2nd Year and Leadership

The 2nd year at Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry is quite different from the 1st year. There is, of course, still a supernatural focus - a focus on worship, on the miraculous, on hungering for God and seeking intimacy with the Holy Spirit all the days of your life. Yet, where 1st year stressed identity - knowing who I am in Christ, 2nd year stresses leadership. This year is quite stretching, but I am enjoying the journey. And I'm convinced this is where it becomes a reality. I'm all for dreaming, going after the miraculous and living in the Heavenly realms. But I am a very practical person. We have to learn how to be effective if we are going to change the world, disciple nations, give counsel to kings and leaders, build His Kingdom.

This year I've been learning how to prioritize, how to determine what to say yes or no to, how to juggle projects. The past couple months, I have often felt like I'm drowning. I feel like I am in survival mode; being ruled by my schedule and told what to do by this day's needs and urgencies. I despise the feeling of being bound to that which exerts the most pressure. But the Holy Spirit is so faithful. Through His guidance, I am learning how to rise above to manage myself and my priorities.

Our current school book, Developing the Leader Within You by John C. Maxwell, is complementing the things that God has been naturally teaching me. This book contains a wealth of information. Properly assimilated and applied to daily life, it will change the way you live. Since we are all leaders (because we all influence someone), I highly recommend the book, but until you make time to read it, chew on some key points from the first 2 chapters...

• Leadership is influence. Everyone is a leader because everyone influences someone.
  
• The issue is not whether you will influence someone, but what kind of influencer you will be.
• When the leader lacks confidence, the followers lack commitment.
• You can love people without leading them, but you cannot leaf people without loving them.
• A leader is great, not because of his or her power, but because of his or her ability to empower others.
  
• Thinking ahead & prioritizing responsibilities mark the major differences between a leader and a follower.
• The discipline to prioritize and the ability to work toward a stated goal are essential to a leader's success.
• The ability to juggle three or four high-priority projects successfully is a must for every leader.
• Ninety-five percent of achieving anything is knowing what you want.
  
• All true leaders have learned to say no to the good in order to say yes to the best.
• A violent demise comes by chasing small ends, by prostituting vast powers for insignificant goals.
• Under normal conditions, we are efficient (doing things right). When time pressure mounts or emergencies arise, we becom effective (doing the right things). Efficiency is the foundation for survival. Effectiveness is the foundation of success.