This week marks the release of Ignite, the student edition of Lead Like Jesus. The quality of content and video for this project is second to none. This week was also a slam-dunk for me. I had the privilege of interviewing one of my leadership heroes, Ken Blanchard. His passion for leadership is stronger than ever. And his urgency to see students embrace a biblical model for leadership is contagious. I will be sharing that interview with you on this blog in the coming days.
I also had the opportunity to visit with Phyllis Hendry, President and CEO of the Lead Like Jesus organization. Their staff of leaders continues to lead multiple certification training opportunities. As we talked, I was convinced the following principles that under pinned the training would be of interest to you. The following is a part of the conversation I had with Phyllis.
I began to think about the belief statements that color all of our teaching. We believe that:
1. Jesus is the greatest leadership role model of all time.
2. Leadership happens anytime you influence the thinking, behavior, or development of another person.
3. Effective leadership begins on the inside with the heart.
4. Servant leadership is the only approach to leadership Jesus ever validated for his followers.
Jesus is the greatest leadership role model of all time.
As we proclaim Jesus as the greatest leadership role model of all time and encourage people to adopt Jesus as their leadership role model, we are engaging people to live moment to moment in the power and presence of God as Jesus did when He was on earth. We ask two questions, “Whose are you?” and “Who are you?” Scripture in John 13:3 reminds us that Jesus was sure of whose He was. Scripture says “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God.” We are beginning to ask the question, “What would our life look like if we lived in the power and presence of God as Jesus did?”
Leadership happens anytime you influence the thinking, behavior, or development of another person.
As we define leadership, everyone, everywhere is a leader, so every individual is raised up as one who can have influence on others. This belief highlights the impact potential of one person whose heart is transformed and then influences others. This is a huge belief statement that reminds us there is no separation between the secular and sacred roles or life and organizational roles when it comes to leading like Jesus.
Effective leadership begins on the inside with the heart.
Our belief that effective leadership begins on the inside with the heart radically changes every other leadership paradigm. The model of Jesus and the declaration that leadership starts in the heart is radical. A healthy heart is the only way to lead like Jesus and the only way to a healthy heart is by an ongoing connection with the Father. A healthy heart will produce a different kind of leader. The challenge is we can’t produce it.
The only way to have a “healthy heart” is to connect to the Father. His incredible one-way love that while we are still sinners (far away from God), Christ died for us. It is as we grasp that there is nothing that we need that we don’t already have, there is nothing we can do that makes us more lovable that we can surrender. It is done, finished once and for all and once we can accept and abide in it, surrender comes, and we can live in freedom. His love for us grows love in us and then from us! This is not a new app for an old operating system. The message of Lead Like Jesus is dismantling the old operating systems for a new system with a heart that is totally connected to the Father. It is as we soak in His unconditional love, the antidote for our pride and fear, the answer to whose we are and who we are and much more that our hearts become healthy and we find freedom to lead, love, and live boldly in service to others and become the hands and feet of Jesus.
Servant leadership is the only approach to leadership Jesus ever validated for His followers.
I was asked recently about our reference to servant leadership and the remark was made that so many organizations talk about servant leadership. Does Lead Like Jesus mean something different? My answer is yes. First, leading like Jesus is not just about servant leadership. Certainly, it is an overflow (result) of someone leading like Jesus. Second, we are not simply talking about servant leadership behavior; LLJ is talking about a servant heart.
We are talking about a servant heart who freely serves not to get but to give, not to manipulate but to serve.
Connection to the Father – receiving and surrendering in His unconditional love and grace - equals a healthy heart and produces freedom so that we can Lead Like Jesus.
It’s clear to see why this model and the Ignite student project is a great fit for the Discipleship Revolution.
You need to be a member of The Reimagine Network to add comments!
Comments