Discipleship

Fruitful Leadership#8: Gentleness

/ thinkingoutsidethetextbox / Leave a comment

The eighth fruit of the Spirit that a Christian leader should demonstrate is gentleness. In some places the word is translated as “meekness” or “humility.”

Strong’s concordance defines this word as either “gentle strength” or “gentle-force” (https://biblehub.com/greek/4240.htm). When we see a 6-foot 300 pound muscular man we may see someone with incredible strength. People who know him may describe him as “big Teddy bear” because they know that he is gentle, keeping his strength restrained.

Gentleness does not mean a lack of power, but the ability to hold that power in check. There are some leaders who run roughshod right over those in their way. They have power and strength and authority and have no problem using it to the fullest extent as long as they get their way.

God has gifted some individuals with leadership abilities who use this gift to lead without much consideration for those they lead. It seems they think their natural charisma or the role they hold, gives them the right to mistreat others. Leaders with this perspective view people as resources to accomplish their purposes. Instead, the gentle leader demonstrates confidence and strength in tandem with care and consideration for those they work with and serve.

Leading in this way does not show the fruit of the Spirit called gentleness. Gentleness is accompanied by the other fruits of the Spirit we already looked at: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. The gentle leader can still be a strong and confident leader but ensures that they lead with concern for people and how their actions affect others.

The gentle leader has a clear mission and vision that they promote and holds others accountable for their actions in light of this mission and vision. They may have to have tough conversations with those who do not alight with the mission and vision and are not meeting expectations, but these conversations are handled with care. The leader can correct or even remove others from their role if necessary, while caring for them as a person. Emphasis is placed on how they are not meeting expectations rather than moving to personal attacks or treating them unkindly.

Gentleness, or meekness, is not an excuse to ignore issues that need to be addressed, whether it is interpersonal relationships on a team, or a lack of effort and poor results from a team member. Confrontation and correction are still viable options for any Christian leader. The issue is about how that is handled.

As a pastor and leader, I need to regularly ask God for wisdom in how to handle situations and how to deal with people. We can trust that the Holy Spirit can give us the ability to handle problems and people in a way that is firm but gentle and kind. We can demonstrate a gentle attitude even as we provide quality leadership.

A gentle leader can lead with strong direction while still respecting the individuals involved. May the fruit of the Spirit of gentleness be evident in your leadership.

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

Fruitful Leadership #7: Faithfulness

/ thinkingoutsidethetextbox / Leave a comment

As we continue to work our way through Galatians 5: 22-23, we come to “faithfulness.”

Faithfulness is seen in the character of God. God does not relinquish his promises. He does not change who he is. He is consistent and trustworthy and true to who he has always been. As a Christian leader, we want to reflect this characteristic of God in all our dealings with others.

Faithfulness, like some of the other fruits of the Spirit, is only evident over time. God’s faithfulness is clearly observed as we look at the bible and his consistent way of dealing with people over thousands of years. No one observes us for thousands or hundreds of years, yet they do see the consistency of our character as we work alongside them day in and day out, week after week.

A Christian leader who is living out the fruit of faithfulness is trustworthy. What he says and does will be the same. When he says something, he doesn’t have to add, “I promise.” His team and the people he is leading know that what he says is what he will do. His word holds value.

His message will not continually change. I heard of one pastor who frustrated his church and his staff because he was always pursuing a new direction. There was not one consistent message or vision to the church. He would never have thought he was untrustworthy, yet those who were supposed to follow his leadership were confused and frustrated because what was expected of them changed continually. A faithful leader will be careful to hear from God and then lead in the direction they believe God is leading rather than grabbing hold of every new and exciting idea that comes along.

Sometimes people question another’s motives, wondering if they are making commitments in “good faith.” To act in good faith is to act with honest intentions. This is to make decisions carefully based on available information. To be well-intentioned. This is faithfulness in action. This is to act in with such integrity that no one will be suspicious of a person’s motives.

A faithful leader is one that others trust and confide in. Those you lead should know that when they share concerns with you, you will not share that with anyone else. You are one who can be trusted.

As we allow the Holy Spirit to produce his fruit in us, his influence will be evident in directing and guiding our actions and words and even feelings towards others. As we continue to submit to the Holy Spirit’s influence on our lives we will become a faithful leader. This is a reminder again, that a Christian leader needs to be in continual communication with the Spirit. While some can work hard to be faithful leaders, the fruit of faithfulness can only be ours as a gift of God and a work of the Holy Spirit.

In practical terms, faithfulness in a leader will be seen in how they lead with consistency and trustworthiness. The leader will not change expectations all the time and lead with a steady direction.

Faithfulness is seen in a leader who does not expect more of his team than he puts in. It is seen in their care for those under their leadership. It will be evident over time that this leader is one who can be trusted, and people want to follow.

May you be filled with the Spirit and then live out the fruit of faithfulness as you lead your team and those you serve.

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

Fruitful Leadership #6: Goodness

/ thinkingoutsidethetextbox / Leave a comment

When God created the world, Genesis tells us he made this statement five times: “And God saw that it was good.” On the last day, he looked at all he had made and the Bible declares: “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” The word declaring the absolute best or the perfection of what God created was “good.” Today, good seems like it’s not enough. We use words like amazing, excellent, incredible, and on and on.

As we continue to work our way through the list of Spiritual gifts found in Galatians 5: 22 and 23 we come to the fruit of “goodness”. Again, in today’s thinking, at least in mine, “goodness” seems like a bland word compared to what one might use. So, let’s look at the word before we look at how we would invite the Holy Spirit to make it a fruit we are producing in our life.

“Goodness” or “good,” according to Strong’s concordance, is meant to convey something intrinsically good, or something which “originates from God and is empowered by Him in their life, through faith.” (https://biblehub.com/greek/19b.htm)  This is not a bland statement but one that is intended to show the goodness of God, all the good of the creator being lived out in his creation. Really, it is reflecting the goodness of God in our life.

If we want to lead with the Spirit’s fruit of goodness in our leadership, we look to lead like God would in the situations we find ourselves in. We ask the Spirit to make us good like God in how we act toward other people and how we live our lives before them. As we lead, we do so from the goodness of God already in us through the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives.

To lead with the fruit of goodness in our lives is impossible unless we have come into fellowship with God through faith in Christ. Then, as his Spirit takes up residence in our lives, we can invite him to express himself through us in our words and actions.

While kindness is focused on others and how we care for them, goodness is a focus on God that allows his Spirit to work through us as we put God first in all of our lives. As we focus on God, he works through us.

The development of this fruit then begins with a continued desire to know God better. Goodness, that intrinsic, God-empowered fruit, depends on how well we get to know God and allow him to fill us with his goodness. A leader who desires to produce the fruit of goodness cannot just try harder or look at ways to be good and nice to people. It will not happen by our own efforts. It cannot be the result of a seminar or training exercise. It is only the result of spending time with God in his Word and in prayer.

As you are filling yourself with goodness in your relationship with God, you can then produce goodness in your interactions with your team and others you serve. It can only be an overflow of spending time in God’s goodness first.

Leading with goodness is a great desire. Spend time with God regularly so the Holy Spirit will produce goodness in you and your leadership.

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

Fruitful Leadership #5: Kindness

/ thinkingoutsidethetextbox / Leave a comment

The spiritual fruit of kindness in a leader is different than how we often think of kindness.

We tend to think of kindness as “being kind” or “being nice” to someone. It is the opposite of being mean or rude. It is the sense of treating each other as we would like to be treated. This is recognizing each other as humans who need to respect and care for each other as such.

The spiritual fruit of kindness, though, is not so much about holding back our anger and frustration and being nice to those around us. Kindness, as presented in Galatians 5: 22 in the list of spiritual fruit evident in those who are filled with the Spirit, is about practical care for others.

While the word portrays goodness and gentleness, it could be thought of as “useful kindness.” This is about practically being kind by doing something nice for another person that is useful to them.

A simple example would be to show up with coffee and donuts for your team at coffee time. Not only are you doing something nice, but it could also be useful to them, especially if they need a little energy.

So how can we be kind in this way as a Christian leader? How can we meet real needs of those we are leading?

Why not begin by finding out what the real needs are?

Instead of assuming, take time to talk with people and get to know them and what is going on in their lives. If your team is too big to talk personally with everyone, talk with a few. Or send out a brief survey or questionnaire inviting your people to let you know how you can be of help.

Here are a few thoughts on how you could extend useful kindness to the people you work with.

  • Have an open-door policy – even for certain hours if it doesn’t work all the time.
  • Offer financial help to those who might benefit from counselling.
  • Make lunchtime easier. Provide a small kitchen for staff to use. One employer I had brought in a catered lunch occasionally.
  • A businessman offered free childcare in a facility connected to his business for his staff.  If you are not able to do this, can you offer some help?
  • Provide appropriate training regularly.
  • Ensure your team has the tools and resources they need to do their job well.
  • Keep organizational structure and communication clear.

The spiritual gift of kindness can be a powerful tool in a leader’s pouch to build loyalty and camaraderie with the people you lead. As you extend mercy and grace in practical ways, people will respond with respect and loyalty. As you reach out with benevolence and generosity, they will respond with a desire to do their best for the team.

We should be nice to those we lead, but we can go beyond that and provide useful and practical help as well.

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

Fruitful Leadership #1: Love

/ thinkingoutsidethetextbox / Leave a comment

There has been much study done on the character and personality of good leaders. In the book of Galatians, the Apostle Paul introduces what he refers to as the “fruit of the Spirit”, describing what Christians are to live like, to be like. As believers in Jesus, we have His Spirit living in us when we surrender our lives to Him. Just like al healthy apple tree produces apples, a healthy Spirit-filled person will produce the “fruit” of the Spirit.

Paul gives a list of nine fruits, or characteristics, that people surrendered to Jesus and filled with his Spirit will be like. It makes sense, then, that a Christian leader will be a Spirit-filled person who will ideally be producing the fruit Paul lists.

The first fruit listed is love. If you are a Christian leader, you should be exhibiting the characteristic of love to those you lead and serve. Jesus, in Matthew 22: 39, defines the second greatest commandment as: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” One of the most important characteristics of a follower of Jesus is then, to love. And to love our neighbour. If we are unsure who our neighbour is, we can read Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. While others noticed a beaten and robbed man, the Samaritan cared for his wounds and took him to a place to heal up, even paying all the costs this might incur. The neighbour was the one who loved the less fortunate one in practical ways that made a difference in his life. As we daily surrender our selves to the Holy Spirit, he will continue to help us become more loving in our leadership. While it is our responsibility to love, it is the Holy Spirit who helps us to love better and who fills us with a desire to love when we may not really want to.

So how might the fruit of the Spirit of love be evident in a Christian leader?

It would begin with a genuine caring for the others one connects with. These could be your boss, or co-worker, or employees. They could be your church staff and volunteers. Sometimes, people like me who like to focus on the project and getting things done, can see those around me as people who help me get my stuff done, rather than seeing them as people who need to be noticed and cared for. To love is to notice people and to care for them. And to look for ways to help them. A leader who is producing love in their relationships at work will recognize when someone needs to be cared for and not just used to accomplish the leader’s vision.

Love includes communicating well with those you work with and serve. It means that we create an environment where direction is given clearly, and feedback is welcomed. Rather than being threatened by the ideas of others, a leader who loves will see each person as a contributing member of the team. By creating an environment where exchange of ideas is welcomed, the leader makes it clear that everyone is valued.

A leader who loves will want to make sure that their team has healthy relationships with each other. The leader will not hesitate to apologize for hurting someone. He will take ownership of his own mistakes and not dwell on those of others. Love means finding solutions to relationship breakdowns. Rather than just demanding blind loyalty, a leader who loves will create an environment where all on the team enjoy serving together.

Christian leaders display the fruit of love when they are willing to serve rather than lord their authority over others. Jesus pointed this out in Matthew 10: 44, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Some leaders love being the boss and want to make sure everyone knows they are the one in charge and they are the one to be obeyed. Yet even Jesus showed that he came to serve. For him it even meant giving his life to pay for the sins of all people. Love means being willing to serve others, even if you are the leader. Maybe you get coffee for someone rather than expecting they need to get you one. Or you listen rather than direct. You still need to give direction and guidance and set standards that need to be met, but you do so in a way that shows you care about the people you are leading. Love them by serving them.

Christian leader, allow the Spirit to flow through you, displaying love to those you work with.

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

Book Reviews: Andy’s 2024 Reading Experience

/ thinkingoutsidethetextbox / Leave a comment

I will be sharing a brief review of every book I read this year. Hope you enjoy and hope it encourages you to keep reading.

IMAGINATION REDEEMED: Glorifying God with a Neglected Part of Your Mind – by Gene Edward Veith Jr. and Matthew P. Ristuccia

The authors suggest that Christians have not paid enough attention to imagination and how it influences our daily walk with Christ. Imagination can help us when we are able to picture what we are reading in the Bible. Or it can hinder us when it leads us to imagine and dwell on sinful things. The book includes both a discussion on imagination and then a look at the Biblical book of Ezekiel and the visions included. The goal of the book is for Christians to pay more attention to their imagination and how it can be used for good. At one point we are challenged to think about God. They write, “If we are to conceive of him correctly – whether in our understanding, our imagination, or our will – our minds must be saturated with Holy Scripture.” (p. 34) They encourage us as believers to allow Scripture to guide our imagination. I was hoping for a little more on how to become more creative in our imagination, but they focused in on how to protect and enhance our godly imagination.

Book Reviews: Andy’s 2024 Reading Experience

/ thinkingoutsidethetextbox / Leave a comment

I will be sharing a brief review of every book I read this year. Hope you enjoy and hope it encourages you to keep reading.

GO: Returning Discipleship to the Front Lines of Faith – by Preston Sprinkle

As Preston Sprinkle’s books usually do, this one also pushes the boundaries of what believers are comfortable with and used to.  He does a great job of biblically suggesting there is more to discipleship than just teaching and more to church than just Sunday morning worship. He points out that discipleship is about living out a relationship with Christ, and living it out in real and practical ways as we connect with others in our world. Chapter 9 is worth the cost of the whole book as he challenges believers to consider how much of our efforts and money is wrapped up in putting on nice Sunday services instead of helping people with their real needs. A challenging and encouraging read!

Book Reviews: Andy’s 2024 Reading Experience.

/ thinkingoutsidethetextbox / Leave a comment

I will be sharing a brief review of every book I read this year. Hope you enjoy and hope it encourages you to keep reading.

SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP: Moving People on to God’s Agenda – by Henry & Richard Blackaby

Spiritual Leadership is one of the better leadership books I have read. The authors highlight that spiritual leadership is all about God. It is about moving people in the direction God wants them to go, about listening to God for how to lead well, and listening to God about what direction to lead. I appreciate how they point out that spiritual leadership is not the same as leadership in general. In fact, they begin the book with this statement: Spiritual leadership is not an occupation: it is a calling. Christians in any area of leadership should be spiritual leaders. This is a great book for any Christian who wants to lead well.

Book Reviews: Andy’s 2024 Reading Experience.

/ thinkingoutsidethetextbox / Leave a comment

I will be sharing a brief review of every book I read this year. Hope you enjoy and hope it encourages you to keep reading.

I AM A CHRISTIAN: Discovering What it Means to Follow Jesus Together with Fellow Believers – Thom S. Rainer

Thom Rainer outlines the basics of Christianity in a simple and straightforward manner. This little book would be great for new believers – and others – to explain what it really means to be a Christian in practice. Rainer introduces the reader to the main ways that a believer lives out their faith. He includes some good stories to help explain his concepts. A great biblical little book to help clarify what it means to be a Christian!

Book Reviews: Andy’s 2024 Reading Experience

/ thinkingoutsidethetextbox / Leave a comment

I will be sharing a brief review of every book I read this year. Hope you enjoy and hope it encourages you to keep reading.

The Family God Uses: Leaving a Legacy of Influence – by Tom & Kim Blackaby

There are many parenting and family themed books out there, but this is the first I have seen that focuses outside the family. Instead of focusing on how to improve one’s family, the Blackaby’s write about how the family can unit around being on mission for God. They write about the value of the family to the church and to God’s work in the world. A number of examples from them personally and others, are included to show how families can serve God together and be used for His glory in His Kingdom. An excellent book for any parents who want their children to grow up with a desire to serve God. Your family can be used by God!