Category Archives: Leadership

What Legacy Are You Leaving Behind?

Posted on by
1

This thought has gripped me the past few hours, ‘What legacy am I going to leave my kids?’ As I pondered this question, I thought about the legacy my parents have passed onto me. Here is a list of things:

  • A faithful marriage that endured the storms of life
  • Personal relationship with Jesus Christ
  • Life must include the fun factor
  • Passion for Gods presence
  • Commitment to the local church
  • Love for the Bible
  • Ability to preach
  • Ability to connect with people
  • Faith in God’s sufficiency
  • Love people not based on performance

Wow! As I pondered this list, gratitude filled my heart and made me appreciate my parents  investment into my life. I love them loads. I realised that much of the same list of qualities my parents have passed onto me would be what I want to pass onto my kids. I have added a couple of things to my own list but it does show you the impact your upbringing can have on you.

Proverbs 13:22 ‘A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.’

We carry into our own parenting what our parents have instilled within us. Being a parent is one of the most sacred responsibilities God could entrust to someone. I pray everyday that God would make me an honourable father to my 3 kids. I love them so much.

So, it’s time for you to do some thinking and write down your own list. What legacy was passed onto you and what legacy do you want to pass onto your kids or the people closest to you?

The Oracle!

What got you here, won’t get you there!

Posted on by
1

Too many of us think we have what we need to get us where we need to go. I think that the person who is really committed to growth in any area of their lives needs to adopt the posture of a learner. Leaders are learners. The moment you stop learning, you stop leading.

The information you are currently operating out of might be satisfactory for your past but what about for your future? Do you think you’ve arrived or are you still hungry to learn something new? When was the last time you learnt something for the first time? Some of us are so familiar with the ruts of our past that we have become content to live in them. It’s time to get out of the rut.

Change is challenging for all of us but God deals in the business of change. If anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come. To go from here to there requires change, adjustment and flexibility. Growth of any kind is a stretch but the rewards are significant. Growth is a process, not an event.

Just because you’ve got the degree, had the experience and bought the T-shirt doesn’t mean you are equipped to travel the next leg of your journey. There are times and places ahead that demand your preparation. Position yourself now for your tomorrow and you will have the peace, strength and faith you need to step into it.

The Oracle!

Sonship and Servanthood!

Posted on by
1

Servant-hood is a good calling. Sonship is a great calling. Sonship is at the epicentre of God’s heart. A son will have a heart ownership that a servant will never truly understand. Leaders, build your organisation’s future on sons not servants. Servant’s will only take it so far, sons will die for the cause they carry it in their hearts.

A father’s future rests in their sons and daughters, not on those who simply serve them. A son carries the DNA of the house, a servant ob-serves the DNA of the house. King David had a son, Solomon. It was on the back of Solomon that the kingdom moved forward, not on the back of someone who simply was serving their own agenda.

Abraham had a son, Isaac, who had a son, Jacob. The big 3! The whole purpose and promise of God rested on the baton of faith being passed down from one generation to the next. God’s promise to Abraham was fulfilled on the back of sons, not servants. Hagar was a servant used to fulfil God’s promise man’s way. Ishmael was the result and God rejected him. But God used and blessed the son of the promise.

Prophet Elijah had a son in the faith, Elisha. Elisha saw Elijah as his spiritual father but Elisha didn’t pass the baton on. Elisha had a servant, Gehazi. Gehazi served Elisha for his own agenda and the legacy wasn’t passed on.

What are you building and who are you building with? Are you building on sons or servants? How do you know the difference?

  • Sons always honour
  • Sons champion your vision, not their own
  • Sons are proven over time
  • Sons protect your back
  • Sons are honest with you
  • Sons are on the frontline with you
  • Sons endure pain with you
  • Sons help you do, what you do better
  • Sons know what you want before you open your mouth

I’m fortunate enough to have had spiritual sons and daughters partner with me in my ministry. The end result is huge. Sons always benefit themselves from the father because the father’s one desire is to bless the son as much as possible. The Father modelled to us in Matthew 3 what his heart and desire was for Jesus, ‘This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.’

The Oracle!

Passing the Baton!

Posted on by
2

Deuteronomy 34 and Joshua 1 is a fascinating insight into a major transition in Israel’s history from Moses prophetic ministry to Joshua’s conqueror ministry. The contrast between Moses and Joshua is massively intriguing to say the least. They passed through each other’s lives for a significant period of time and yet had two very different callings.

Moses was called to be a Deliverer of God’s people out of the bondage of Egypt. A deliverer gives birth to a new move of God’s Spirit, rescues, preserves and positions a remnant for God’s sovereign purposes in the earth. Moses was foremost a prophet who knew God face to face and led Israel through 40 years of pruning, preparation and miraculous provision. God gave Moses a vision of the Promised Land but didn’t let him enter into it.

A vision isn’t always possessed by the person who carries it. Abraham carried God’s vision for a new land and a new people but it was his offspring that actually possessed and lived in the reality of the vision. Sometimes we think that because we can see something, that we are the one’s entrusted with the fulfilment of the vision. Not always so. 

Moses saw the Promised Land but Joshua entered it. Moses passed the baton of leadership and faith to the Joshua generation. Even though Moses’ energy and spirit was not waning in any way, God was calling him home and required him to pass the baton to the next generation.

Joshua was called to be a Conqueror. Conqueror’s defeat and subdue their enemies. They gain ground and overcome obstacles and prevail over their adversaries. Joshua inherited a nation and led them into the Promised Land of God’s purpose and promise for them. However, Joshua grew mightily in his anointing and authority under the ministry of Moses. After Moses would leave the tent of meeting, Joshua would linger and soak in the presence of God. When Moses prayed, Joshua would fight on his behalf because God built Joshua for combat. Moses knew God face to face and Joshua benefited from Moses relationship with God.  However, there came a time for Joshua to step out of Moses shadow and lead Israel into God’s promises for them. God has given us a great example of generational leadership in Moses and Joshua.

Someone has said that Christianity is only one generation away from extinction. For 2,000 years Christianity has continued because each generation has taken responsibility to train and tell the coming generation of the greatness of God, often at remarkable cost.

King David said, ‘One generation shall commend your works to another generation, and shall declare your mighty acts.’  (Ps 145:4)

Each generation has to take responsibility to equip, empower, train and tell the generation coming through of what God has done and what He’s wanting to do today. Sadly, Joshua didn’t follow the pattern shown to him through his mentor Moses and did not raise up a successor after him to carry on the legacy of God’s promises and God’s purposes. It says in Judges 2:10 ‘There arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.’

This tragedy occurs when the current generation becomes happy with what they have achieved and falls into a spirit of complacency about the generation to come. God has never called any of us to retire in our calling but to re-fire the next generation to carry the anointing of God’s Spirit to hearts who desperately need to hear and respond to the Gospel message.

Who are you passing the baton to? Just like a relay runner in a 4x100m race needs to run their leg well and pass the baton onto the next runner in order for the team to complete the race, You and I need to identify who God has called us to mentor and raise up in order to pass the baton on, so that God’s kingdom can continue to move forward in every successive generation.

The Oracle!

The Iceberg Principle!

Posted on by
1

The iceberg principle states that it’s not what’s above the surface that will sink you but what’s under the surface.

What you generally see of an iceberg is only 10% of it. 90% of it is under the surface. The Titanic sunk because it hit the part of the iceberg that couldn’t be seen. 10% of who you are is what people see. Your gifting, charisma and appearance. These qualities won’t make or break you but the 90% of who you are in your character is what will sustain you or sink you.

Your gifting will always make more room for you than your character has capacity for. Your gifting will take you places but it’s your character that will sustain you, once you get there. The great thing about God is that he is already committed to developing the 90% that no one else can see. He knows you already have a gift. He gave it to you of his own free will. He expects you to develop that gift but inherent within the seed of the gift is the necessary ingredients to be effective in your calling. What you need to grow is your character and your internal capacity. The Holy Spirit is your sanctifier and helper who perseveres with you through your morphing process to become more like Jesus.

Pay attention to what’s under the surface. Your emotions, psychology, attitudes, heart and spirit are foundational to undergirding everything you express in your external environment.

The Oracle!

Listen to Billy Graham!

Posted on by
2

Someone once asked Billy Graham what would you do differently if you had to do it all over again? He replied,

‘I would have spent twice as much time preparing myself for leadership and preaching and half as much time actually leading and preaching. If I had 5 years left to live, I would go back to bible college for 3 years and then hit the road and preach all over the globe for my last 2 years.’

If it’s good enough for Billy Graham, it’s good enough for you and I. Lead yourself before you lead anyone else!

The Oracle!

Refuse to Lie Down!

Posted on by
1

One of the principle weapons Satan uses to disable God’s people is discouragement. Every person I’ve ever met and conversed with about their personal life journey have got reasons to feel discouraged enough to want to quit. Sadly, some people do quit and give up. Thankfully, others refuse to lie down and inspire us by their example.

We live in a fallen world that is characterised by selfishness, doubt, pessimism, discouragement and darkness. The kingdom of God is counter-cultural and is marked by generosity, faith, optimism, hope, encouragement and light. If your life is going to reflect the kingdom of God more than the kingdom of this world, you will have to be intentional about it because your flesh will naturally default to the spirit of this age.

I wrestle with discouragement a lot. It can come over me like a dark cloud and blanket me in such a way that it feels oppressive. The only way I break through it, is not by positive self-talk but by pressing into the sanctuary of God’s presence. In his presence I’m reminded that nothing is too hard for him. In his presence, my joy returns and I find the strength to keep believing, keep moving forward and keep positioning myself for greater things to come. God’s presence is a tower of strength and when we distance ourselves from him, we become a target for the devil to take us out with discouragement.

Too many of us accept the lies of the enemy too readily. Too many of us allow Satan to steamroll us with a barrage of condemnation and accusation, as if we were utterly powerless. But the truth is, we are powerful in God and his purpose for us (Ephesians 1).

I encourage you to draw a line in the sand and make a decision to stop entertaining the discouraging string of ideas Satan sends your way. Stop the broken record of wrong thinking and renew your mind with God-Truth. Life is fleeting and days pass by so quickly. Don’t give your best thoughts and years to the enemy of your soul. Your better than that and Gods calling on your life is too precious to let go of just because you’re in a season of discouragement. Refuse to lie down.

The Oracle!

Follow the Leader!

Posted on by
Reply

John 5:19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.”

I don’t know if you have ever played follow the leader but when I was in the Police Academy in 2000, I was in a physical training session where for 2.5hrs my entire squad had to play follow the leader. The instructor took us through a series of gruelling exercises and drills that we were required to follow. The only way we could follow his lead was if we watched closely and heard attentively.

This is a great practical insight into leadership. Followers take their cue from the leader. As goes the leader, so goes the followers. You reproduce who you are. It’s a law built into creation (Genesis 1). You can only reproduce after your own kind. This should cause you to take your example in leadership more seriously but it should also challenge you to ask the question, ‘Am I following THE leader?’

I’m not talking about your boss, pastor, parent or spouse. I’m talking about Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:15-20 gives us one of the most exhaustive and exalting reflections on Jesus Christ, that exists in the entire bible. V18 reads, ‘He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.’

As we consider the life of Jesus, we read in John 5:19, that he played follow the leader for 3.5 years of his ministry. Jesus said, ‘I only ever do that which I see my Father doing.’ Jesus knew that it’s not what you do that matters but what you do out of what the Father reveals to you to do. Most people I know are very busy doing a number of things that seem very important to them and possibly to others but I often wonder how much of what we do is really fuelled by a revelation from Gods heart and mind, rather than something that’s just culturally expected of us?

Even the Son of God recognised that by himself, he could do nothing. Jesus was completely reliant on his relationship with his Father and the power of the Holy Spirit at work in him and through him. Jesus only did what he saw the Father doing, which means, he had a close and intimate relationship with his Father, to actually observe and hear what his Father desired. As a result, Jesus could actually mirror his Father and authentically reflect the Father’s mind, will and intention for any given situation. Jesus took the game of follow the leader to a whole new level.

One of the most important questions you could ever ask God every moment of each day is, ‘Father, what are you saying and doing right now?’ God’s heart, mind, will and intention will be revealed to those who knock on the door of his heart and ask this simple, yet profound question.. continually. It’s time to start following the leader of our souls, Jesus Christ.

Grace & Truth

Importance of Spiritual Authority

Posted on by
Reply

Hebrews 13:17 ‘Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.’

I think many of us in the church take the issue of spiritual authority far too lightly. There’s no doubt spiritual authority has been abused in the past and because of the brokenness of people, still will be but that doesn’t mean we throw it out the window and deem it unnecessary or irrelevant.

I’m coming to understand so much more the importance and significance of coming under Godly spiritual authority no matter what stage of life or ministry we are at. We imbibe of the spiritual authority we are under. The grace and authority God gives to the people who oversee us is critical to our spiritual vitality and ministry influence.

As goes the leader, so goes the ministry. We reproduce who we are. Leaders, your ministry is a reflection of you. This might be the cause of great anxiety for you because we all have things God is taking us through, to help us mature and grow in him but I can’t expect to see fruit in a particular aspect of my ministry if I’m not personally growing in that area myself. My life and leadership is a lid on others and if you want those you lead to excel in life and ministry, then you need to excel as well.

Apostles play a key role in the area of spiritual authority, especially, as it relates to prophets and all the other ministry gifts within the body (Eph 4:11-12). Apostles are sent of God to a region or regions to carry spiritual authority to establish and build the church, as well as, father people in the faith and release people into their ministry. Apostles are especially gifted to carry the weightiness of churches and have exceptional capacity for church expansion. We can learn a lot from the ministry of the apostle and they are integral to the exercising of spiritual authority in the church across entire regions.

Whose spiritual authority are you under? Do you have any oversight speaking into your life?   I have learnt so much and gone far further through the blessing of oversight, than I have on my own. You will too.

Who Speaks Into Your Life?

Posted on by
Reply

Proverbs 18:1 ‘Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment’ 

Proverbs 22:17 ‘Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise.’

Over the last month I have spent more time on the phone and in person chatting with key people in my world than I have for a long time. Why? Cause I need to hear the wisdom of others and so do you. I have always created space in my world for people I respect and admire to speak into my life but I think it’s specially important when navigating an important season in your life. I started my ministry running my own show and realised I needed to broaden the voices speaking into my life. Thank God for sending me godly men to speak into my world.

Studying the Scriptures and praying daily is hugely helpful and strongly recommended but is one key part of a holistic process of growing as a person. Without a community of people around us speaking into our lives, we can develop our theological ideas about life in a way that isn’t helpful to ourselves or even balanced. A disciple is a learner, a student who submits and commits to assume a posture of listening and learning. This includes from key coaches, mentors and peers around us.

I would suggest having a compass of relationships in your world that includes mentors (north); peers (east); protegé (south) and friends (west) that you have scheduled catch ups with regularly.

We live in a culture that promotes the independent autonomy of the individual. This is embraced at the individuals personal expense. Nothing can be gained in living by your own judgment alone. What you don’t know can actually hurt you. I prefer to learn from the mistakes and successes of others than learn the hard way through my own selfish isolation. Listen, if it’s good enough for Bill Gates to have someone speaking into his life, it’s good enough for you.

Can you actually name the person(s) who speak into your life regularly? Are they respected by others? Does their counsel ring true more often than not? Do you walk away from the conversation feeling better off for spending time with them? Do you enjoy their company or do you endure your time with them? Where can they best contribute to your personal growth and development? What have you learnt from them so far in your relationship?

These are all important questions to consider. It’s scary to think that some of us have no one speaking into our personal worlds at all. I encourage you to position yourself and make yourself available to spend time with that significant other person who will sharpen you up. We all need someone to speak into our lives!