2 Timothy 3:7
This was an emphasis by one of the Apostles in the New Testament as a warning, and possibly a concern for the believers who are exposed to opportunities to become better. Every teacher desires to see that their students understand the content being taught. A mentor/ mentee relationship is to see the mentee fully guided to become a master in every life endeavor.
But alas, the reverse is the case. We have so many leadership books, seminars, and learning opportunities to become better individuals / organizations/communities and nations. Are we taking advantage of opportunities to become better people?
As the new year begins, we don’t need to repeat the errors of the past years, but rather take our leadership to another level.
At Lead Like Jesus, we believe the Lord wants us to impact lives and to lead others by influencing the world around us. This is not automatic. We begin as Novices being instructed first time on the job with no experience and ready to follow the master.
Just as in The Way of the Carpenter (Jesus, the Master Coach) took the disciples from being novices in faith to great faith practitioners as He commissioned them for higher works before He departed
Acts 1:1 reminds us of all Jesus began to do and teach.
Paul was addressing the church in Corinth in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 and saying, It is not wrong to be a baby but it is of no use both to the individual and anyone if the baby refuses to grow. Hebrews 5:14 tells us that solid food belongs to those who are of full age. God is eager to tell us more, show us more, and commit more into our hands. Leaving behind the novice stage, God wants to commit more to our hands as leaders.
If a leader has not been able to discipline himself or lead self, by asking the basic questions of Identity – Who am I and Whose am I? It will be risky to hand over many lives to his or her hands, neither can one surrender the leadership of an organization to such. When you can handle other people as you grow capacity, it will be easy to handle communities and nations.
Organizations are wrecked, communities in discomfort, nations are in turmoil all because leaders cease to grow in the knowledge of the leadership style of Jesus, which ultimately is ‘Service’ and not ‘wanting to be served.’ God wants us to grow as leaders so that our spheres of influence can benefit.
We don’t want to fall into the category of people that are “ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7), rather that they have quick understanding.
For any leadership to be profitable, we will always learn; many times, new things and new ways of doing them. The world scene is ever-changing – rapid and massive changes that require learning to adapt fast, adjust and adopt changes for greater achievements. Lest working strategies of yesterday become the demise of today’s progress. They are successes in the past that will hinder the achievements of tomorrow’s progress.
The prodigal son compared the servant he left with his father, and the condition he found himself in. He realized he must return, repent, and be restored. There are things we must return to and others we must walk away from.
Romans 8:19 tells us that “… the whole creation eagerly awaits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed.” The world is waiting for us!
Learning by accepting new challenges!
Being Humble to accept limitations!
Stay focus!
Be ready to engage with what you’ve learned.
What do you hope to unlearn, relearn and learn this year?
Are you ready to learn how God deals with you?
May we continue to ever learn to grow better and bigger.
Michael Okuneye is a certified Facilitator with Lead like Jesus and also the African Representative. Experienced with missions and leadership matters since 1993. He is the Executive Director of Livingword Global leadership Mission; served as a missionary in Niger, Chad and in Nigeria where he resides, training Church Planters and Community Champions to build stronger and transformational churches in Africa. Having raised and trained many leaders in several nations, it has given him the voice in Leadership matters in Nigeria. He served as the Assistant to the National director of Bible league in Chad, later rose to National Head of Operations of Bible League Nigeria before proceeding to advance the course of Leadership and Mission. He is currently the Coordinator of the Teens Church in his local assembly where he raises leaders. As a great motivator, he has encouraged many, coupled with his unique approach to coaching and mentoring lives in diverse fields of specialization, more than 10,000 lives have been affected by his leadership. He is also championing the cause of community development in rural areas for positive changes. He is married to Titilope his best friend and they are blessed with five boys.
