Leadership 1.0

 Leadership 1.0

Topic of Discussion Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Takeaways from Genesis 1:1

• God looked ahead

• God planned ahead

Applying Genesis 1:1 to Leadership

• People leave alot in this ministry due to being in the military

• Not standing in the way of a move of God and that includes someone leaving or joining the team no matter how long or short of a time they have been here

• Sending teammates off in love

So let's get started. Genesis 1:1 says: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The two words I want to focus on are BEGINNING and CREATED. If you notice the word CREATED is past tense meaning it was already created. God wasn’t creating, He wasn’t going to create, He already created the heavens and the earth. Now look at the word BEGINNING. What does beginning mean? It means the very first thing. This means God wasn’t going to wait and see how we turned out to finish creating the heavens and the earth. It means before anything else was formed God created the heavens and the earth.

Now then let's think about the word create again. I want you to think of a time you created something whether it was a model or designing a room, creating the perfect meal, creating the perfect date, creating the perfect vacation, you name it. Did you just start going at it with no plan, no idea, no end result in mind or did you have a plan, have an idea, and have an end result in mind? Of course it would have been the 2nd. Now if we think like this, why wouldn’t God think like this? It says in Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in His own image in the image of God, He created Him, male and female, He created them.” So let's look at Genesis 1:1 again “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Now then since we are created in God's image and we most likely think like He thinks and plan like He plans then this verse should really look like this: In the beginning after God had an idea, thought about what it would look like and what it would take to pull it off, after thinking about everything that could go wrong from the beginning of creating the heavens and the earth to the very last day of the heavens and the earth’s existence, God came up with a plan so that the heavens and the earth could do what He wanted it to and be able to sustain life the way He wanted it to. It would have been here that a possible order of how from beginning to end the heavens and the earth would flow. It would have been here that we would have been thought about possibly for the very first time. It would have been here that God would have thought about away to redeem His children so they could be with Him forever. This is where He would have possibly thought about His Son dying on the cross and possibly crying for the first time. After all this, then God created the heavens and the earth. Pretty cool huh! 

So how does this go hand in hand with leadership? Let's look at it! The first two things I want to talk about is how God looked and planned ahead. We already know how God could and would have possibly looked and planned ahead and this is how we need to be. Since we are leaders, we need to always be looking and planning for those possible problems and having a solution before the problem happens. We need to be looking for ways to encourage and love on our teams. An easy way to do this is to look on their social media and if they have posted something sad or exciting, instead of just replying to their post, send a card or a text. Another way to do this is to listen when your team talks. Being able to respond to someone on your team about something other than the team lets them know you actually care about them and not just the team. Philippians 2:4 says: “Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others.” Mark 4:24 says: “Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you.” 

Be on the lookout and have a plan in place for how you will respond when someone on your team makes a mistake. Luke 6:31 says: “Do to others as you would have the do to you.” 1Thessalonians 5:11 says: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up just as in fact you are doing.”

Have a plan in place for when someone leaves the team and this leads us to the next 3 items of discussion: people leave alot in this ministry due to the military, don’t stand in the way of a move of a God and that includes people leaving or joining the team no matter how long or short of a time they have been there, and being able to send our teammates off in love. So how can we prepare for this? The most important thing to remember is knowing this is not yours or our team, it is God’s team. Psalm 24:1 says: “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to Him.” When we understand this, it doesn’t hit us as hard when someone does leave because we understand we are simply leading someone else’s team and they have given their team the right to come and go or leave or stay. Another way to prepare for this is knowing it will happen. So don’t fear, always be training, always be on the lookout for new people, know God will always provide, and never say no to someone joining the team because you don’t think they are qualified. Remember one day you weren’t qualified but God qualified and equipped you along the way. 1 Timothy 4:12 says: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.” Hebrews 13:12 says: “May He equip you with all you need for doing His will. May He produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to Him. All glory to Him forever and ever Amen.” Romans 8:28-30 says: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called, those He called, He also justified, those He justified, He also glorified.” Philippians 4:6 says: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Matthew 6:8 says: “Your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask Him.” Proverbs 22:6 says: “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Isaiah 41:10 says: “Do not fear, for I am  with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Proverbs 9:9 says: “Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still, teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.” Romans 15:7 says: “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” Proverbs 27:23 says: “be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herd.” Hebrews 10:24-25 says: “Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good words, not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some but encourage one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

After you have done this you will be able to send your teammates off in love. This is important because we nor they fully know where God is calling or leading them and it is important that they be able to go in confidence knowing they didn’t leave unfinished business and knowing that the team they left has their back and believes in them. The other reason is their calling or leave of absence could be short lived and they may come back with more knowledge and understanding to help this team thrive even better and if you send them off in a harsh way, you will have just burned every bridge and they will not even recommend your team to anyone because of the way yawl parted ways. Numbers 6:24-26 says: “The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.” Philippians 4:23, 1Thessalonians 5:28, 2Thessalonians 3:18, and Galatians 6:16 all say: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers, amen.” Ephesians 6:23-24 says: “Peace to the brothers and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.” 1Timothy 6:21b says: “Grace by with you.” 2Timothy 4:22 says: “The Lord be with your spirit, grace be with you.”

So in closing make sure you are always leading out of love. Make sure you are constantly bathing everything in scripture and prayer. Always be on the lookout for new people, solutions to problems, a way to love and encourage your team, always sending your teammates off in love and always know you are already the best leader God knows you can be. Start believing what God has said and believes about you and lead with greatness.