WHAT IS LEADERSHIP?

• Misconceptions about Leadership

Everyone knows what leadership is and understands it.
Some people are leaders, others are not.
Leaders are born with leadership skills.
Leadership is the same as management.

• Leadership vs. Management

Management is about coping with complexity. Leadership is about coping with change.
Management develops the capacity to achieve its plan by organizing and staffing. Leadership aligns people.
Management ensures plan accomplishment by controlling and problem solving. Leadership achieves a vision by motivating and inspiring.

• So, what is a leader?

A leader is one who can motivate people to a common vision of the future in such a manner that they want to work together to make the vision a reality.

• What are the characteristics of a leader?

He is a risk taker.
He takes control of his own destiny.
He is not afraid of failure.
He has a clear vision of the future. He knows where he wants to go.
He knows how to help others see the same thing that he does.
He is not satisfied with the situation as it is today.

• What are the characteristics of an effective leader?

He has a perspective that allows him to focus his ministry.
He maintains a learning posture throughout his life.
He has experienced renewal several times in his lifetime.
He has disciplined his own spiritual formation.
He possesses a network of key relationships.

Our Commitment to Being a Great Commission Local Church

There are two reasons why local churches need to be committed to the Great Commission.

First, it is Biblical.

1) The Great Commission was given to the whole church – not just to the twelve or to a select few.
Jesus clarified that the Great Commission was to be accomplished in several locations simultaneously.
(Acts 1:8)
If everyone is to participate in the Great Commission, it is the responsibility of the pastor to help his people find their place in fulfilling that responsibility.
2) We were designed to work together – not as individuals.
3) It is the model we have been given in the New Testament.
(Acts 13:1-4)

Second, it is practical.

1) Local churches throughout history have accepted their responsibility to fulfill the Great Commission. Therefore, it can be done!
2) The local church is God’s mobile unit for world evangelization.
It can go anywhere.
It can adapt to local circumstances and needs.
Biblical instructions for the organization of local churches are very simple
It is easily duplicated.
3) Essential training is available to missionary candidates only through the local church.

Therefore:

Let us resolve that our local churches will accept their responsibility to world evangelization and to the training and sending of missionary candidates to make disciples of all peoples.
OK! Right on! But how?

The Model

The model is found in the church at Syrian Antioch. What did this church do?

They prayed.
(Acts 1:4; 2:42; 4:31; Matthew 9:36-38; I Timothy 2:1-4)

They planned.
(Acts 13:4; Galatians 2:7-9)

They practiced.
They were leaders of moral character (I Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:7-9)
They were leaders who had experience in ministry (Acts 13:2; I Thessalonians 1: 6-10)

They commended and sent.
(Acts 13:4; 14:26)

They supported.
Who bought the boat ticket?
(I Corinthians 9:1-15; Luke 10:7; Philippians 4:10-19)

Working Together

I Kings 6:7

I.They had a big goal.

A.They were building the largest Temple ever built in Jerusalem.
B.We have a big goal. We are evangelizing the whole world.

II.God was in it.

A.Seen in the instructions given to Hiram.
I Kings 5: 3-5
B.God is in it for us too!
Seen in the giving of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20)
Seen in the promise given to the believers in Jerusalem (Acts 1:7-8)

III.They did quality work.

A.The facts:
These stones were the size of a medium sized room (4.5 meters cubed). See 7:10.
Perhaps there were 3000 of these blocks used in the construction of the Temple.
They were cut with hand tools (saws, chisels).
They were cut in such a way that they fit in place perfectly. Mortar was not needed to fill the spaces.
B.We need to do quality work.
We are building the kingdom of heaven.
The people we are working with are people for whom Christ died on the cross.
The work we are doing has eternal value and consequences.

IV.The work force consisted of people from several different cultures.

A.There were:
Tyrians
Gebalites
Jews

B.Our work force also consists of people from many different cultures.
There are:
Filipinos (of several different people groups)
Americans
Koreans
Chinese
Japanese
Canadians
Swedes
Germans
Etc.

V.There were no superstars.

A.Out of 3850 men working only Solomon and Adoniram are mentioned.
B.We ought not to be looking for the recognition of our fellow workers either.

Conclusion

If Solomon’s people could do it, we can do it! Let’s commit ourselves to working together to accomplish our goal of evangelizing the whole world.

ONE YEAR EXPERIENCES

May I share to you my experiences in the mission field for one year of been staying here in Nepal.

1. To get up as early as 4:30 a.m. to prepare food for our four Nepali boys that we are taking care of.

2. To be dragged inside the public bus without hearing any excuse or "I'm sorry" from the local offender.

3. To live together with other co-workers with my family just to tighten our budget for the next visa renewal.

4. To cut our food allowance for my tuition fee at the university to study the language and of course to get study visa which is the cheapest visa in this country.

5. To be embarrased by pronouncing the local dialects in different way, of course, with different connotation of meaning.

MISSION POSSIBLE.....

We have left Philippines with hope in our hearts to be instruments of hope and joy in the lives of the Nepali people. With our son Paul ( he was two years old that time ), we packed all things, "burned all the bridges" and accepted the challenge of being volunteer workers in the only one Hindu kingdom in the world ( during that time ). I had my mixed emotions. I was saddened that for almost twenty years of working in the Philippines as Bible teacher and pastor, I have to change the course of my life as a missionary. And I was happy to follow the will of God in my life.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time." Eccl. 3:11