There are four principles of leadership from the US Army Warrior Ethos explored in this article, but this post will focus on only the first: “I will always place the mission first.” The author explains that organizations pursue their vision through missions. Often, mission and vision statements can seem interchangeable when in fact vision defines who we are and mission provides parameters to live out who we are. By placing the mission first, leaders ensure that we remain true to core values and identity. This is certainly transferrable to leadership in the Body of Christ.
For example, I am a firm advocate for using the technology found in the secular world for expanding the kingdom. Churches can become very effective at utilizing social media, but the measure of success/effectiveness/value cannot be how many followers or fans we amass, but how many people ultimately surrender their lives to Christ. If we decide that the number of followers is most important then we may hesitate to share certain aspects of the Gospel for fear of offending our “fans.”
Paul said that he became all things to all people in order to spread the Gospel. This is an important statement about his commitment to evangelism, but it is equally vital to note that Paul never compromised the message of the Gospel while doing so. He met people where they were in order to introduce them to Christ but he never attempted to conceal or camouflage aspects of the character and message of Christ in order to win souls.
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ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, Cheryl. You are right in stating that Paul’s “becoming all things to all people” is an important principle of evangelism. I appreciate your caveat regarding it, though – that this should never be done in a way that compromises the message of the gospel. The gospel is incredibly great news that has power for us unto salvation and transformation. However, what I see at times are people trying so hard not to focus on external behaviors as the primary evidence of their faith that they look basically like those in the world. For example, while it is not a sin to drink alcohol, it’s probably not the best idea to become wrapped up in a culture of drinking, as this can hinder our witness to the gospel, but some do. As Christian leaders, then, our goal should be to minister to people where they are while simultaneously reflecting the power of the gospel and God’s desire and ability to transform our interior lives, which leads to changes in exterior behaviors. I believe it is possible to meet people in their present state – whatever that may be – while remaining faithful to the gospel and the Lord, who has called us to be authentic ministers and livers of it.
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