Video Transcript: Setting Up Leadership Health

We're gonna talk about how to set up leadership health as a church planter, in  that leadership health really starts with you, the church planter. And there are  certain leader traits that people smart in church planting and traits, if you will,  that you need for you to do well in your church plant. So the church planter and  the leader culture are very strong. It starts with you living that servant  leadership. It develops into recruiting leaders. So we're going to talk about the  church planter and leader culture about that live student leadership, that living it  out. And to recruiting leaders. These are these are things that make leader  health. Now I'm gonna start right away with talking about some of the scripture  that found leader health, the fruit of the Spirit, But the fruit of the Spirit is love,  joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self  control against such, there is no law. Matthew 7:16-20 By their fruit, you will  recognize them. Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit. But a bad tree bears bad fruit, A good tree cannot bear bad fruit in a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.  Thus, by their fruit, you will recognize them. These are simple but powerful Bible passages, a church planter it sees increase, not because you are intentionally,  selfishly motivated to see the work. It's the fruit of a connected leader to God is  the essence of a church planter. So your calling and walk must be strong. I John 1:6-7, if we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in darkness, we lie, and  do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have  fellowship with one another in the blood of Jesus, his son purifies us from all  sins. So we live it, we walk it, as a church planter, we are ambassadors of  Christ, and that is something that's core to who you are. So when it comes to  who you are, when it comes to recruiting, when it comes to these things  necessary for leadership. At this point, in this church planting class, I want to ask you to really look at a self aware in spiritual discernment of yourself. II  Corinthians 5:16, from so from now on, we regard no one from a worldly point of view, the ones we regarded Christ this way we do so no longer in I John 4:1-3,  dear friends do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they  are from God. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God. Every spirit that  acknowledges Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God. But every spirit  that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. Now, these two passages  have one thing in common. They both talk about self awareness. One of them is  talking about this idea that you are an ambassador's of the king from another  place. That's the kingdom of heaven. And the other says, that acknowledge that  Christ is real in our lives, he's come in the flesh that he lived with us. So a  spiritually discerning leader is one who cares deeply about who they are in  Christ, about their traits for leadership, and they are constantly improving. So  having said all this, let's now talk about that dynamic of self awareness,  recruitment, who you are as a leader, and talk about it in light of these powerful  ideas, one, do you have open and confidence and open and confident in sharing government, governing and leadership? Are you willing to like say, I have a team

around me I want a team around me. Exodus 18:21-23. This was when, when  Moses was getting too busy, but select capable men from all the people men  who fear God, trustworthy men who hate us on his game, and appoint them as  officials over 1000s, 100s, 50s, and 10s. Have him serve as judges for the  people at all times and have them bring every difficult case to you the simple  cases they can decide for themselves, that will make your load lighter because  they will share it with you. If you do this in God and God so commands you will  be able to stand the strain, and all the people will go home satisfied. So what in  church planting these Moses type situations are your type situations, as you  develop a team, you will be blessed if you put it all to yourself, you will be  burdened. So what you need is to then be savvy in a godly way in relationships,  be comfortable with relationships, welcome relationships, be secure in  relationships to others. Know that you proclaim Him admonishing and teaching  everyone with all wisdom so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ,  even people very different than you learn how to work with those people, even  people who grate you who like they didn't, you will find that in church planting  people will come into your church plant and they are the opposite of you. You  usually in your flesh will get annoyed by these people. Learn how to not get  annoyed by these very people. Learn how to love them. Learn how to have a  balance with them. Learn how to do well with people that you don't necessarily  like in your flesh. Learn how to bless these people. So they take their next step  in their walk with God, be secure in your relationships to others. Another trade in the servant leadership is have a do whatever it takes mentality. Like in  Colossians 4:12, Epaphras, who is one of you a servant of Christ, Jesus sends  greetings, he is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in the will of God, mature and fully assured. They expect behavior of others they don't  expect of themselves. This is what happens to many church planters, where  what they'll be doing is I'm planting this church for you. But the reality is, as a  church planter, what is good for you is good for everyone. What's good for  everyone is good for you. The attitude of Epaphras, who basically wrestles in  prayer stands firm in the will of God fully mature. He's a guy who if prayer is  needed right now will pray, if shoveling the snow if you live in a northern climate  is needed, go for it. People need to see that who you are is the same person  and you will do whatever it takes. Now, having said this does this does not mean that you'll always shovel the snow doesn't mean that you're going to do  everything and burn yourself out. But in your in your heart. People have to know  as a church planter, that you are willing to do anything for the Lord, and so that  no one is disrespected for what they do. You're very respectful of other persons.  I Peter 2:17. Show proper respect everyone Love the brotherhood of believers  fear God Honor the king. Watch for those who see others as inferior to  themselves. Watch for that in yourself. God may use people you have never  would have thought of. He should always be respectful of those who God brings 

into your life. Just think about this way. Everyone comes into your life for a  reason. A church planter, everyone who God brings is there for a reason. And  you know, it'd be nice to say, you know, I plant churches for the people I like and the people I connect with and so be it. That's not the way it's going to be. When  you plant a church, there are going to be older people come younger people  with a past that's very difficult. There will be people who challenge your  leadership and because they challenge leadership to their own family. That's just how they are. And you can be disrespectful and say you know what? I love the  gospel of Christ, but not for those people. Those people don't count in my book.  As a church planter, be respectful of other persons and show that proper  respect. And make sure always that you don't think you're better than anybody  because you are not. We are all saved by the generous grace of our Lord Jesus  Christ. Stay humble and reject favoritism. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or  vain conceit, but in humility, consider others better than yourselves. James 2:9,  but if he show favoritism you sin and are convicted by the law as as law  breakers showing favoritism, you know, in a church plant, if someone comes in  and they have more money sometimes a church planter, it can be tempting to  say, Oh, I'm going to make sure that I really keep them, then the next person  comes in and they don't have any money. And then you sort of say, well, you  know, they're coming in here, I'm going to spend more time with the person with  more money and less time. No, a church planter looks each person at each  person, as What is God doing in their life. And you want to be above that  favoritism thing. You don't want to have an elitism people who have this elitism,  essentially, people see through that in a hurry if if someone is interested in me  because of money, or you know what I can do for them. If that's how it really is.  People see that in a hurry, and people will never really become their friend.  church planters are stable. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling,  slander, along with every form of malice. The fact is, is if you're a leader, angry  leaders are a disaster for a church plant. If you have buttons, they have to be  pushed, and they're pushed by people. And what I mean by buttons is like  somebody's gonna set you off. And a certain type of person set you off. That  kind of a leader is not stable. And as a church planter, you will not do well. angry people are not people that people want to be around. And face that if you're  thinking about being a church planter, and you have all kinds of bitterness from  your past, bring it to the Lord. Maybe you need counseling, find out where that  rage is at. Get Free, get free from that, as a church planter, you don't want to  have all these things that push your buttons. You want to be free, that somebody will say, Well, my family is just so bad. Can God use me in my brokenness? Yes, God can use you in your brokenness. But don't take that brokenness to the  marketplace and just, you know, unleash some of that pain on others. Instead,  keep it given to the Lord. Sometimes, and I'm just gonna say it this way, I'm  gonna say you gotta have your game face on. Yes, somebody can push your 

button. But that does not mean that you lose that people smart ability to sort of  listen, hold those emotions and give them to the Lord. Talk to your spouse about the later but do not take it out on others as you are in leadership. With that, keep honest intentions. You know, Proverbs 11:3, the integrity of the upright guides  them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. You know, and I've seen  that in in young men and women and older men and women. There is a lot of  duplicity around, and a lot of talking behind each other's backs. And a lot of  wondering, you know, what somebody says, and then, you know, responding to  it, and then talking to one person this way, but really thinking this way. We are  not of those who say one thing to some people, but different things to other  people. Try to be as honest and clear about your intentions as ever, but in a  generous way. You don't have to be like, honestly your intention of the  judgmental. You don't have to like say, I don't like that because this is why and  then everybody knows I know how that person feels about all all things, no  heavy convictions, but they may they be gentle and non judgmental, but still  truly your testimony truly your convictions, so people know who you are. But  knowing who you are, does not unload critical judgment on someone else. It's  just who you are, be who you are in sharing who you are, as a leader,  encourage being encouragers in developing people. And I love these passages  from Acts. Acts 4:36, Joseph, a Levite, from Cypress whom the apostles called  Barnabas, which means son of encouragement. I love that son of  encouragement. But Barnabas took him, brought him to the apostles. He told  them how Saul on his Saul on his journey I've seen the Lord and that the Lord  had spoken to him and how in Damascus he preached fearlessly in the name of  Jesus. I love this idea of encouragement. You know, Barnabas took the apostle  Paul, who to be later called, but right here is named as Saul. This is a risky  person, and he brought him to the apostles, but he had this encouragement  attitude. A church planter is one who sees opportunities, and it doesn't mean  that it's Just I see opportunities in blind, the negative. Barnabas really got to  know, Saul at that time and knew that he was called by God. And then he had  this anointing. If you want to be those who are servant leaders who raise leaders who do well with people who are healthy in their leadership style, it's about  being transparent leaders need to lead with open intentions that avoid the traps  of manipulation. Now, there's this way in which sometimes leaders get criticized  that says, you know, I know you want something from me, yes, you do. You want them to grow in Christ. I know that you're wanting to take this church in this  certain direction. Yes, your leader you do, but be transparent about it. Paul is  that way I Thessalonians 2:3, but for our appeal we make does not spring from  error or impure motives. We're not trying to trick you. Now Paul is as blunt as  ever about what he wants, what he wants for people in our Lord Jesus Christ.  Let's be clear about what we want. If you're a church planter, be very clear about what you want. Now, some people will say, Well, I'm gonna be careful, you 

know, be very clear in a way that doesn't affect Yeah, do not go out of your way  to defend use good wisdom. But it may never be said that you are sort of  manipulating a situation with hidden motives. hidden motives will come back and harm you as a healthy leader because those hidden motives will not bring that  health. So in other words, I'm saying you won't get to that healthy leadership. If  you're someone who has a lot of hidden motives. You know, as a church planter, really, it's about love. Early Church leaders were open to ideas from God, first,  or in in Acts 15:7, After much discussion, Peter got up and address them.  Brothers, you know that some time ago, God made a choice among the Gentiles might hear from my lips, the message of the gospel and believe. Now, what  what do we have here is you have a situation where these leaders were open to  listen to the apostle Peter. And the whole concept here was that the Gentiles,  were going to hear the gospel. Okay, so the motivation is to love your neighbor,  the motivation is the love of God to bring it out. And that's the big idea. We're  going to love so all this input, and now what happens is they come together, and the leaders were not like you now. No, we don't want the Gentiles in here. No,  they knew the point. And the point was to go forward. Now, what happened was  that there's a leadership group of what can we do for the Lord? That's the  attitude as a church planter, what you're going to do is surround yourself with the Yes, men and women now I'm not saying that. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. We don't want to engage. No, it's yes. For the mission people. Yes, to reach more people, people  who love people who have this idea of how do we love more people in the name of Christ? How do we proclaim the gospel? How do we have that attitude that  the Lord he or so great in your mission is so wonderful, and you're called to  love? This world is so much that Jesus came to die on the cross for God so  loved the world, and then to have leaders who have that attitude. What we're  really talking here is again, about people smart. We have a whole class at CLI  but to grow in a servant people smart is to be then committed. Let your  conversations be always I want to hit the hit. Mentioned that word again. always  full of grace seasoned with salt so you may know how to answer every one you  have words like always everyone you know in again, church planters may say  wow, I always have to be on Well, yeah. Always. Well, I fail yes, you're gonna  fail. That's the bad news. Will I drop the ball? Yes. When you do say I'm wrong.  I'm sorry. In \a certain way that I'm wrong. I'm sorry. I'm wrong. I'm sorry. But in  general, try to strive Oh, but is that perfectionism who can be perfect? You can't  be perfect. But let that people smart, be get seasoned. You know, there's a  phrase about some you know, people, they're seasoned, seasoned with salt.  They've been tested. They don't have bitterness. They're getting above some of  the issues that hold them back. All for the glory of God not to be manipulative.  But but having that servant's heart. You know, church planting is so exciting. But  this presentation today is so fundamental. To be a servant leader to recruit  others. To build a healthy leadership way means that inside you're a healthy 

leader and you're comfortable being with other people, whether you're an  introvert or you're an extrovert, you're comfortable with people, all kinds of  people, in all kinds of people do not hold you back. Even people who disagree  with you, even people who are antagonistic, even people who you find have a  long way to go in discipleship. A church planter is going to be around all those  kinds of people. And you want to be a servant leader, who anointed by God  having that servant attitude with that joy. You're not going to be perfect even if  you're going to strive to be better and better be here to be self aware of how you can more and more be used by God to be effective in every person that God  brings before you