Word for 2016

Lead Where You Are

‘Follow me as I follow Christ’

1 Corinthians 11: 1

Defining Leadership

As I have been seeking the Lord with Dorcas and the leadership team of LNC for the theme for 2016 we have felt that God has put the word ‘Leadership’ into our hearts. What does leadership mean? Maxwell defines leadership as influence. Even the most introverted of us leads many people without even realising it. We are all an influence to someone. So whatever stage of life we are in we can lead. The question is will we be a good or bad leader? The world and the church desperately need revived, righteous, courageous, and godly leaders in these times of fear, purposelessness and moral decay.

Focus on Jesus

Paul is courageous when he says ‘follow me’. Leadership takes courage. Many seek to pull leaders down when they take a stand. But he is also wise when he adds, ‘as I follow Christ’ (1 Corinthians 11: 1). Paul knows that our focus must be on Christ (the anointed Messiah) if we are to successfully lead others. We must learn to be led by Christ; by both his example in life and his transforming love in his death. Also, on an ongoing basis we must be led by his resurrection power through the Spirit. When we are focused on Jesus (the author and perfecter of our faith) we are able to run the race well and reach his goals for us and see revival in his church (Hebrews 12: 2).

Lead Yourself Well

As we focus on Jesus this year we will know his love and power and be able to lead ourselves well wherever we are in life. We will throw off everything that hinders and the sin that easily entangles us and be able to run with perseverance the race marked out for us (Hebrews 12: 1). In which areas do you need to disentangle yourself this year? It might be a sin that  needs to be defeated by looking at Jesus and allowing him to break its hold from you or it may be other habits that simply hinder you?

‘If you want to manage somebody, manage yourself. Do that well and you’ll be ready to stop managing and start leading’ (Richard Kerr). Does God want you to get your relationship with money right this year; Get out of debt, start saving and giving? Does God want you to sort out your relationships this year – start forgiving and be courageous in intentionally loving and caring?

Lead Your Family Well

Does God want you to love your wife (in the way she receives love) or respect your husband intentionally this year? Does God want you to parent your children by nurturing, caring and disciplining them? No mother or father is insignificant – you are a leader and shepherd of the next generation.

Lead Well in the Market Place

Is God challenging you to get to places on time this year? Does God want you to be an excellent employee or employer; Start a business, publish your first book or just keep your word this year? How does God want you to serve your neighbourhood? How does God want you to be a witness to his Kingdom this year and who does he want you to lead to Jesus?

Lead Well in Your church

Where does God want you to serve in your church this year? When each part, plays its part, the body grows (Ephesians 4: 16). Where and with whom does God want to align you this year? Where does he want you to be accountable and show respect? We will need to practice the little self-disciplines that come from the Spirit. For the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal. 5: 23).

Walk in Freedom and lead others

Galatians 3:1 says that for freedom Christ has set us free. Until you know you are freed from sin, loved by God and have been given a destiny and purpose, you will never start to love yourself or others. Once you realise you are totally loved by God and free from guilt and shame in Christ you will be able to run the race that God has for you and attain your goal (Hebrews 9: 14; 10: 22; 12: 1-2). Also once you know you are free you can freely love others and lead them into freedom (Gal 5: 13). People don’t care how much you know till they know how much you care. When you are free your freedom will liberate others (Mandela).

Focus and Clarity - Choose One goal

No matter what situation you are in at the moment you can change as God works in you in this New Year. And your change will lead others to change. What is the most drastic thing that people will notice about you in this New Year? What is the most drastic thing that people will notice about your church in this New Year? Choose one goal for the year and work on that with God's helps. As you do God will give you victory. 'He stores up success for the upright, He is a shield for those who live with integrity' (Proverbs 2:7). As you win, you will cause others to win. They will see tangible success in your life (even if that is through the difficulties of life) and they will want to follow you as you are following Christ. Let’s go for it in 2016.

May God richly bless you!

Making Disciples in 2015

(Be One, Make One)

….Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them…..teaching them to observe all I commanded you... (Matthew 28: 18 – 20)

Jesus parting message to his disciples was ‘Go and make disciples of all nations’ – This was not only his parting message but his life’s message. He called disciples to be with him and then sent them out to preach and demonstrate the gospel of the kingdom so that others could also experience his deliverance and become his disciples (Mark 3: 13 – 15). His instructions here were both imperative (a command) and indicative (a description of what we should be doing as a lifestyle) – ‘as you go therefore be making disciples…’ (Matthew 28: 19A)

Making disciples intentionally in the face of opposition

‘Go’ – This year we are going to have to fight for what God wants. In the UK we have a secular mind-set that breaks the laws of God, we have whole generations that don’t know God or the Bible and do not understand that life works better with God; we have multiple ideas about the spiritual world. There is going to be opposition from the enemy – he hates Jesus message being spread and God’s will being done.  We see here Jesus heart was clearly for discipleship. Both the active making of disciples of all nations and the lifestyle of being and showing discipleship as we are going about our daily business are important.  Discipleship starts by coming alongside those in the world who don’t know God but continues in the building up of those who are already on the journey of faith so that they become established in the foundations and move on to maturity (Hebrews 6: 1-2). It involves us giving to others but also being disciples ourselves of Christ. Being a disciple is about experiencing God’s love, loving and following Jesus, learning from him and being loyal to Him and His purposes.

Being a disciple

Being a disciple also involves the denying of ourselves, taking up our cross and following Jesus desires (Luke 14: 27). We have to count the cost of following Jesus; there will be times of denial of our immediate desires and also opposition from others. We see this in the life of Jesus as he fulfilled His father’s mission:

2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

(Hebrews 12: 2 – 3 NIV)

Restoring the Walls of the church

During 2015 we will also be looking at Nehemiah building the walls of Jerusalem and restoring sincere worship in the temple. In LNC we will emphasise the importance of working together in unity to build up one another and protect the church from spiritual attack. The returning Babylonian exiles had been desolate but they had not been forsaken. It took leadership, it took prayer, it took people stationing themselves where the gaps were and working together and guarding and building the city God had given them as an inheritance in order to see success. They had to be willing to listen to God appointed prophetic leadership and the trumpet call to rally them to fight together when the enemy attacked. They also had to be wise enough not to listen to the enemies’ lies. The devil will always contradict God’s word and try and discourage God’s people from the vision and prophetic word God has spoken over them (Nehemiah 4).

LNC

In LNC this year we believe God is calling us to emphasise being disciples and making disciples. This involves being good followers and good leaders. Good followers need to be able to listen and submit to God’s word to them. They also need to be able to covenant to work together with those God has called them to be with and recognise the godly leadership God is placing among them too. This was so important for the early disciples and early church and was equally as important for the returning exiles in Nehemiah’s day.

We will all need to be willing to do the work of ministry and defend and fight for God’s house and Kingdom. We will need to have the sword of the Spirit in one hand and our building tools in the other (Nehemiah 4: 17). We need to know the Word of God in order to apply it against the enemy’s discouragements (Nehemiah 4: 14 & Ephesians 6: 11 & 17). We also need to skilfully use our spiritual gifts to build up the church and strengthen its walls (1 Peter 4: 10). Through our Bible studies (see ‘the Bible and Lunch’ on the last Sunday of each Month in the Calendar), our cell groups, our men and women’s mentoring, our various evangelism and discipleship training weeks and our prayer conference and missions we will be given the tools to build, defend and fight for God’s Kingdom purposes and see the Church built up.

Conclusion

Let’s pray that God’s kingdom comes in our lives, families, churches and nation(s) in 2015. My prayer for LNC is that we are stronger together as the family of God, that we are wiser together in our decision making and that we grow spiritually, relationally and numerically this year. London needs us because London needs Jesus. This is also my prayer for all God’s people. The world needs you. Go and make disciples. Be built up as a disciple, and then build up and reach out. Let’s join together in building a Kingdom family that reaches generations in 2015.