What is Leadership?

Content

Core Learning - A disciple is a Follower and a Student

Leadership

Leadership is viewed in many ways and has many different definitions.

Some say that a leader is anyone that influences another person - therefore we are all a leader in some form.

Jesus is the greatest leader of all time. He showed us how to live in love and grace. He lived with a higher calling and understood what that meant with the way he lived his day-to-day life.

Q - What are some of the ways you know how Jesus lived and showed leadership?

Servant Leadership

Jesus was a servant leader. He led through the way he served others. Not the way we typically view leadership in our current culture, particularly outside the church. Leaders are often more know for having people serve them but Jesus showed us leadership is serving others.

Mark 10:45 NIV 

"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.”

Leadership is a journey of learning how to serve people the same way Jesus did.

Because of this we must always remember - People are more important than the program.

Disciple

Jesus led a group of disciples, people he chose and called to follow him. He spent 3 years with these people exampling the way to live and teaching them how to live a faith filled Godly life.

What is a disciple? What does it mean to be a disciple?

Disciple Definition - Follower and Student

To be a disciple is to become committed to Following Jesus and his ways. A commitment to live the way he exampled in scripture and led by His Spirit daily.

To be a disciple is to become committed to living as a Student of Jesus and his ways. A commitment to learning and growing and failing and trying again. It looks like devotion to him in all aspects and living in a disciplined way of constant growth.

We are all working on becoming Formed into someone more like Jesus. This is what Spiritual Formation is, it's being a fully devoted Disciple of Jesus.

Spiritual Formation - 'Being formed into the image of Christ for the sake of others' Robert Mulholand

Q - What does it look like for you to be a Follower and a Student?

Personal Mission & Co-Mission

Personal Mission

Matthew 22:34-40 NIV

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Jesus was asked what the most important thing we can do is. His answer was Love God and Love People.

This is our personal mission in life, to set our hearts on falling more in love with God.

No one can do this for you, it's your mission not a mission that someone else can do for you. It's a personal and intimate development of your relationship with God that's between you and Him.

Its also only you that can control your love for people. People will let you down, upset you and hurt you at different points. Only you can choose forgiveness and to protect the way you love others. Someone else cannot forgive someone for you. Jesus knows that our heart is ours to manage and we manage it best we keep it surrendered to Him.

Co-Mission

Matthew 28:16-20 NIV

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The Co-Mission is something we cannot do by ourselves. This is what we are called to do collectively together and its why the Church and our Unity is so important.

No one person can do this by themselves, its beyond the ability of one person. It has to be done together when everyone works together surrendered to God and operating in our individual gifts and callings to collectively impact the world for Gods Kingdom.

Before Jesus shared the great commission with his followers its interesting what the bible shows us... 'When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.' This shows us that even if we are completely focused on God and full of faith and worship we are invited to this mission with others, AND even if we have doubts at times and are still working things out, we STILL get invited to this mission with others.

As a disciple that's still learning and following Jesus understands that even while we are becoming a disciple we are included in reaching others.

Gospel Definition - The Gospel is the Good News that our relationship with God is no longer determined by us but by Jesus. not by our performance but by His, Not by our ability but by His.

​

​

​

Prayer