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Passionate Leadership
Leadership Point: Multi-Dimensional Growth

And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. (Luke 2:40, NIV)

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:52, NIV)

A leader must strive for growth or face the inevitable fall into unhealthy patterns and ruts that lead to an unproductive life.  In these two verses, we glimpse the young leader, Jesus, as He grows from childhood into a productive adult. 

It is fascinating to think that God who became man would go through any sort of growth process.  As a leader, Jesus knew he would need to have a balanced life.  This required growth in all four primary dimensions of life:

Q: As a leader, do you feel like you have risen to your position because you have learned all the lessons you need to learn and it is time to impart your great wisdom to everyone else?

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_________________________________________		 Hint -

It is very easy for leaders to put off growth at all.  After all, you are in a leadership position because you have "arrived," right?  This is not true.  As a disciple of the LORD Jesus, you are a lifetime learner - not just Bible learning but in all dimensions.  Keep the goal of balance in mind as you consider your own growth dimensions:

Dimension Growth Activity
Spiritual A great leader can only lead where God leads.  Otherwise your group or church ends up alone and isolated from what God intended (often called the desert).  So you must develop your relationship with God through Bible study, prayer, worship, and service that makes a difference in the lives of people.  Your spiritual goal is not to be a Bible knowledge giant but a close personal friend of the King of kings and LORD of Lords (1 Timothy 6:15) and to live as Jesus lived (1 John 2:6).

Q: What priority changes do you need to make in order to set apart some quiet time for prayer and Bible study?

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_________________________________________		 Hint - You have time. Everyone gets 24 hours a day. It is just a matter of priority.
Dimension Growth Activity
Emotional Leaders can sometimes become isolated from people, especially the people they lead.  As far as your life as a disciple goes, people are your priority.  You must do the work that needs to be done to lead but never allow your "leadership" activity to interfere with spending adequate time with the people you lead.  You need to develop relationships with believers for strength.  You also need to develop relationships with unbelievers in order to witness.  Again, the idea is balance.

Q: Take a look at your calendar for the near future.  Consider the people you lead.  Are you taking time to get to know them on a more casual basis?  And are you allowing time for new relationships to develop?

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_________________________________________		 Hint - People matter to God and, as such, should matter to you in the same way and to the same degree.
Dimension Growth Activity
Physical Our bodies need exercise in order to build up strength, endurance, energy, focus, and to purge toxins that build up over time.  Aerobic exercise in many different forms will help you to reduce stress and create maximum effectiveness in your work.  This is an area that is sometimes neglected by leaders or, at best, deprioritized.  Do not let yourself forgo exercise.  It is good for you individually and will enable you to perform well and finish the race God has for you.

Q: What activities are appropriate for the shape that your body is currently able to handle?  You will need to build from where you are to avoid injury. 

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_________________________________________		 Hint - Be sure to find aerobic activities that will get your heart pumping fast and cause you to sweat. Both of these effects have profound beneficial effects on your health.
Dimension Growth Activity
Mental The mind is an incredibly complex organ in the body.  Yet, like all parts of the body, it needs "exercise."  Stimulate your mind through music, reading good but challenging books, games that test your memory and reaction.  Make it an annual goal to learn a new hobby or activity.  Keeping the mind active will enhance your leadership in the present and enable you to stay sharp in the future.

Q: So what is new with you this year? How will you exercise your mind?

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_________________________________________		 Hint - Remember the old saying, "Use it or lose it!"

Bottom line: A passionate leader actively works toward growth in all the key dimensions of life.

 

 


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