Leadership principles of Jesus #2 -Prepare

“Leadership Principles of Jesus #2”
II. Prepare yourself to lead
99% of senior pastors surveyed felt they were not gifted leaders. Yet, its been said that everything rises and falls on leadership”  Henry Blackaby stated that “the greatness of an organization will be directly proportional to the greatness of the leader” as one writer pointed out that leadership even effects those we hire. On a 1-10 scale, if you are a 7 leader you will hire 5 and 6 leaders, as people tend not to work for people who are lower on the scale than they are. Leadership skill affects your job, ministry, family-almost everything worthwhile.
Leaders are made not born- there is a gift of leadership and natural born talent as well, but one can be gifted in anything and nor have the skill. We can grow in leadership skill. If you are a 5 leader, you can grow to a 7 or maybe an 8.
How do we grow in our leadership skill?
        1. Read-There is a plethora of books on leadership Earl Nightingale said,” Reading one hour a day on any subject for five years will make you an expert on that subject”
        2. Take opportunities- Meet people, go on mission trips, and local opportunities. Jay Strack has often said, “You will be the same person 5 years from now as you are today except for the places you go, the people you meet, and the books you read.”
        3. Take on God’s challenges- Say yes to whatever He is leading you to do right now.
        4. Respond positively to adversity.
        5. Fail forward- Learn from your mistakes and failures and move forward. “A mistake is evidence that someone is trying to do something” President Harry Truman is quoted as saying, “ I suffered bankruptcy, and rejected at West Point, I can’t possibly lose forever.”
         6. Pray- and never give up
Jesus was a leadership mentor. In Matthew 4;19-22, He said, “And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.