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Leading-D.M.Escalante

Leadership is not always pretty. I watched how the movies serve up the hero; smooth, calm and, collective. Calling the shots like a boss.
It makes me want to be like that leader or that coach we see in the movies. I watched the movie Remember the Titans. Do you remember the scene during one part of the movie the football coach was breaking the players individuality down to reveal the need for them to rise as a team. The Coach’s way of discipline may seem brutish however, it was very effective. I later had found out that this movie was based on actual events.

While watching, My friend says “man, I could totally do that!!” I simply chuckled, as I thought to myself. not because of my friends comment. I chuckled because of what I have experienced in my leadership and what I know what it takes to be that inspiring leader.

Because leaders make leadership look easy. We look to them and believe they are larger than life. We may meet them as a character in a movie, we have known them all, but five or ten minutes of the movie and when the movie gets to the climax we are rooting when the leader is victorious. We see leaders rise in emergency situations. We assume no evil befalls them.. They don’t have “craziness” going on in their life.

In reality, it is totally different. Leaders are actively working when others are just getting to work. Leaders are those who bring a solution to the complaint or question they may have.

Leaders are human. They endure family issues they carry struggles with the metaphorical “thorn in the flesh” like the apostle Paul did. They have short comings. they fight with one hand on the battle ahead and yet another building their home. True leaders will admit they are not perfect. True leaders understand that ultimately love patches the wounds in their leadership. But leaders are tough. They push when others quit. They are the ones who thrive when others die-off because they have “grit” and sheer will. Leaders continue to lead while building up their weaknesses.
Leaders purpose their days, and not allow their days to rule them. They fight to complete priorities because LEADERS ARE ones who finish.
If you want to lead, i have given you some good guidance to start.

Here is the secret: You can already do this stuff!!! You might have to square up with the reflection you see in the mirror every morning and choose to be the leader you desire to be.
I bet you have some questions-good leaders always do. I want you to have the courage to ask questions.

How do you lead where you are?

What if no one is following you?
What would Jesus do? ha ha.
what does leadership look like to you?

I hope we can discover together what it takes to lead from a biblical perspective. share you questions.
So let’s pack our bags and go on this trip together. i can assure you we both can use this..

..Thank you for reading my post I hope we can connect in the future. If you have any prayer requests, let’s connect and join in prayer together. God bless you.
-Michael

Friday Focus: Serve holding your own.

You have to serve regardless of what others may think or say. Would you know that the number one killer in volunteering in ministry is peer pressure? Friends could make it hard for the new volunteer to get serving for many different reasons. They could hinder the team by giving them the “inside scoop” and personal opinion of their ministry. They could also improve a ministry team by esteeming or encouraging one another to do great exploits. How are your ministry teams Pastor? Are they conducive to church growth? Are they draining on YOU or are they drawing the sick, lost, or hurting; The same could be asked of those in business?

And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth–el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. (‭2 Kings‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬ KJV)

What is your commitment like to your field of ministry or business? Are you in it for the paycheck or are you there to make an impact. Do you go the extra mile or do the bare minimum? Elisha had asked these questions of himself, not only when they teased him. no no long ago when he told his mama and daddy goodbye. When he was pulling the “escalade”of plow teams he was committed when he dismantled his livelihood and surrendered it as a burnt offering on the field and with every hardship endured he was assured that God was calling him and he would continue the legacy of his mentor.

And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the Lord hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on. (‭2 Kings‬ ‭2‬:‭6‬ KJV)

There was a resolve in Elisha. People need that commitment from you! We need you doing what you do, for we will die together for its lack. I want to encourage you this weekend as fellow ministers to posses this resolve within yourselves.
Serve holding your own, not listening to others opinions and have that resolve for your ministry like Elisha.
We want to see you grow. We are believing for your harvest Teresa and I are praying for you. God bless you!

Friday Focus: come with it…….

Friday Focus: Come with it……

Psalm 103:1 At the end of a powerful church service when the congregation goes home feeling empowered, the man of God comes from the platform, more often than not; drained. Feeling the need to be refreshed he looks to his team members to encourage him or her.

“When the last prayer has been prayed and the person has been ministered to, who will minister to the minister?”-The Spirit of Armorbearing, Earma Brown.

There is nothing worse than having to “pump-up” your OWN cheering section which is why I say “be that minister that brings it”!

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Psalm 103:1 ESV.

Your Spiritual leader has now passed the baton to the Body of believers. Where most would go on with out thought you see you Pastor needing to be refreshed. This is where you should be at your best to minister. not the time to have counseling.  Serve them with a song in your heart, a smile on your face and gentleness in your spirit.  All fruit of the spirit should be concentrated as you redeem your man or woman of God’s time by taking care of the little things so that our Pastor can spend time with his family. This is not the time where you need to critique his/her message. Nor is it the time to shout from the roof tops of how great of a communicator he is please, just listen to them and tend to what they need. There will be time to honor your pastor but directly at the end of his ministry is not the time. You should be listening and attending to what he or she requires; even anticipate his or her needs with time. Set the atmosphere so that your Pastor can be refreshed. They will thank you for it!

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