LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH - QUALITIES

1.      Leaders should be people who know that they have been called by God and anointed by his spirit. Rom. 13

2.      Leaders should be zealous and be able to inspire and motivate others for the work of the ministry.

3.      Leaders should be stable, firm and dependable – be decision makers – should not be tossed to and fro.

4.      Leaders should be good listeners

5.      Leaders should have thankful heart – learn to appreciate their followers.

6.      Leaders should be skillful in what they do – should be above their followers.

7.      Leaders should be forgiving – should not be vindictive.

8.      Leaders should be peacemakers – reason for correction is restoration.

9.      Leaders should be dedicated, loyal and committed to their followers.

10.  A good leader should take center stage.

11.  Leaders should be contented.

12.  Leaders should always be honest, sincere and trustworthy.

13.  Leaders should be able to guide people to God.

14.  Leaders should be able to judge between right and wrong.

15.   Leaders must live a disciplined life.

16.  Leaders should be generous – willing to give than to receive.

17.  Leaders should nurture, cherish the group and be able to take care of them.

18.  Leaders should have the heart of unity.

19.  Leaders should be totally available to God.

20.  Leaders should not be fearful – should be bold.

21.  Leaders should be righteous and pure in character.

22.  Leaders should be focused, determined and committed.

23.  Leaders should be diligent, watching over their groups, making sure they are doing what they are expected to do.

LEADERSHIP – REPRODUCING YOURSELF

Ideas for reproducing  yourself in leadership

You will inspire followers to become leaders. You are a successful leader when you have followers who can lead others. Success without successor is a failure. Train people in the family to take over from you.

Cultivate ideas of follow up.

1Thess.                  Follow up is a process whereby you integrate a person into the church until he is established. Follow up is as crucial as the first milk a person takes. These essentials must be planted in the heart of a new member – to read the word, pray, share their faith with others.

Follow up must be done by men of integrity -  they must have compassion and love for God.

Effective follow-up

1.      You must be two – one person must not go. Consider the marital status of the fellow you want to visit.

2.      Try to meet spiritual and physical needs. Build a relationship bridge – find out what he is doing – hold hand and pray.

3.       Create friendly atmosphere with him.

4.      Never forget to minister the word and pray and encourage him and invite him.

The rules

1.      Don’t lose track of your goal – be persistent – but don’t pester him – integrate him into appropriate fellowship – please respect societal norms – if you are a youth following up an elderly person, always show respect.

2.      Don’t ask for favor, brighten up (God has been helping us).

3.      Don’t mystify yourself and take the place of God.

4.      Don’t introduce a token – don’t introduce a handkerchief, olive oil etc. – tell him about Jesus only – that is sufficient.

How do we build membership?

It is built up by active members i.e. why the Pastor has invited us. The strength of the church lies on us working with one accord (unity). Assign responsibility using men in their areas of gifting and equipment. Encourage them to contribute to matters affecting the group. Don’t do all the talking alone. Encourage them to set the base. Have a clear cut vision – to call back men to God. Any meeting we are going to have, let it touch the life of people.

Ask ‘’If you want to be our member, rise up and come to the altar’’. Pray for them;

Pray for their families, pray for their health, pray for their business, pray for their needs.

Finally, every meeting must end with an altar call (for salvation). Encourage people to desire Holy Ghost baptism. The only difference between two organizations, churches, fellowships is the quality of leadership – not the environment.

The quality of your harvest is dependent on the quality of your seed. When men’s needs are met, they stay in the church.

Finally, can God trust us? Maintain creative dissatisfaction – you are not satisfied with what you have done - you want to improve.

LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS

                                     

Introduction. The first impression can keep or drive your member. The first thing is to call men back to God.

Some leaders are committed to themselves. Leaders are not born, leaders are made. God is interested in what we do as leaders. Leaders are disciplined to deliberately exert influence on a people so as to move them to do or put in process the mechanism that will move us towards achieving a goal. – there must be a vision (goal) which will propel us to have a mission.

Num. 27:12-17 vs.16 ‘’--- let the Lord ---set a man over  the congregation.’’

How can a leader be effective? Deut. 17:15 ‘’Thou shall in any wise set him king over thee---.’’

1.      A leader must be somebody close to the people – you must be part of them. There must be a relationship; he must be a prototype (a sample that becomes a reference point).

2.      You must be an example of what your followers are expected to be. 1Tim. 4:12 ‘’Be thou an example of believers---‘’

3.      The leader must be knowledgeable and know where we are going. Moses led the Israelites. God told him he was taken them to a land flowing with milk and honey. If you don’t have a defined goal everybody will be doing his own thing his own way. You have to be ahead of the people. If you are at par with your fellowship members, you are no longer their leader. You should hunger to be ahead – by reading, exhortation, doctrine, balanced in the Holy Spirit.

4.      Leadership is effective when the goals and targets, dreams or visions of the group are met through a good mission and you are able to communicate it to the members. Mission is applying the right men and equipment. The leader should not wear a long face.

5.      When the following is done through a deliberate commitment.

·         When the needs of the people are met (finance, prayers, word, counsel and visitation). You can meet needs when you are observant.

·         Sustaining endeavor to make deliberate effort to make attractive, beautiful and worthwhile. Dinner, testimonies, words can be sponsored by Men’s fellowship, Youth fellowship, CWFI etc.

6.      Depend on the Holy Spirit for ideas.

7.    If we have to be good leaders, we should learn to delegate duties. The best way to delegate authorities is to try people in little things and then increase their responsibility. If you have a shop, have somebody to run it with you. It is not proper if you are going out, you lock your shop. Create groups and let people have sense of belonging.

8.      Always create a project and keep the people busy. Committee system is very useful.

9.    Always have appropriate program designed to meet needs. Organize business meetings and call in a resource fellow. Organize marriage seminar.

10.  An effective leader should be adaptable to changes. Don’t be afraid to withdraw your orders i.e. humility.

11. An effective leader reproduces himself in others.

12.  Always plan. If you don’t plan to succeed, you are planning to fail. You must have a purpose and always be patient. A leader must be FAT (Faithful, Availability, Teachable). You may not be the one that knows all things but you are faithful, available and teachable.