See yourself as a leader

 

Sight is important...

We often take for granted our ability to see. Physically speaking, God has given us a tremendous gift in our ability to see with our eyes. We love to look at things, we love to see the sunrise or the sunset...But spiritually speaking...there are many people who are blind...They don't see that God can do anything with them, use them for anything of significance, or fulfill His plan or further His kingdom through them...

Part of being a leader, a big part, is simply being able to see yourself as a leader. You have to be able to know deep down that God has a purpose and a call for your life. You have to be able to "see" that God wants to use you to influence the people around you...that, in fact, they are entrusted to your care. What a responsibility! At the same time, what an amazing thing that God is willing to use us as change agents, as leaders in the lives of other people.

Many people never "see" themselves as a leader, yet they have leadership thoughts and desires everyday. They want to see their friends and family live differently. They desire to see change for the good in their kids, or in their marriage. Maybe you want to see your nation change...I really believe that anytime we desire to see OTHER PEOPLE change...that we are having leadership desires. We may not recognize it as that. We may simply think that we have people's best interests at heart and want good for them; but deep down the base desire of every leader is to influence change for the good in other people. You need to start seeing these desires for what they really are...LEADERSHIP DESIRES

Every person has a DIVINE LEADERSHIP CAUSE attached to their life. You are the only person who can fulfill yours. No one can take your place. No one can be the change agent, or the influencer that God has CALLED you to be. It's your divine leadership cause that makes you unique in this world; because that is something that God has given to you and you alone. To accomplish that, you have to "see" yourself as a leader. You have to know and understand that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, God can enable you to influence change in those people and situations that seem most resistant to change

Sometimes leaders want to give up; but real leaders don't; because they know that their leadership is not dependent on their own power; but on their ability to see that God can use them to accomplish His purposes through their life. Don't give up. Pray for God to let you "see" what He sees in you. YOU ARE A LEADER! Never turn away from your "cause"

If you are having difficulty seeing yourself as a leader:

1. Pray for God to open your spiritual eyes
2. Really start to pray for others and their situations - God often leads us to action when we start to pray for others
3. Follow a good leader and learn from them
4. Ask God to give you an assignment - He may give you a burden to help a specific person - He may lead you to volunteer somewhere - He may give you relational opportunities that allow you to speak into someone's life in a positive way. If you are serious about change happening in the people closest to you, then ask God for an assignment

Thanks for taking a few moments with me today to learn about leadership.

 

You can friend me on facebook at Larry D. Shankle or email at pastorlarryshankle@gmail.com

 

To like our church and follow what's going on go to: www.facebook.com/grandviewchurchpage

 

www.grandviewchurchonline.com

 

 

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Start Where You Are

There are so many talented people in the church...!!

God has gifted so many people...actually everyone is gifted by God to have the ability to do something for God. There are people who have tremendous potential to be leaders in the church; but they simply don't know what to do.

If you've ever had any kind of desire to do something in the church for God...one principle of leadership that I've learned over the years is:
START WHERE YOU ARE

Before God will give you great responsibilities...before He will commit large tasks, or large groups of people to your leadership...you have to be willing to lead from the position that you find yourself in NOW.

START WHERE YOU ARE, LEAD WHERE YOU ARE.

Are you a parent?
LEAD WHERE YOU ARE.

Strive to grow yourself. Become a leader in your home with your children and your spouse.

Are you in a position that you feel is lesser, or simply ordinary?
LEARN TO LEAD WHERE YOU ARE.

In fact, as far as God is concerned...WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW, IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PLACE YOU COULD EVER BE...!!

If you, as a leader, will not learn to lead in your current setting...God will never be able to trust you with greater responsibility.
Why would God send growth in your area of the church if you don't take seriously the need to rise up and lead in the position that you're in now?
Why would God give you greater influence if you aren't learning to use and leverage the influence that you have currently been given?

Too many believers, who have the potential to do great, amazing things for God...have wasted their awesome talents and abilities because they don't think that they have a platform of influence to lead from in their current place or position. NOT TRUE.

Real leaders initiate change where they are currently.

Real leaders start things in their present that lead them down the path towards their future.

Even if you're current level of influence or position seems small...never underestimate the power of God, and it's ability to multiply the effectiveness of your leadership actions.

In fact, let me say this:
YOUR CHURCH, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR CURRENT POSITION...NEEDS YOU DESPERATELY!

They need you to rise up and be what God is calling you to be in leadership.
They need you to see yourself as God sees you.
They need you to take the initiative to lead the people that God has placed under your influence.

One of the dangerous trends in leadership today is the desire to start with the results that took others leaders years to build. A calling to leadership may seem to start small...but that's the thing with leadership and influence...IT GROWS OVER TIME.
As you put in the necessary work to GROW YOURSELF, SEEK GOD'S DIRECTION AND PLAN, INCREASE YOUR INFLUENCE THROUGH TRUST AND RELATIONSHIPS...God will multiply your efforts and in the process, maybe He will even see what He needs to see to be willing to commit more leadership responsibility to you.

Remember, King David was a shepherd long before he was a king.
He learned to lead sheep, STARTING WHERE HE WAS, long before God allowed him to lead people.
David had to face a Goliath, and overcome a giant before people ever took notice of the leadership that God was investing in him.
David learned to start where he was by serving other leaders that God placed in his life.
David learned to build relationships with people.
He started where he was...He grew himself...He kept a right relationship with God...and over the course of time, God committed amazing opportunities to David.

Let me ask you this:
What are the possibilities that God has in store for you, if you start WHERE YOU ARE?


Pastor Larry D. Shankle

Welcome

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog!

It's always been a desire of mine to help people become better leaders, especially those who work in the church. That is what this blog is all about. My goal is to take you on the journey as I learn new leadership lessons...hopefully, tell you how I apply them to my own life, and maybe give you some ideas of how you might apply them to yours as well.

I will be posting new blog entries about once a month over the course of this year. Maybe together we can become better leaders and as Andy Stanley says, "go further faster".

www.grandviewchurchonline.com

 

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