In this evening’s teaching I want to ask ‘what does spiritual leadership look like?’

(These are my preaching notes from a talk at ‘Mosaic’, a service we do interactively around coffee tables. At several points the audience breaks to talk about interesting factors which arise from the message, You will see these headed by “around tables”)

(This message uses two clips for ‘Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves’. If you want to know how to find them please send me a comment from the end of this post or click ‘contact us’ above)

Leadership is something that rattles through our news papers and web sites. People often say they’re looking for leadership in their business or in government. This week we’ve heard of a school and a hospital that have failed because of ‘poor leadership’. So how about churches? And does being a leader and a Christian make a difference?

In God’s people the leadership that God uses to make his people thrive is in some ways the same as leadership in any other part of society, but in others it’s very different. So tonight I want to share with you come principles that apply wherever you may be leading (even if your circle of influence is relatively small) and what makes spiritual leadership distinctive.

around tables

Make a note of some of the most effective leaders you can think of
Talk about what makes them good (or even great) leaders…

Come with me to the World Trade centre on Sept 11^th 2001 at a moment when the planes are about to hit

6 men are waiting for a lift
5 in 3-piece suits
1 with a squeegee – a janitor
about the 50th floor it happens – the plane hits, the lights go out the lift judders to a halt
nobody knows what to do – nobody even knows what’s going on

It turns out that the man with the bucket realises that one thing they could do is prize open the door

they use the handle of his squeegee to lever it open and he gets the men in suits to help him
When they open the door thy don’t see a door on to a corridor of the building – they just see a huge blank wall with the number 50 painted on it
this is an express lift – there’s no opening on the 50th floor
all there is – wall between them and the rest of the world
now what to do?
so the window-cleaner thinks – and he realises that if he takes the rubber strip out of his squeegee he can expose some sharp edges
it they take is off they can scratch away at what turns out to be 3 layers of dry wall
with these sharp edges the poke away at the breezeblocks and make a 1 foot hole in the wall.
this turns out to be under a washbasin the gent’s loo on the 50th floor
they crawl through – much to the amazement of the firemen who thought they’d cleared the building
they run down the stairs and out into the street
then there’s a running sound and a rushing sound and the building collapses behind them as they run away into the street

Question

– in that situation who was the leader?
not the person you think! – top executives in 3-piece suit

it was the one who saw the dilemma and took the responsibility to step forward and take the lead and get other people to work with him to change things for the better

anyone who does that is a leader and anyone who fails to do that is not a leader

… regardless of whether or not they have the title “leader”

lesson 1 <ppt> – leaders are people who make things happen and spiritual leaders are people who make things happen for the glory of God

Jesus Christ was arguably the greatest leader who ever walked the planet.

Just think about it. He only preached and ministered to people for 3 years. He never wrote a book, he never formed an organisation, he left no estate. In fact he was the only person in history to successfully borrow a grave – because he returned it to its owner!
And yet, 2000 years later a third of the world’s population acknowledge that they follow him (to some degree or another) churches are being created every hour of every day 24/7
That is quite a following! No other leader in the history of the human race even comes close to Jesus Christ.

And that is very pertinent for us, because here in this room some of us are leaders, some are yet to be leaders and some think they are but need a little help to be effective leaders.
The essence of leadership is being followed – and Jesus was followed – massively <ppt>

Read Mark’s gospel and again and again Mark refers to the vast numbers of people who followed Jesus.

And being followed is the essence of leadership.
In fact many leadership experts now focus as much on followership as they do the skills or abilities needed for leadership.

Some bright spark once said “He who thinketh he leadeth and hath not a following only taketh a walk in the park”!

So as we come to look at Jesus and consider his gift of leadership – ask yourself this question: What makes me followable?

Are there aspects of my life that other people want to follow – that I can work on to be an influential person and possibly a leaders in some sphere or another?
Do I have the same mix that Jesus had – a mix <ppt> of vision, compassion, strategy, determination and empathy?

Lesson 2 – <ppt> leaders are people who have a following and spiritual leaders are people whose followers realise they are following Jesus

There’s a passage from Proverbs in the Bible I want you to read. Written by King Solomon – a wise and highly effective leader in his day. Here he is imparting his wisdom to his son:

Around tables:

Read Prov 4:20-23 <ppt> and work out what it has to say about leadership
Prov 4:20-23: 20 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words.; 21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.; 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
Leadership is to do with the heart – with character.
Most leadership failures are not failures of skill or expertise, they are failures of the heart. Failures of character.
“So above all else guard your heart – for it is the wellspring of life”

Sadly Solomon, who wrote those words, later failed – he became a sex addict and it took over his life. – a failure of the heart – of character.
Robert Maxwell failed – he fell in love with his money and gave his life for it – and left £440m in debts – it was a failure of character.
Robert Mugabe has failed to lead his nation well – he loves his power too much – it’s a matter of the heart – of character.

“So above all else guard your heart – for it is the wellspring of life”
Jesus said something very similar: Matt 12:34-35 … for out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.
It’s hardly rocket science >>>

Lesson 3 – <ppt> leaders are people who pay attention to their character and spiritual leaders are people who mould their character on the model of Jesus Christ.

I want you to watch a clip from a film “Robin hood prince of thieves”
Context:

Robin Hood has come home from the Crusades with a Moslem friend called Azim
But he’s arrived to find his father’s castle ransacked and the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham ruling the region with an iron fist
The oppression his family and friends are suffering moves him very deeply and he decides to confront the sheriff
In the ensuing fight Robin rides off on the Sheriff’s horse – a wonderful white stallion to meet the men cowering in the forest for fear of the sheriff

This is a skilful piece of script writing in which almost every line says something about leadership
(please overlook one piece of unparliamentary language)
[Discuss the lessons we spot along the way]

A leader takes initiative – and brings a situation to a head

Even though he didn’t formally have the right to do so, this is what Robin did. Nobody had appointed him as a leader – he was just doing what came naturally to him for the benefit of the people around him. He had already confronted the wicked Sheriff and stolen his horse and his sidekick Azim is the first to question him

“how can I protect you?” asks Azim

Robin already has a follower who sees how valuable a character Robin is and wants to protect him

But again, Robin is acting independently here
he’s out on his own
the dominant emotion in many leaders is not glamour – it’s loneliness
Leadership is an isolating role because of the need to act independently

Will Scarlet to Robin “You’ve started a war!”

to which Robin replies “We’re already at war”

A Leader will often state uncomfortable reality the way it is -they are fundamentally realists who don’t like sweeping under the carpet the tough realities of the situation

Robin to little-John “are you afraid?”

to which little John replies “yes – a bit”

Leaders take notice of people’s feelings but at that moment Robin sees his opportunity to energise and inspire little John

Robin: “Duncan – Bread?”

Duncan is Robin’s murdered father’s servant who has been blinded by the Sheriff

A leader cares about the people closest to him

“I say we strike back at the very man who takes our homes and hunts our children”

Leaders inspire people – and they do it with creativity and imagination –

just see how he’s using the emotions here “takes our homes” – (precious) “hunts our children”
Leaders often use emotive language to get their message across and to galvanise their followers

Then comes a classic line

Little John to Robin “You planning to join us matey?”

To which Robin shoots back: “No – to lead you”

A leader will step in even if he hasn’t been elected, appointed or given the title
He or she will just take initiative and assume a role he or she was never awarded

At this moment a leader is often challenged

a. Azim “these are simple people they are not warriors”

Whether out of fear or concern we don’t know – but Azim is trying to put the breaks of Robin’s leadership

And what does Robin do?
he takes notice of this contrary view but doesn’t necessarily respond to it
This is very common in a position of leadership where at key moments you may be given entirely contradictory messages

Let me give you a f’rinstance that sticks in my mind:
At an evening service in our church in Purley, and I felt it was right as the worship leader to get the people praying in small groups in the church. We didn’t have circular tables like we have here so I just got them to turn around where they were.
The following day I met a man who was in the service and he raved over that moment.

“It was fantastic!” he said “there was such a sense of the Spirit of God moving in that prayer time you could almost feel him! We must do more of it!”
“Thanks for your encouragement” I said

Later the same week I led a weekly Friday prayer meeting and at the end of the meeting another man in the church took me on one side.

“Last Sunday evening’s service” he said “I’ve just got to talk to you about it. Dividing the church into groups to pray like that was terrible. You should never break up God’s people like that. If you want me to carry on supporting you that must never happen again – ever”
There was passion in his voice “I want you to promise me it will never happen again!”
At that point may task as a leader was to listen to him, say I was sorry he felt that way.

This points up a tough side to leadership.

Both these men were equally committed to Christ and to the church. Both of them had active roles of service in the church.
But the thing that wrenched me the most was this:

Both of them were my friends.

The choice that faced me was between being a leader and being a friend. And this is very common in leadership roles, particularly in the church.
Leadership can be a lonely road to travel.
Now talk together:

On Tables

<ppt> How much is leadership an inner ability that I’m born with and how much is it a skill that I can learn?

<ppt: countdown clock>

Look at Rom 12:3-8

3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. … if it is leadership, let him govern diligently;

the word ‘gift’ points to nature –

some people are gifted while others and not naturally endowed in this direction

the word ‘diligently’ points to nurture –

it’s something we have to work at. The grammar of the sentence indicates that we are to be diligent about being good leaders!

Lesson 4 – <ppt> Leaders take natural skills of influence and work at them and spiritual leaders rely on God’s spirit for this task

Another clip from Robin Hood?

Story – The sheriff has unleashed a vicious reprisal against Robin and his men by burning down the village where they lived and now they’ve come to the forest to confront Robin

Leaders always face opposition – and usually that opposition comes from the place you least expect it – and that is usually from within.

Notice the character of Will Scarlet in the clip – he seems to be opposed to Robin for no apparent reason. (If you see the rest of the film you’d discover the reasons for him being so cantankerous). But it left Robin out in the cold.

This is why leadership is so often a lonely experience

Please don’t think of leadership as a road to glory or admiration! True leadership tests you to the core, and you may find yourself opposed or let down by people who at some time you regarded as your friends.

Did you notice what Robin said to Will “The one true weapon which escapes you Will is courage”

and to be a leader you will need to call on all the courage you can find – it is often a lonely path to tread

In fact a highly effective leader is able to rebuild those friendships

E.g. Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane – loneliness! >>>

Lesson 5 – <ppt> Leaders face opposition with courage and spiritual leaders can discern the work of Satan when he is active

Finally – leaders inspire people! Listen to Robin again

“I would rather die than spend my life in hiding!”

“The sheriff calls us outlaws but I say we are free!”

“I will make you no promises except one – if you truly believe in your hearts that we are free then I say we can win”

lesson 6 – <ppt> Leaders inspire people and spiritual leaders inspire people to live for Jesus Christ

And if he can say that for a cheap feature film how much more can we say it about following Jesus Christ and being the people he wants us to be.

Jesus used his words to breathe inspiration into this followers again and again

For example

“I will make you fishers of men!” What a contrast to what they were doing! >>>
at a friend’s tomb – “I am the resurrection and the life!” – conquered death itself! >>>

I will never forget the first time I saw Mel Gibson’s film ‘The Passion of the Christ’.

It was a preview being screened in London for church leaders who were invited so we would be aware of what people would be watching when they went to see the movie.
At the end of film preview there is usually a lot of talk about production values, editing, acting performances, costumes and the like. But this was different. Totally different.
The audience was stunned into silence, and that silence was maintained without any prompting until we had all left the cinema.
The question that burned through my mind at that point was much deeper than I expected. “Is this man worth following?” Am I doing the right thing by giving my life, my career, my time, my money, my marriage and everything I hav over to the Lordship of this single individual?
And the answer was an emphatic! ‘yes’.
Nobody in human history has sacrificed more for the sake of the Kingdom of God and, more than ever before, I wanted him to be my Lord, my mentor and my master. There is no-one who has ever lived life like him”

Tonight I believe there are one of two people for whom this is resonating “Lord – that’s me” – and He is calling you to be influential where you are – to lead – to be followed.

We’d like to pray for you and with you

Prayer time >>>

Spiritual leadership – what does it look like?