaders Admit their mistakes. If they make a poor decision they take the blame.

Leaders stand by their decision. Right or wrong they stand by their decision to avoid confusion. If it was the wrong decision state that make the change and move on. If it was the right decision praise the Lord.

Evaluate Decisions- Good leaders do not make all the decisions, only the important ones that affect the company as a whole.

Leaders focus on their relationship with God

Leaders desire God’s vision over their own

Leaders seek the wisdom of God and not on their own understanding.