"Gospel-Centred Leadership"

I recently finished working through the book "Gospel-Centred Leadership" by Steve Timmis for the second time and was once again incredibly impressed with it's straightforward, not pulling any punches, gospel-centered approach to Christian leadership!  Whether you are already a Christian leader (pastor, planter, missionary, program director, etc.), you are a young man aspiring to leadership, or you are simply looking for a good basis and criteria on which to evaluate those you would like to invest in as future leaders, this book is for you!

Since the book is well divided I will cover the basic content of the book but want to assure you that there is much, much more to delve into.  Don't just take the parts that I share and leave the rest, buy the book and grapple with it's contents.  

Here's what you get:

The book is divided into three sections; "Principles", "Distinctives", and "Practicalities". 

Part 1: Principles

Under "Principles" Timmis presents us with three foundational principles to recognize.  

First, "the people of God belong to God."  

In this chapter we see that "self rule is a central part of human nature.  Essentially, we all want to be "god" of our own worlds - we all want to lead ourselves."  Yet it is God who rules! "God is the Leader!"  Therefore Christian leadership, "must be leadership that gives expression to the continuing leadership of King Jesus over His people.  True leadership does that in two ways: 1. Faithfully expounding God's word so that it is God's voice that is heard; 2. Conforming to the servant-hearted, cross-shaped leadership of Jesus Himself."

Second, "God rules through His servants."  

Here we see "examples and (broken) models" of leadership throughout the old testament and how these examples point toward the perfect or complete example of leadership that can only be seen in Jesus.  He covers Adam, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, the Prophets, priests, kings, and judges, and Nehemiah. "The central point of this chapter is that God's rule is mediated. God rules through His servants. The role of leaders is important in that they: teach God's people, protect the people of promise, deliver God's word to God's people, exemplify subservience, reconstitute the people under God's word, and point to the need for another leader."

Last, "Jesus is the ultimate Ruler."

In this last principle Timmis clearly lays out that, "everything that the Old Testament says about leadership finds it's glorious fulfillment in Jesus."  Jesus is the Good Shepherd and we can take two things away from that truth: "1. God has graciously given His Son to shepherd His sheep." and "2. Leadership among the people of God, in any context, should be modeled on that of Jesus."  He closes out the section by looking at the topic of headship.  "Headship is all about creating an environment in which those in our care are able to flourish and thrive, becoming all that God intends them to be as they use their gifts for His glory and the good of others."  

Part 2: Distinctives

The next section of the book covers 7 distinctives of leadership!  Below I will simply give the distinctive with the principle and a quote or two that really stood out to me.

Character: "The chief qualification for Christian leadership is a godly character."

"Leaders influence the people of God as the teach God's word and as they model obedience to God's word in their lives."

"Many leaders are uncomfortable with 1 Corinthians 11 v 1: "Imitate me as I imitate Christ"." yet "providing lived examples of the gospel is a key strategy for discipleship." "The bottom line is this: as leaders we are called to be examples. Being an example is the primary way we lead. We are called to be intentional in how we live so that we can commend our attitude and lifestyle to others."

Aptitude: "You can't put in what God left out."

In this section he lists 6 aptitudes to look for in gospel-centered leaders.

1. An aptitude to teach

2. An aptitude for taking responsibility

3. An aptitude for influencing people

4. An aptitude for people

5. An aptitude for hard work

6. An aptitude for self awareness

Wisdom: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."

"It is impossible to be wise without knowing, loving, honoring, and worshipping God."

Servant: "To be a leader is to be a servant."

"I am to exercise my leadership conscious of my duty of service to those in my care, which means that every duty I undertake as a leader should be done with a commitment to the good of those for whom I am responsible. Leadership says nothing about status or power. Leadership is not an opportunity for me to "get my own way". It is always about those for whom I have a responsibility of care."

"leadership is about providing a context in which people flourish as the people of God and become the people God would have them be."

"servant leadership is a principle, not a strategy. It is not a ploy to get my own way. That would be manipulation and that is always wrong."

"Service is integral to leadership, at least leadership in the upside-down kingdom of God."

Authority: "Leaders must exercise both functional and moral authority."

"authority is the right to make decisions and give direction."

"A leader's opinion cannot take precedence over the opinion of another simply because they are a leader."

"But experience on its own is no teacher. These men need to have learned through their experience and have proved themselves through it. Because Christians are called to humility, we should humbly submit to authority, and defer to those who have proved themselves through experience and character."

Style: "God mad me the person I am for a reason."

"Gospel-style leadership will be servant-leadership and it will seek to lead by example. These are clear and unambiguous gospel characteristics." 

"The fruit of the Spirt, "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" must define our leadership style."

Leadership: "Leaders should lead!"

"If the leader isn't setting the culture, he is not the "leader" - regardless of his title."

"If leaders are going to set the direction and create a culture, they need to be the people who take the initiative. They have to take the initiative by getting involved in people's lives, by teaching them, and speaking to them gently about the gospel in order that the gospel imperatives are obeyed instinctively and faithfully."

Part 3: Practicalities

In this final part of the book Timmis presents some practical application for gospel-centered leadership!

Decisions! Decisions!: "Decision making in the local church should be about seeking a Spirit-inspired consensus."

Here Timmis makes a case for the Biblical example of making decisions by consensus.  He defines consensus like this: "Consensus is decision making that requires full agreement before final action; it is reliant upon the work of the Holy Spirit in His church, and intentionally uses the process as a means of discipleship and missions."

"Consensus is a God-honoring way to lead a church. It allows God to lead His church. It requires us to rely on the Holy Spirit and trust His work among His people. It requires us to be proactive and to take seriously our responsibility to pastor the church intentionally."

He does also lay out some valuable clarifications in how this model works but I'll leave those for you to discover on your own.

When it all goes wrong: "Idealism is the enemy of gospel ministry"

We live in a fallen world and, even though we are new creations in Christ, we are still sinners.  Things do and will go wrong! In this section he explains some right responses when things go terribly wrong in ministry.

"The gospel antidote to this common state of affairs is clear. It starts with recognizing that you are not Jesus! You cannot save them. You are not even their leader. Only Christ is. Make sure that you recognize the signs of how this false thinking starts and establishes itself, and be quick to put a stop to it - in others as well as yourself."

Letting his people grow: "Leaders exist to serve others intentionally, to help them grow and mature in Christ."

Here Timmis presents us with 6 affirmations:

1. I won't do everything!

2. I will invest in people.

3. I won't be content with running programs.

4. I will ensure my teaching and mentoring are tailored.

5. I won't be content with numbers.

6. I will build structures with people at the center.

Where have all the good men gone?: "Invest in leadership, particularly among men."

In this final chapter we are encouraged to be watchful and invest in leaders.  Keep an eye out for those who demonstrate these characteristic at work, in their homes and families, or in your church and invest in these men.

"Jesus On Every Page" by David Murray

At an award ceremony during the final days of my high school career I was asked what I wanted to do with my life.  "I want to preach!" was my confident response.  The father of another student who over heard my answer pulled me aside and exhorted me to always preach the Cross!  I understood the importance of Jesus death, burial, and resurrection but what did it mean to always preach the Cross?  Then I stumbled across Charles H. Spurgeon, the Prince of Preachers, who stated, "I take my text and make a beeline to the cross!"  That was all well and good but something still didn't click.  Finding Jesus in the New Testament was simple but how about in the Old?  How do you discover Jesus in the Old Testament Law or the Covenants?  How about in the Psalms or Proverbs?  Or any other part of the Old Testament for that matter?

In his new book, "Jesus On Every Page: 10 Simple Ways to Seek and Find Christ in the Old Testament," David Murray does a very good job of laying out a clear and easy approach to finding Jesus on every page of the Bible, specifically in the Old Testament.  (Where was this book when I needed it?)  I found this book to be extremely helpful and it will be one that I go back to time and time again.  I especially appreciated the chapter dealing with Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament Law but all of it was great!  Given that I'm in Italy, I ended up with a digital copy for this review but will be looking to pick up a physical copy soon so that I can have it to highlight and mark up.  This book would be beneficial for any Christian but I would specifically urge anyone in ministry, and especially those in pulpit ministry, to read this book!  It will not be a waste of your time or money!  

For a limited time if you buy the book David Murray is also offering over $100 worth of Old Testament resources absolutely free.  You can find the details and instructions on how to get these resources here. 

"In Prayer" - Why I'm walking through The Valley of Vision

     Some time ago I began to recognize that my prayers were left wanting.  They were shallow, self-focused, distracted, often "on-the-fly" and "off-the-cuff", and they simply didn't reflect what I believe about the One to whom I pray.  My experience paled in comparison to that described below from The Valley of Vision.  I encourage you to read below and reflect on whether or not this is an accurate description of your experience in prayer.  

                        In Prayer

    O Lord,

    In prayer I launch far out into the eternal world, 

         and on that broad ocean my soul triumphs 

         over all the evils on the shores of mortality.

         Time, with its gay amusements and cruel disappointments 

         never appears so inconsiderate as then.

    In prayer I see myself as nothing; 

         I find my heart going after thee with intensity, 

         and long with vehement thirst to live to thee.

         Blessed be the strong gales of the Spirit 

         that speed me on my way to the New Jerusalem.

    In prayer all things here below vanish, 

         and nothing seems important but holiness of heart 

         and the salvation of others.

    In prayer all my worldly cares, fears, 

         anxieties disappear, and are of as little significance 

         as a puff of wind.

    In prayer my soul inwardly exults with lively thoughts 

         at what thou art doing for thy church, 

         and I long that thou shouldest get thyself a great name 

         from sinners returning to Zion.

    In prayer I am lifted above the frown and 

         flatteries of life, and taste heavenly joys; 

         entering into the eternal world I can give myself 

         to thee with all my heart, to be thine for ever.

    In prayer I can place all my concerns in thy hands, 

         to be entirely at thy disposal, 

         having no will or interest of my own.

    In prayer I can intercede for my friends, ministers, 

         sinners, the church, thy kingdom to come, 

         with greatest freedom, ardent hopes, 

         as a son to his father, as a lover to the beloved.

    Help me to be all prayer and never to cease praying.

     Needless to say, this wasn't my experience but that last line was my heart's cry.  I felt like I needed a reboot, something to help me refocus my thoughts and attention as I come before the throne of Almighty God!  Thankfully my friend Joe Thorn, lead pastor at Redeemer Fellowship in Saint Charles, IL, had just the thing.  He's created a Prayer Guide entitled Walking Through the Valley of Vision.  You can check it out over at his blog.  Basically it's a schedule with three daily appointments in The Valley of Vision.  I modified the schedule a bit to fit my day but have truly found this exercise to be of great benefit in refocusing my heart and mind as I come to prayer and helping my to think more deeply on what it is I'm praying and to Whom!  

"Everyday Church: mission by being good neighbours" by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis

In their book, “Everyday Church: mission by being good neighbours,” Tim Chester and Steve Timmis explore what it means to be the people of God living in community and on mission in a marginalized society.  In the introduction they write, “above all, we have tried to write a practical book that shows what everyday church and everyday mission might look like on the ground.”  They have accomplished just that!  

Chester and Timmis engage in a dialogue with 1 Peter as they explore what church, community, pastoral care, mission, and evangelism look like in a post-Christian/post-Christendom context.  Then they wrap it up with some great, practical advice on next steps to take in applying what they’ve shown us.  

I highly recommend this book!  It is a must read for anyone even thinking about ministry or church planting in Europe!  I’m serious, if you don’t read this book you are missing a very important perspective on mission!

Below are a few of my highlights from each chapter of the book.  Truth be told, I started out by writing down what I had highlighted in my journal but by the second chapter realized that I was basically just re-writing the book in a format only legible by me.  (BTW, I read the IVP version of the book in case there are subtle differences.)  

Life at the Margins

“We need to do church and mission in the context of everyday life.  We must think of church as a community of people who share life, ordinary life.  And the bedrock of mission will be ordinary life.” 

Everyday Community

“(Christians) are repeatedly called upon to respond to hostility with good works.” 

“We will only attract people through gospel distinctiveness.  We become relevant to our world only by being gospel-centered.”

“Mission must involve not only contact between unbelievers and individual Christians, but between unbelievers and the Christian community.”

“Our approach to mission should involve three elements: (1) building relationships; (2) sharing the gospel message; and (3) including people in community.”

Everyday Pastoral Care

“Think about how Jesus did discipleship and community: around a meal, walking along the road, when reflecting on events... So the context for pastoral care and discipleship is everyday life. “

“If you do not pastor people out of a strong sense of God’s grace, both to you and to them, then you will leave them feeling condemned... If you leave people feeling this way then something has gone horribly wrong in your pastoral care.”

“Sin makes promises.  The gospel exposes those promises as false and points to a God who is bigger and better than anything sin offers.  That is good news.”

Everyday Mission

“Respond to hostility with good deeds.  Live such good lives that people glorify God.”

“It is not simply that ‘ordinary’ Christians live good lives that enable them to invite friends to ‘evangelistic events’.  Our lives are the evangelistic events.  Our life together is the apologetic.  Let us affirm and celebrate ordinary Christians living ordinary life in Christ’s name.”

“You will never attract people to Jesus if you are not excited about Jesus yourself.”

“Our life together as the people of God is a life of poetry and light created by the gospel.  We are called to live a compelling shared life that makes others say, ‘Man! Look at those Christians. I want what they got!’”

Everyday Evangelism

“If we could place people on a range of one to ten depending on their interest in the gospel (with one being no interest and ten being a decision to follow Christ) we would find that lots of evangelism assumes that people are at around eight...but 70% of the population are at one or two.”  “As often as not, our role is to move someone one or two steps along the way rather than get them all the way to number ten in one go.”

Hope at the Margins

“The perspective of Christian hope changes everything.  It changes our attitudes to living on the margins.  It changes our attitudes to our time, money and careers, freeing up resources for mission.”

“The challenge is this: When were you last asked to account for your hope?  Are we living a life that makes no sense without the gospel?”

“Everyday church fills every day.  But it does not necessarily fill it with extra activities.  It is about living ordinary life with gospel intentionality, doing what we already do with other people and with a commitment to speak of Jesus, whether to encourage believers or evangelize unbelievers.”

"The Dangerous Duty of Delight" John Piper

I read John Piper's book, "The Dangerous Duty of Delight" while waiting in line at the Immigration office here in Italy a couple of years back and found a couple of great quotes. The booklet is basically an extremely condensed version of his larger work, "Desiring God" which I have also read.  Here is the quote that stuck out to me most:

"The message that needs to be shouted from the housetops is: Listen, world! You are not nearly hedonistic enough! You are far too easily pleased. You are like children making mud pies in the slum because you cannot imagine what a holiday at the sea is like. Stop laying up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal. Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven! (Matthew 6:19-20)

"Quit being satisfied with little 2-percent yields of pleasure that get eaten up by moths of inflation and the rust of death. Invest in the blue-chip, high-yield, divinely insured securities of heaven. Giving your life to material comforts and thrills is like throwing money down a rat hole. But a life invested in the labor of love yields dividends of joy unsurpassed and unending - even if it costs you your property and your life on this earth.

"Come to Christ in whose presence are fullness of joy and pleasures forever more... For the Lord of heaven and earth, Jesus Christ has spoken: It is more blessed to love than to live in luxury!"

Spellbound: The Paranormal Seduction of Today's Kids

Books, movies, video games, educational websites. What do all of these have in common?  All of these are ways in which our youth and even adults are being slowly desensitized to the occult.

Now I'm not one to tell you that Satan is hiding behind every bush yet the Bible tells us that Satan is the god of this world, he is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, he masquerades as an angel of light, and he blinds those who are perishing to the truth of the Gospel. (II Cor 4:3-4; I Peter 1:5; II Cor 11:14) In case you didn't know, Italy is estimated to have over 100,000 practicing witches and warlocks. The occult presence is increadibly strong in Italy and many parts of Europe and it increases in America as we desensitize ourselves and our youth.

I have just finished reading the book, "Spellbound: The Paranormal Seduction of Today's Kids" by Marcia Montenegro and wanted to recommend it to you. Marcia presents the occult through the eyes of one who has had first hand experience.  She does a great job of incorporating Scriptural support for her position and presents an easy approach to dealing with our own kids in matters of the occult.

Have you ever wondered about the occult?  Do you know the difference between the occult and fantasy? What does the Bible say about the occult?  If you have ever asked these questions then I suggest you pick up a copy of this book. You can find it online at: http://www.amazon.com/Spellbound-Marcia-Montenegro/dp/0781443601