Titus Email - Volume 1, Number 7 – July, 2007

It is almost time for four of us to head to Zambia and Zimbabwe. Steve Richman, Marty Aubol, Chuck McDonald and I will leave on Thursday afternoon and arrive in Zambia on Saturday. We look forward to what God will be doing and we do appreciate your prayers. I will include an itinerary at the end to give you an opportunity to pray with us. As of today there is no word of a grant yet, so WILD has a large debt at the moment. We will see how God provides. In about a month I will give you an update of what happened.

WALK SLOWLY THROUGH THE

CROWD LIKE JESUS DID

According to historians, President Lincoln, who was President of the United States during the American Civil War, spent 75% of his time with people, often in a relaxed, less pressured atmosphere. He probably was the most accessible President ever. This encouraged the people working for him. He always had an encouraging word. Full of compliments, always pleasant and made a great deal of contacts with the troops by visiting, he often went to see many wounded soldiers especially when a train load of wounded soldiers ended up in Washington D.C.

President Lincoln was very personable and loved by many people. He made himself available to people and they responded to him. Spending the vast majority of one’s leadership time with people is not the usual model. In fact, sitting in an office with a name placard on the door is more the example.

It is interesting that Jesus did not hang out his shingle outside the First Temple of Jerusalem with His office hours posted so people knew when they could get an appointment. Rather we get a snapshot of His routine from Matthew 9:35-38. “Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” (NLT)

Notice the progression. Jesus got out among the people and then He saw needs people had. His heart then filled with compassion for them. Jesus built relationships with these people, understanding what they were going through and then He helped them. For people oriented individuals this may be a no brainer, but for us task oriented people, this is a mental paradigm shift. Leadership and ministry ARE relationships. It does not matter how many degrees we have behind our name or how important a person we are in a business or organization. If we do not have relationships with people, we might just be a bunch of hot air.

When I learned this leadership principle of Jesus’, it revolutionized the way I led and conducted ministry. Are people interruptions or opportunities? Granted there are times when I need to get my administrative stuff done (and I have the gift of administration) but people are more important than paperwork. This is being said by a recovering paperwork-holic. John Maxwell has said that the greater the leadership, the more time you need to spend with people. Do you want to impact and influence people as a leader? Then you need to get out where the people are at.

One of the three reasons Jesus selected the twelve apostles was to spend time with them, to be with Him (Mark 3:13-15). John 3:22 states Jesus spent time with the apostles and it means He got under their skin, worked at getting through to them. Would people whom we lead say we are assessable or want to spend time with them? The answers help indicated what kind of leader we are.

Scripture Based Prayers that Congregations

and Pastors Can Pray

1. I thank You, Father, that Your eyes are on my shepherd and Your ears are attentive to my pastor’s prayers and Your face is against those who plot evil against my pastor (1 peter 3:12). For I know that in all things You work for the good of _________ (insert pastor’s name) who loves You (Romans 8:28). Who can accuse this pastor who is daily interceded for Christ Jesus? (Romans 8:33-34). Therefore, in all things my pastor is more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37). There You, God.

2. Lord, I pray for discernment in exposing any schemes of the enemy against my pastor. Show our congregation how to pray against all powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of darkness in heavenly realms. And, Lord, please protect us against as we wage warfare on behalf of our pastor (Eph. 6:11-12)