There is always someone wanting to "lead". In fact, the struggle/war to become a "leader" in the average church is often waged with devilish actions and sinister motives. In my opinion, the best examples are those not looking to be one to begin with....
Notice I said example. Anyone can be a good example of Christ. However, we never become anything more than servants. When a person ceases to be a servant and desires to be a leader....... they're motives should always be questioned...
God has NOT given up His role as leader!!!
IF... you have a desire to be a leader...... you better check your motives.
Servants don't like speaking about themselves. Their focus is always on their Master.
It's better to have influence than authority.
(10-04-2016, 12:00 AM)lnf Wrote: [ -> ]It's better to have influence than authority.
I agree completely....
There is difference in seeking a reputation and having a testimony. Seeking a reputation is all about worldly ambitions. A good testimony simply does right and lets God handle the everything else.
(10-04-2016, 12:09 PM)praise_yeshua Wrote: [ -> ] (10-04-2016, 12:00 AM)lnf Wrote: [ -> ]It's better to have influence than authority.
I agree completely....
There is difference in seeking a reputation and having a testimony. Seeking a reputation is all about worldly ambitions. A good testimony simply does right and lets God handle the everything else.
influence is definitely better than authority..... of course it;s even better if the same person has both..... .... but what i have noticed is that when those in authority can;t seem to muster much influence they begin to misuse the power their authority gives them to target and attack those who do have it .......... ....nothing is more jealous than a person in power... or a person who thinks he should be in power....... watching his would be subordinates listen to somebody else......
(10-04-2016, 05:32 PM)aleshanee Wrote: [ -> ] (10-04-2016, 12:09 PM)praise_yeshua Wrote: [ -> ] (10-04-2016, 12:00 AM)lnf Wrote: [ -> ]It's better to have influence than authority.
I agree completely....
There is difference in seeking a reputation and having a testimony. Seeking a reputation is all about worldly ambitions. A good testimony simply does right and lets God handle the everything else.
influence is definitely better than authority..... of course it;s even better if the same person has both..... .... but what i have noticed is that when those in authority can;t seem to muster much influence they begin to misuse the power their authority gives them to target and attack those who do have it .......... ....nothing is more jealous than a person in power... or a person who thinks he should be in power....... watching his would be subordinates listen to somebody else......
You're absolutely right, aleshanee. I have worked under people with and without influence. The difference is remarkable. I have also been in positions of authority, and I truly believe that I had influence with the people I worked with. But my personal preference is to be in a position of responsibility, having influence with those in authority.
Years ago, I was informed that I was the new moderator of "Battered Sheep" forum. I researched church abuse, even reading a book in addition to researching on the web.
We gained writers who urged Christians to stop attending church. It turned out that most of them had been rejected as leaders by every local congregation they knew.
Two FFFs ago, the forum was dying because a handful of posters were running people off. These people often posted strong, solid testimony about events they had not observed, attacking posters who described events they had actually observed.
My pastor is a leader in the local Assemblies of God district. His OPINION, which might be wrong, is that those posters had been rejected as leaders by every local congregation that knew them. The internet allowed them to become leaders simply by making a lot of posts. He felt that they were insecure, since God wasn't strengthening them, and so they would attack posters who knew what they were talking about.
one thing i have noticed is that good leaders ... the ones with integrity.... are never the hero of their own story...... at least not the songs or tales they tell about themselves......... but rather they are the heros of other peoples stories..... sometimes hundreds or even thousands of other people........ ...... and like the op says they also seldom aspired to the position of leadership they have..... but were usually asked by others take it and usually took it reluctantly....... ... they are a leader because other people willingly follow them.... ...... which goes directly contrary to what i see happening in most fundamentalist churches where people are told .. whether they like it or not..... to follow a certain person because that person is the leader........ .....that kind of leader ... a pseudo leader.... will always have problems with the people he leads.... ...... as well as no shortage of one sided stories to tell about how he alone solved those problems...... and sadly he won;t be able to resist recounting yet another tale that makes him the hero of his own story even after being told that true leaders never do that...... ....... ..... ....it;s really gets tedious listening to them after a while..... ....
(10-07-2016, 03:14 PM)Vincent Massi Wrote: [ -> ]Two FFFs ago, the forum was dying because a handful of posters were running people off. These people often posted strong, solid testimony about events they had not observed, attacking posters who described events they had actually observed.
My pastor is a leader in the local Assemblies of God district. His OPINION, which might be wrong, is that those posters had been rejected as leaders by every local congregation that knew them. The internet allowed them to become leaders simply by making a lot of posts. He felt that they were insecure, since God wasn't strengthening them, and so they would attack posters who knew what they were talking about.
Can you name your "leaders"?
I can name a few people I admire or respect, but I only call One Person my Leader.
All others....seem to be getting in the way.