Growing Deeper in Leadership

We are continuing our theme of Leadership Wednesdays and exploring the entry stages of leadership maturity. This content is heavily influenced by Robert Clinton in his book The Making of a Leader, chapter 7.

Psalm 119:71 NKJV

It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.

2 Corinthians 1:3–4 NKJV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

God does not leave us like He found us. He changes us (2 Corinthians 5:17).

In fact, what He has in mind is a radical transformation. He is working to form Christ in us (cf. Galatians 4:19, Romans 8:29, Colossians 3:10).

A core aspect of leadership is influence. Godly leadership is about influencing people towards God’s purpose for their lives. It is about representing God and His will in this world. It is about bringing the kingdom of heaven into the earth.

Godly leadership is different than worldly leadership. And in God’s eyes, we are expected to be different.

And that is not only true in God’s eyes, but even unbelievers expect us to be different.

Therefore, God is commited to forming the character of a leader.

Discussion: What are some ways that godly leadership is different than worldly leadership?

Beyond the functional purpose of leadership and the goal of God’s process in bringing maturity to us is about our relationship with Him.

Again, the focus of God’s work in our lives is beyond using us in ministry.

There are four key ideas on this topic that Robert Clinton presents:

Mature ministry flows from a mature character

A mature character comes through difficult processing

Many leaders go through such processing without realizing the benefit of it

Spiritual authority is not a goal but rather a byproduct

Illustration: Going into boot camp at 135 lbs. Leaving at 175 lbs. I didn’t notice.

The point is that we often do not recognize when God is working in us. One challenge of ministry (and leadership in general) is that we are so focused on doing that we miss the importance of being. Our energy is poured into working at the cost of becoming.

So often God breaks into our lives in a dramatic way.

Genesis 11:31–12:1 NKJV

31 And Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there. 32 So the days of Terah were two hundred and five years, and Terah died in Haran. 1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.

Terah took Abram and Lot and their families on a migration toward Canaan. But he stopped in Ur. We know that God’s plan was to give Abram the land of Canaan, but he had stopped with his father in Ur of the Chaldees.

When Terah died, God used that occasion to speak into Abram’s life and set him on course toward his purpose (cf. Romans 8:28).

Robert Clinton believes that when God breaks into our lives in this way that it is to cause reflective evaluation and move us forward. He describes this stage in the following way:

God initiates intense processing to gain the attention of the leader.

The leader is forced to do serious reflection about ministry, life, and ultimate reality.

The leader does an evaluation that results in formative thinking and commitment to growth measures learned in the processing.

The leader experiences a renewed determination to know God more deeply.

God blesses the commitment and the renewed determination by deepening the relationship between Himself and the leader.

He then offers a warning: if the leader doesn’t recognize God in this intense process but instead blames circumstances or people, or rationalizes away the processing then they may not progress through this pattern. In other words, they will go through the experience but not benefit from it.

God works in us and then works through us. This is a process on an upward trajectory The more we deeply we know God, the more effectively we can know His ways. The better we know His ways the better we can represent Him. The better we represent Him the more we impact others and make a difference. The more we impact others and make a difference the more we find satisfaction and joy.

Ultimately God is producing a fusion between what we do and who we are. This is integrity and wholeness.

Discussion: How long do you think the process of maturity takes? Is God interested in the short-term or long-term when it comes to you becoming the best version of yourself? If that is so (long time, long-term), then why are we trying to rush through the process instead of embracing it?

When we consider that this process is intense and can be long, it is easy to want to take ourselves out of it. The Apostle Paul described his own wrestling with this idea in the following way:

Philippians 3:7–15 NKJV

7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.

If we want to grow deeper, we need to press on.

Surprising Tools God Uses to Help Us Grow Deeper

There are three surprising tools that God uses to help us grow deeper. Honestly, we probably do not want to Him to use them either!

Romans 8:28 NKJV

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

God uses all things. Even challenging ones. The three we are going to look at are isolation, conflict, and crisis.

Isolation

Luke 4:1 NKJV

Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

Mark 1:35 NKJV

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.

The point of isolation is to promote dependence upon God. It also helps us resign ourselves to God’s will.

Jesus isolated Himself. During those times He prayed and sought God. God used those moments in Jesus’ life away from the crowds and in the liminal spaces.

In these places, sometimes desperate empty wildernesses, there is a deepening of the inner life as we seek God to move.

Two general categories of isolation are: external and internal.

External isolation can include:

sickness

prison (think of Joseph)

personality conflict and organizational pressures

Internal isolation can include:

self-choice for renewal

self-choice for education, training, or transition (example: retreats)

Discussion: How has isolation helped you grow closer to God?

Conflict

Dealing with conflict in some form or fashion is common in the life of a leader. While leaders are focused on resolving conflict and solving problems, God often uses conflict to develop the character of the leader.

Conflicts can be used by God to develop faith, deepen dependance, and reveal hidden thoughts and attitudes so that they can be conformed to Christ.

In 1 Samuel 25, there is a story about David, Nabal, and Abigail. David and his men were living in the wilderness to avoid Saul. During that time, they protected Nabal’s flock from raiders. They asked him for food and he responded disrespectfully (1 Samuel 25:9). David was angry and wanted to kill Nabal. Abigal intervened, blessed David and his men, spoke wisdom to him, and saved Nabal. This prevented David from sinning. He recognized his error and praised her wisdom (1 Samuel 25:32-35).

This conflict exposed David’s anger in the face of disrespect. He humbled himself and received wisdom.

In the hands of God, the goal of conflict is to teach us about ourselves. We learn about our own character, our own strengths and weaknesses.

God shows us areas where we need to grow, affirms areas where we are strong, and reveals things that are missing.

Discussion: Have you considered how conflict can be used by God to help you grow?

Crisis

What is a crisis? Robert Clinton defines a crisis as “a time of increased pressures due to numerous situations” like

Threatened loss of life, property, or way of life

Conflict of various kinds

Situations requiring urgent change

Inner turmoil

Sickness

The need to see God’s character vindicated

The need to have God’s guidance or special intervention

Persecution

These situations become opportunities for us to draw near to God and to see God move in powerful ways. As we depend on God and trust in Him we discover His power and see how He moves.

When we recognize the process we will draw near to God. When we don’t we are tempted to withdraw from Him.

Drawing near to God in crisis will ultimate result in greater dependence and trust. We will see God’s goodness. We will experience His work in our lives and on our behalf.

We become confident that God truly is going to work things for our good.

We also receive experience of the working and power of God in our personal lives.

These things develop our faith and increase our boldness resulting in a deeper relationship with Him and a new level of spiritual authority.

2 Corinthians 1:8–11 NKJV

8 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, 10 who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, 11 you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many.

Discussion: what was the result of the crises that Paul faced?

In this passage Paul’s focus was on what he learned.

2 Corinthians 4:7–12 NKJV

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.

God uses these things ultimately to reveal the life of Jesus in us.

Conclusion

God takes us when we are not very wise, or mighty, or noble. In fact, God chooses the foolish and weak and base to demonstrate His power in us so that others would glory in His name (1 Corinthians 1:26-31).

God doesn’t leave us where He finds us. He works in us to transform us and change us.

And He uses surprising things like isolation, conflict, and crisis to do so.

As you continue to serve and lead, keep these things in perspective.

More than what you do, who you are is important.

Don’t run from the process of development. Embrace God’s work to produce in you good things.

As you grow and mature you will become a godly leader. One who brings God glory and good for others.