I was reading in 1 Chronicles recently.
It reminded me how important the role of leading worship is in a church!
Chenaniah, leader of the Levites in music, should direct the music, for he understood it. 1 Chronicles 15:22
Every church needs a Chenaniah!
Are you a worship leader? Let me hear from you. Tell me where you are and your current favorite song to lead.
In my experience, peace often doesn’t come until obedience begins. Seldom do I have complete peace prior to beginning to obey what I sense God is calling me to do.
Many times the direction God appears to be leading me doesn’t make sense. I’m restless. I don’t sleep well. I question myself and what I’m sensing.
I’ve previously written steps I take to discern God’s will (You can read that HERE and HERE), but after I’ve done that process, and I’m still sensing God’s leading, the next place for me hasn’t always been an overwhelming sense of peace. The next place for me is one of obedience.
I’ve learned I may have to get my feet wet (Joshua 3) before the waters begin to part and peace begins to fill my heart.
Are you in one of those times of discernment? Do you sense God’s leading? Do you believe God is calling you to a new level of faith and dependence on Him?
Improve this post. Share your stories.
It seems there is an internal pressure to:
I feel the pressure. Am I alone?
What if we let the Gospel be the Gospel? What if we let truth prevail and the Holy Spirit be the teacher?
What if we drop the pressure and share the truth that God still loves sinners, that the Cross is still enough and that He is calling people to repentance and restoration?
What if we share the glory of the resurrection, not in a way that brings attention to our creativity in preparing a message, but in His humility and grace on the cross?
What if we decrease so the light of the world might increase?
That’s my aim this Easter. Who’s with me?
A look at John 12:12-28. Sometimes things have to get desperate before they get better. Let’s look at the final week of Jesus earthly ministry. Things are getting desperate, but Easter is coming!
The Hour Has Come from Gcomchurch Sermons on Vimeo.
A followable leader has people who want to follow. They inspire followers to join them on a journey and they develop loyalty from their team.
Ask yourself: Do people want to follow my lead? Why would they want to follow me?
The best example I know of a followable leader is Jesus. Let’s consider some of the reasons He was able to develop such loyalty among the people He led.
Have a vision worth following – To be followable, a leader needs a vision that lasts beyond today. There to be an element of faith and risk and to motivate followers. The vision needs to take people somewhere they want to go, but aren’t sure how to get there.
Be willing to lead the way – Followable leaders go first. They pave the way. They lead by example.
Remain steadfast – Even through difficult days, a followable leader stays the course. Followers know they can depend on the, resolve, strength and fortitude of the leader during the darkest hours.
Display patience – A followable leader extends grace and forgiveness when mistakes are made. They pace the team until the team is ready for greater challenges. They equip the team with the proper training and resources to complete assignments.
Challenge followers with high expectations – People want to follow someone who sets the bar for achievement high. There’s no intrinsic value in following easy-to-attain goals.
Practice humble servanthood – To be followable, a leader should display humility and be a servant of others; especially those he or she is supposed to be leading.
Place energy into others – Followable leaders consistently invest in other people. They give real authority and responsibility as they encourage and develop other leaders. They even replace themselves in key positions.
Would you follow a leader with such qualities?
Which of these do you most need to improve upon?
This week I’m at Moody Founder’s Week. It’s a Bible conference put on by Moody Bible Institute that I’ve come to for several years, especially since my son Nate is a student here. One of the underlying themes this year has the persecution of Christians around the world. I’ve read recently that Christians are under more persecution today than any time in church history.
Then, my friend Tami Heim tweeted that she was praying for the Christians of Uzbekistan. I’ll be honest, I don’t know that I ever prayed for anyone in Uzbekistan. Then I followed the link she provided and realized it’s part of an initiative called the Five Minute Challenge. I signed up. You can too. In fact, I think you should.
HERE is a list of the 50 most-watched countries for church persecution.
Watch this video and then go HERE.
Do you ever pray for persecuted Christians?
Mustard Seed Thoughts
