LEADERSHIP AND VISION

 Index

We absorbed with enthusiasm the messages that the Lord had given His servants to share with us over the next couple of weeks. I remember listening to a young man, Rubin Navarrette. His teachings were very insightful. At that time, he was still young, but he possessed a remarkable gift. Today, he is a syndicated columnist.
His message helped me understand my future. It also showed me the challenges my pastor was facing back home. I wanted to support him in a way that would ease both our lives as I served him.
 
Rubin spoke in great depth about the importance of having a clear vision of what God calls you to do. He said that great things often begin with repentance and a close relationship with God. I recalled David Parker’s message of integrity, humility, and self-awareness. You cannot achieve an intimate relationship with God if you have an inflated view of yourself.
 
Rubin used Nehemiah as an example. He showed that vision often comes from a broken heart. He advised us not to share our visions too soon but to let them develop in our hearts and minds until the right moment. He warned that people might come to us "in the spirit of the Lord" to discourage us. Yet, he encouraged us to remain steadfast in our beliefs about what God has called us to do. With my vision of church planting in England, I needed to hear Rubin’s message. My earlier lessons on integrity and humility were crucial. I needed to earn others' trust when sharing my vision.
 
I later learned the importance of empowering others, during our church planting and pastoring days. I learned that many church leaders struggle to empower others. Why is this the case? How can pastors become more empowering? This remains an unanswered question.
 
Empowerment involves believing in yourself so that you can believe in others. Knowing your calling and identity brings security. It lets you avoid trying to prove yourself. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses helps you spot the same in others. You can then assign them to suitable roles. I am grateful that God provided me with Hendrik, who excels in areas where I struggle, allowing me to step back.
Many people have asked me why I don’t preach or take on a more visible leadership role. Some believe that if a wife doesn’t preach, she is not given a fair opportunity. However, that was not the case for me. I always understood that preaching and teaching were not my gifts, and I had no desire to do so. I was the pastor, while Hendrik was the teacher. I often joked, “I don’t preach; I tell Hendrik what to preach.”
 
This approach was liberating for me. I realised that if I preached, I would be robbing Hendrik and others, of the opportunity to grow and develop in their gifting, which worried me. This shows how empowerment works. It cannot thrive in a controlling environment.
Rubin ended his three days of training with us by referencing Philippians 3:7-14. It encourages us to untie the rope that holds the boat and to release ourselves to God's plans for us. A leader lacking a clear vision will struggle to lead. Leadership is not a glamorous role; think of it as being the one who stops the plague.
 
Philippians 3:7-14. The Message
 
“The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I’m tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, first-hand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn’t want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God’s righteousness.
 
I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.
 
I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back."
 
Amen!
 
Rubin’s teaching concluded after three days. I left wishing I could remember everything he taught us, but I did feel that I received an important message. I understood that I needed to hold on to my vision and protect it while waiting for God to speak to me at the right time.

 

 

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