Rom. 12:3-8, "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God Hath Dealt To Every Man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having Then Gifts Differing According To The Grace That Is Given to us, whether Prophecy let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or Ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that Teacheth, on teaching; Or he that Exhorteth, on exhortation: he that Giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that Ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth Mercy, with cheerfulness."
Introduction:
A. A "Kubernesis" (Greek) "One Who Stands Out Front," Was A Steersman For A Ship.
1. He had the responsibility of bringing a ship into the harbor --- through the rocks and shoals under all types of pressures.
2. Charles Swindoll says, "A 'Kubernesis' was an expert in the midst of a storm."
B. There Are Actually Two Leadership Styles:
1. One Organizes Things, Events or Programs --- he will usually organize Details and have people carry them out.
2. The other Organizes People And Emphasizes Personal Relationships and leadership Responsibilities --- he is not a detail person, but relies on others to take care of the little things.
C. When Things In The Church Become Fragmented, The Leader Can Harmonize The Whole Program If Given A Chance.
1. However, he may Not Take Time To Explain to those under him why he is doing things, he Just Expects the job to get done.
2. His patience may wear thin when plans are not carried through as he laid them out.
D. Sometimes, When A Leader Builds A Great Following, The Question Is Usually Asked: "Are They Following God or The Man?"
1. Paul said in 1 Cor. 11:1, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."
2. The Truth Is --- Many of These People Would Not Be Following God If The Man Wasn't Present.
3. Throughout history God has always had His men for leading.
4. Would the Israelites have left Egypt if they hadn't had Moses?
5. Would they have conquered the Promised Land without Joshua?
6. God could have chosen a number of ways to accomplish His work --- but He always chose to do so with a Leader.
7. All Through Israel's History --- When There Was Godly Leadership, Israel Prospered --- When There Was Poor Leadership, There Was Failure.
Nehemiah --- Had The Spiritual Gift of Organization
Characteristics Of The Gift Of Leadership:
I. An Ability To Visualize The Final Result Of A Major Undertaking.
A. Nehemiah visualized the goal of removing the "great affliction and reproach" of God's people by Rebuilding The Walls (Neh. 1:2-3; 2:5).
B. A leader is a "Dreamer In Action."
II. An Ability To Break Down Major Goals Into Smaller, Achievable Tasks.
A. Nehemiah accomplished the huge task of rebuilding the walls by having Many Groups Working On Small Sections --- (Neh. 3:1-32).
B. A person with the gift of organization is never afraid of a big task --- he will break it down into many bite size pieces.
III. A Motivation To Organize That For Which He Is Responsible.
This Person Is A "self-starter."
IV. An Ability To Know What Resources Are Available And Needed To Reach A Goal.
A. Nehemiah Requested From The King Resources Needed To Rebuild The Walls (Neh. 2:6-8).
B. A Person Who Is Able To See A Goal Is Also Able To See What Is Available To Get That Goal Accomplished.
C. The One Thing This Person Does Not Need Is Negativism.
1. They don't want to hear why it Can't be done.
2. They want to hear the ways in which it Can be done.
V. An Ability To Know What He Should And Should Not Delegate To Others.
A. Nehemiah Delegated The Work On The Walls, But He Retained The Responsibility of Dealing With The Enemies And Guarding The Walls (Neh. 4:13).
B. A Great Leader Must Know His Limitations:
1. There are some things he is Not Qualified To Do.
2. He must be Able To Delegate Responsibilities to others --- who are More Qualified.
VI. A Tendency To Remove Himself From Distracting Details In Order To Focus On The Ultimate Goal.
Someone Must Keep The Whole Picture In Mind.
VII. A Willingness To Endure Reaction From Insiders And Outsiders In Order To Reach An Ultimate Goal.
A. Nehemiah Had Opposition From Within And Without In His Efforts To Rebuild The Walls (Neh. 4:8-18).
B. A Person Who Tries Never To Hurt Anyone's Feelings --- Checks Out Everybody's Opinion --- Will Never Be A Great Leader --- Or Accomplish Much.
C. Most of Us Hear Far Too Much That Is Negative:
1. Why God can't do this...
2. Why God won't do that...
3. Why this won't work...
D. The last word of a dead church --- "We never did it that way before."
VIII. A Need For Loyalty And Confidence From Those Who Are Being Directed And Served.
A person with the gift of Leadership is A Very Loyal Person --- but He Also Expects Loyalty.
IX. A Tendency To Assume Responsibility If No Structured Leadership Exists.
A. The Administrator is a "Take Charge" person.
1. He jumps in and Starts Giving Orders when no one is in charge --- sometimes when someone else is in charge.
2. He puts a plan on paper and starts Delegating Responsibility.
B. If there is a program or event to take place, he almost instantly has a plan to carry it out --- when followed, the plan usually makes it more effective.
X. A Joy And Fulfillment In Seeing All The Parts Come Together In A Finished Product --- And Move On To A New Challenge.
A. A desire to Complete Tasks as quickly as possible.
B. As soon as a task is completed, he is Already Working On The Next event and starts giving the directions before others can even catch a breath.
Misunderstandings of The Person
With The Gift of --- Leadership.
I. The Ability To Delegate Responsibility May Appear As Laziness In Avoiding Work.
A. If a person is A Good Manager they are Not Going To Try To Do It All.
B. They are going to try to Involve As Many People As They Can --- as many as are required to get the job done.
II. The Willingness To Endure Reaction May Appear As Callousness.
A. The Leader has to have a Tough Skin because there is no way to please everybody.
B. It Is Not That They Are Insensitive, Tough Skinned, Don't Care, or Calloused.
C. It Is That --- If A Person Is Drowning, You Don't:
1. Argue about what Color of Life Raft to throw him.
2. You just throw to them whatever you have that will get them in.
D. The people that are negative and want to criticize --- they are the ones with the problem.
III. The Neglect In Explaining Why Tasks Must Be Done May Prompt Workers To Feel They Are Being Misused.
A. You may say, "Well, One Thing That I Don't Want Is To Feel That Someone Is Using Me."
1. Question --- Have You Every Told God That?
2. Most people I know are Praying That God Will Use Them.
B. If God uses you, it will be Through A Leader.
C. I have been Used by many people; but as long as God is getting His work done, why should I care.
D. I Know That Some People Will Try To Mis-Use You --- But Even That Can Be For Your Good (Rom. 8:28).
E. How Many Times Have You Tried To Use or Mis-Use GOD?
IV. The Viewing of People As Resources May Appear That Projects Are More Important Than People.
However, God Always Uses People As His Greatest Resources To Accomplish His Work.
V. The Desire To Complete Tasks Swiftly May Appear To Be Insensitivity To The Schedule, Weariness or Priorities of Workers.
A. The Question Should Be: "Is The Goal Worthy of The Blood, Sweat, And Tears Required In Getting It Done?"
B. We Need To Get Our Priorities Right --- What Is Really Important In Life?
C. What Are You Doing With God's Gift To You?
How Does The Person With
The Gift of Organization Act When
He Is Spiritual --- "Walking In The Spirit"?
1. Orderly
2. Initiative --- They are self-starters.
3. Responsibility --- They Are Willing To Take The Responsibility For That Which They Have The Authority To Accomplish.
4. Humility
A. This is where the person with the gift of leadership rises or falls.
B. They must have a learning spirit.
C. They must motivate out of love and loyalty --- not dictating what others should do.
5. Decisiveness --- Able to make a decision even when it is very unpopular.
6. Determination
A. They know where they are going, how to get there, and how much it is going to cost.
B. The goal is worthy of the cost.
C. They have made their decision, discussion is over, let's get the job done.
7. Loyalty --- They have a sense of loyalty to the ones with which they work --- likewise, they expect loyalty in return.
How Does The Person With
The Gift of Organization Act When
He Is Carnal --- "Walking In The Flesh"?
1. Orderliness turns into Dis-Organization.
2. Initiative turns into Apathy --- Slothfulness.
3. Responsibility turn into Un-Reliableness --- You can not trust them nor depend on them.
4. Humility turns into Pride --- Egotism --- Dogmatic>.
A. They lead by Intimidation rather than by love and loyalty --- this turns people off.
B. They can Destroy all the resources (people) around them, which God has given them to accomplish their goal.
5. Decisiveness turns into Double-Mindedness.
6. Determination turns into Faint-Heartemed --- Fearfulness.
7. Loyalty turns to Unfaithfulness --- To those which whom they work.
The Person With The Gift of Leadership Has
A Tremendous Potential When Walking In The Spirit ---
But One of The Most Devastating
When Walking In The Flesh.
If You Are Not Saved, Nothing Else Matters
