Spiritual Leadership (Kingdom Leadership)
What is a leader?
There was a man named Schindler.
A smart, entrepreneurial man. By all accounts a schmoozer. Upon the nazi
occupation of
As the war progressed, Schindler realizes that Jews are being sent to death camps. It is in this time that his morals catch up with him. “How can I profit from the lives of dead people” he asks himself. These questions had been prompted by a very wise accountant who realized the power of influential authority and had been “mentoring” Schindler about his power to save. He was his Jewish accountant in the business and used his influence to slowly change the way Schindler thought about his life. Many others used the labor of the Jews to profit but I know of no other story like Schindler’s.
Schindler started realizing that the days of his business were soon ending. He had suitcases of money and the thought of leaving the country with his riches was very tempting. But what happened at this point in his life is fascinating. He begins to realize that his riches would give him nothing but a beaten up conscience. He profited greatly while his employees were being sent to the gas chambers.
He begins to lead but in a very different way than before. He starts to realize his own humanity. He is still wise, smart, administrating even conniving. He begins to do everything within his power to save the lives of his employees. First he petitions the government to move his business and employees to another area outside of the watchful eyes of the Nazi leaders. This requires bribes and gifts to everyone that needs to sign the paper work. He literally buys the lives of each employee for $6,000 or some sum. He spends all of his profits to get his employees moved to his new plant. As they are moving the employees he realizes that there is a mistake and all of the women and children of his company have accidentally been sent to the gas chambers. At this time he fervently tries to get the train turned around and back on the right track to his plant. A Nazi commander when confronted with this problem says that he will get Schindler some other Jews and a shrewd Schindler quickly shows the commander the hands of a Child and says that his employees with their little fingers are specially trained to polish the I.D. of bullets and pulls a trump card by saying that Hitler will be very angry if bullets are not being made correctly and gets the trained turned around.
As the war comes to an end, Schindler is a broken man. He has given away all his money to save his employees. His company had not been profitable in a while and he was depressed and defeated. He was living a stressful and fearful life at this point. He knew if the Russians or Americans liberated his plant he would be arrested. Yet if the Germans found out about what he was doing he would be killed and his employees gassed.
But the final chapter of this story shows Schindler escaping the night before the Russians were to liberate the plant. At this point he cries out in shame because he still has a gold ring and an expensive car and realizes that these two items could have been sold to save a few more lives.
The once powerful, rich and smart Schindler was now a broken, poor and fearful man. What was not realized at that time was in fact that he was a successful leader. He had led a group of Jews that were destined to be killed and through all the skills he had learned in the world saved each and every one of them.
Leadership in the kingdom is the exact opposite as it is in the world.
It appeared at the time that Schindler was not very smart but what we see is a leader using his skills to add value to this world.
Schindler was given a stone in
the street of the righteous that is in
*Popcorn on all the words that we equate with leadership. Begin to develop the idea that there is not great difference between good leaders and bad leaders except character. Both good and bad share the same type of attitudes. board and finish with beatitudes
Spiritual Leadership (Kingdom Leadership)
1st Session
INTRODUCTION
i. The motivation must be to serve
ii. Originally Leaders were the first to die, now they are the first in line at the buffet.
iii. True Service is never without cost. Often it comes with a painful baptism of suffering.
iv. We must aim to put more into life than to take out of life page 15
1. From a spiritual perspective this means to create a heavenly savings account where we can put eternal money.
v. “The final estimate of men shows that history cares no an iota for the rank or title a man has borne, or the office he has held, but only the quality of his deeds and the character of his mind and hears.” Page 15
i. Authoritative, spiritual and sacrificial
1. Authoritative because people desire leaders who know where they are going and are confident of getting there.
2. Spiritual, because without a strong relationship to God, even the most attractive and competent person cannot lead people to God (eternity)
3. Sacrificial, because this follows the model of Jesus, who gave himself for the whole world and who calls us to follow in His steps.
ii. Spiritual leaders are not elected, appointed or created. God alone makes them.
iii.
OFTEN TRULY AUTHORITATIVE
Lesson 1. What is a spiritual leader?
i. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Prov. I We must connect our leadership to God!
1. Wisdom, Justice, judgment and equity
2. Solomon – I Kings 3:5 An understanding heart to judge and discern between good and evil. (just like Adam) the knowledge of good and evil. Solomon was given wisdom but admonished to walk in God’s ways. He didn’t. This proves that wisdom doesn’t make you a spiritual leader. And the gifts of God (which are not revocable) don’t make you a spiritual leader in the kingdom.
ii. A spiritual leader administers the kingdom and authority is given by the king
Authority is given to the faithful and the submitted.