LEADERSHIP

Change of leading – Things are changing

/ 'face2face' - Gareth Duffty / Leave a comment

 

We cannot read the narrative of the life of Jesus without seeing change going on often hidden in a number of different actions, words and motives in action.   It comes down to comments  that Jesus made such as “…you say this but I say…”, outlining a change of life style, order and action in that very moment when people encountered this Jesus.   It makes me wonder how many of us bring about change in the people we meet, in their concepts, practices and lifestyles?   I say this totally believing that  this is our gospel of the Kingdom and what the gospel calls us to become and to be, those who announce change and enable change at every hand in humanity.    That my preaching is not about the performance or the rhetoric but more about it being a stage in the listener’s life of enabling transformation or simply enabling different thinking patterns.

Jesus had this knack of, “…you say this but I say…” constantly, for some it was liberating for others it produced a reaction, with some getting angry to the demands, awakening people to they lives lived by a religious scale, it’s a precious lesson for us to know asking ourselves “..at what level of a religious scale do I live at or with”?  I hear some saying as a reaction “…Listen I am not religious, I am a Christian, it’s about relationships…”  really, but where are you on your religious scale, my question still stands.   We all have some religion that we are being liberated from, when we look at our lives in the cool of day I am sure we would agree that there is religion there.   The joy is we have a way of liberation of freedom on offer as we listen to the “you say this but I  say this” directions.   It is things changing in us then around us!

When Jesus arrived, the book of Hebrews summed it up, there was a change of priesthood happening, with laws and practices moving from shadows and pictures into reality in the life of Christ.   The message becomes “…better…” as the Hebrews write declare many times, better covenant, better priesthood, better…  So when God came to earth when mankind embraced the divine and Jesus arrived in Nazareth religious vessels broke, patterns of old ways had to change, rules came undone and a new kind of life broke in and the “…Kingdom of God came amongst men…” 

For instance if you were a  Rabbi you were not supposed to talk to Samaritans, heal on the Sabbath, challenge the Religious, hang out with fishermen, get your feet washed by ladies of unknown origin, go to dinner with tax collectors , travel with women and the list continues on and on – Things Changed, things are changing!

Jesus did all that and more, it did not bother him to challenge the status quo or what others thought, in our day, I believe a of restoration and as a restorer that we are here to restore society it still means I don’t need to fit in and I do need to be a catalyst of change to a Jesus way.   I should not simply fit in as  a matter of fact I should bring about change and be the incarnation of God in my daily life in my society,  showing grace and bringing the demand for Justice and righteousness in what ever way the situation and circumstance demands.

Our cultures are changing at breakneck speed, it is hard to keep up, the church, that is, you and I, are to be the cause of change and not just reactors to the changes.    This is restoration, causing cultural change, causing the Kingdom of God to come to our worlds with in worlds is it not?

Here are some of the things in dealing with the people of God and in dealing with what we call ministry that are changing; but first I want to list some of the older patters that need to change and are being transformed for us by a new priesthood.

Be loyal to your denominations – do what they say it is for the best – yet in our world where the relationship word is strong and has a growing influence and vocabulary use and relationships and covenant is becoming more demanding making sure that relationship/covenant does not to reinvent control or incorrect demanding loyalty but to be like God in our relationship and keep faithful

Be slow to change so people don’t get uncomfortable, its been focus on who you have and done reach out

Do all you can to keep money people in the congregations – bills need paying

Make doctrinal correctness your top priority – quickly correct, judge and separate deviants.

Love people who fit in your church vision and are like you.  tolerate others the best you can

Lots of programs so everyone has something to do all the time, more is better, keep them looking in on the programs.

Your style of preaching/teaching is to tell people what to do as you know better.  Talking down to people.

Do everything decently and in order – be predictable 

I would say that all these above are under the scrutiny of change in some way or another, they are all on a journey of being  discovers and restored correctly or done away with in a new culture though a reformation that is happening all around us.    Each one of the above could and should be discussed in their own right to see the change look at its implication but this is not my aim today. 

Now lets turn a page and look at some new ways that may be in your street right now.

Care, Care, Care really care for people.  people know if you don’t.   Society around cannot deal with real, authentic loving relationships when centered on Christ.   Be a careful we still get caught in judging quicker than loving.

Enhance Life.   Do something in your community to enhance life being socially minded, it gives people something to take to others and helps to give a point of conversation.

Teach accurately – help people to hear God for themselves in a world with so many voices and opportunities in hearing the word.   Making teaching simple by the teaching through relevant topics.

Speak bluntly DONT OFFEND PEOPLE FOR NO REASON.   sometimes we must say things to help people in the complexity of life, most will appreciate your courage of conviction as long as you don’t judge.   here is an old one don’t use the teaching and preaching to vent frustration what you don’t like, BE CHRIST TO PEOPLE reach, accept and love while changing.

Involve in mission all people

Media – use it but not over kill.   People want people not celluloid, authenticity means life touching life not film, video, media saying it all, there is nothing fleshed out, there is no message.   Use it to enhance life and not instead of life, easier said than done some times for techies.

Change quickly when it’s not working, no method is in stone, find better ways all the time, bring people to change and be sure of change – ITS THE GOSPEL!   help people’s emotion to be able to change.

Authentic – BE IT people see and recognize emptiness a long way off, or some one full of words and no authenticity, be honest about your failures but don’t use them or live from  or on them, don’t use them for emotional currency it will not build, just be authentically in love with God and his people and be authentic yourself..

Practical what you say or teach either works or it does not, if it does not you will lose friends and eventually all but if your practical works you will gain friends.

Be a little crazy shake up, adventure, take a step, break through Peoples tipping point, give people a reason to be out there and of course give opportunity while you model adventure.

In all these see if you can adopt and try changing,  let the something changing be you?

 

From your WHY’s to where next.

/ 'face2face' - Gareth Duffty / Leave a comment

The last time I wrote my blog it was a little tongue in cheek regarding our parenting experience suggesting it is a common experience to every parent. The child’s propensity to ask the eternal question of “why”, “why” o for  a respite from “why’s” some times, this question  has had parents thinking for all time. I began in this way only to present to you the question that we should not lose or perhaps better said, an attitude we should not lose that of asking questions to stay as a continual learner and a growing learner.

Before anyone contacts me and takes up the issues of Questions & Questioning, I am not asking you to become a “Questioning person”. There is a hugely different approach to having a learning attitude, to becoming a person who is constantly learning, thriving on gleaning new insights and experiences, different to someone who is just plainly questioning everything.

We live in a world, certainly in the UK with cynicism all around, at present it is at its height, I am finding more and more as we live in a world of growing loss of TRUST.  Why, with the great erosion of trust in old institutions,  corners of our society that have always been there such as banks, health services, church denominations and every other institution, it produces a person to ask “…who can we trust?   It is fundamentally producing a greater questioning and unfortunately it is reproducing  a growing lack of trust in our society with the possibility of creating even bigger cynics?

Questioning constantly unfortunately brings about destructive elements,  it can bring momentum to a full-stop, bind and prevent initiatives even before they are  out of the starting blocks. Questioning could keep you second-guessing, wondering and grasping for a way forward, it makes you wonder sometimes if anything is acceptable. Be careful of questioning, it can even be the means for some people to take control or to establish higher ground and  win control or dictate an environment just by continually questioning every one and everything, meet people like this?

Developing a learning way of life on the other hand is a must, discover a way of asking questions without being questioning. Questions must be formed, must be asked in an attitude of learning in-oder to progress. In the light of this I will continue in listing questions, adding to the 3 already asked in my last blog, I trust they become not only an interesting reading but points of learning for each one of us.

Do I empower and take people to a higher place?

Here is a wonderful line “my success is determined by the seeds I sow, not the harvest I reap”, that is, do I  sow seeds into others to empower them, seeds that will continue and produce a harvest in their lives? Can I make my life’s aim to add value to others so that others might add value to an ever-expanding circle of more people. One of the challenges for all who are influencers/leaders is to add value to people and steer away from adding value to themselves. The servant leadership style of Jesus certainly added value to other people. In Eph 4:11 cf. we are told that the living ministries of the body of Christ, the church, should be equipping others, that is adding value to others rather than amassing to themselves. In the history of movements in our world one of the greatest orators of one movement  in regard to issues of colour and race was Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Who said it well “life’s most important urgent question is: what are you doing for others?”

  • This question provokes my understanding and my given-ness to mission

Do I stop and think?

Take time to think, one of the greatest lacks I’m told in all industry and in regard to developing any initiative is the lack of thinking that is done. Everything is action, doing, its pragmatic to really advance we need thinking along side doing.  This is not a day-dreaming exercise I am highlighting it is taking time to think, to consider the plan to work a way through. I read once  “a minute of thought is greater than an hour of talk”, its taking time to think. Thinking will help you and I to live life more purposefully, to take hold of life that sometimes just constantly comes at you and not allow those circumstances to dictate, not allowing the expectation of others to determine, or allowing status quo to dominate having you to conform. Take up the pen of your own life and author your own life, write on the page of heart and motive how by first clearing your diary and taking time to think.

  • This question provokes influencing/leadership

Who do I give my time to?

You cannot deny that the crowd you run with, the people you associate with will have a major influence on your perception, and of course your actions.   People can even trace back their achievements or failures to the crowd they run with, that is the people they connect to.   This is not an exercise on who to blame but we can certain trace failures and achievements to the relationships we have in our lives. Therefore make deliberate choices with who you spend your time with, be selected with whom you join to on your journey of life especially if you have influence or direct and lead anything. Choose companions that are those with a commitment to personal growth, those with potential for the now and future, people who will pour themselves out from others and carry a healthy attitude.   Making a difference will always come down to the choice of relationships as its “…as every joint supplies…” growth occurs scripture says.

  •  This is a question of relationship

Do I know your strength and therefore stay in your strength area?

I’ve had so many people pass comment about working on their weaknesses while they take no notice or even disregard their strengths, this has become part of management training even working on your weaknesses. However effective people are diligently in developing their strengths. To be effective each one of us have to learn to partner with others, the reason for your weakness is to find other people to walk with.   Learn to ask for assistance to delegate so that you can focus on that which only what you can offer to every environment. Its enabling you to offer your uniqueness while allowing others to offer their uniqueness to you. It’s not necessary for anyone of us to do all the work and certainly not to have an all-knowing attitude, it’s such a disappointment to find people who think they know it all our goal must be in staying effective while staying in our strength area then need others around us to add their strengths!

  • This question brings to mind how effective I am

Am I caring for today?

The secret of achieving anything is determining what is required today, the daily schedule “I chose” the everyday focus I have.  Realizing if i do not focus on today my time will be lost and will flitter away. Most people have heard or have been taught about writing a to-do list which is good and necessary,  however I think  a more powerful list which needs a an understanding is a simply action of writing a “not-to-do list”. A list that keeps you away from the little things that drain your time, your thinking and energy. This is not a blog to outline a “not-to-do list” may be it should appear in another blog but for now its sufficient just to pass comment. Asking this question are my daily routines, habits of life steering me towards a goal or simply filtering away my time. Psalm 90 tells us to “…number our days…”, the writer of the Psalm firstly encourages to realize the time is fleeting followed by its time to be serious about making each day count.

  • This is an achieving and

Do I develop others?

“The ultimate test for a leader is not whether he or she makes smart decisions and takes decisive action, but whether he or she teaches others to be leaders and builds up a people who can sustain an advance the goal they set when they are not around. True leadership strives to create successors who will go beyond them”

Lorin Woolfe

  • This makes you consider legacy

Am I investing myself?

In traveling several continents involving in different organizations, church families etc., wherever people are throw together with a purpose to achieve I have noted common characteristics in life-long learners.    I believe this final question is hugely important and will be the foundation to all the others, it’s a question on personal growth. Listed is a simple list of my findings asking a question of each of us to look inside ourselves and make an investment to your own growth and learning.

Life-long learners are:

  • People who possess a teachable attitude
  • People investing in growth orientated resources and relationships
  • People capture what they learn by applying the knowledge gained
  • People who are reflective
  • People who turn experience into insight
  • People who pass on to others
  • People who are willing to choose to leave their comfort zone
  • People who develop personal growth

Finally develop the art of questions and help others to ask questions of themselves and their environment with an aim to find a learning attitude, enlarging this attitude, developing and being inspired through your learning attitude.

Trends of the Spirit – Servant – Leader – Influencer

/ 'face2face' - Gareth Duffty / 2 Comments

Today the Spirit is re engaging our theology and consideration to realise that our God is a Trinitarian God and not a hierarchical God, as we have so often been instructed.   This simple change in understanding has major ramifications on all thinking and practice within our world.  We realise that theology is at the base of every decision and action in each society – it is time to review and adjust to the instructions of the Spirit and allow the impact to  stretch across our world.

There has never been so much debate regarding the way forward as there is today, with markets changing, people changing, with the needs and requirements of modern men and women.

We actually say that everyone is a leader in some way or another, whether a parent at home discipline, schooling, empowering their children or as a successful business entrepreneur.   You are influencing someone!

Leadership in most people’s’ mind would be thought to be seen, in the charismatic decisive directive goal filled person, with every one else listening and doing as they are told, yet over the years we have seen that this is so far from the servant leadership model, we are all called to.   Willing to pour oneself out for the advance and empowerment of others.

We live in a season where leaders are to be honoured yet Christ poured himself out; this was his style of leadership and influence.    I would even step out and say for true, lasting and worthwhile leadership it has to be “servant style” to be lasting.   As a matter of fact it is in vogue to talk generational in church settings and in mentoring business settings, yet lasting success can only be achieved through servant style leaderships or influence!    It is about time we discovered that once again.

“In times of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists”.

Eric Hoffer

The only way to avoid control or domineering of people’s identity, is to rediscover our call to servanthood once again.

As you read through the Psalm’s you can come across gems of thoughts on all emotions and experiences of life, one recently caught my attention “…Finish what you started in me, God.    Your love is eternal—don’t quit on me now…”(138:8), we are reminded that we have a God-given purpose, The Father has begun something in us and through us.        We are told in Paul’s writing each one has been given a destiny that has been for ordained, that was placed before the beginning of time.  Then in Philippians we are told that “… he who began a good work in you will complete it…” you see there is no shadow of turning on his behalf, when it comes to his will towards us and towards his purpose.

Each one of us are given the opportunity to imprison, empower, liberate others around you we can entrap friends and employees or bring them into the “… wide open spaces…” the liberty of God. It does not matter whether it is in the work arena or our faith arena, each one of us should be looking to enlarge others.

“The most immediate risk in your present way of operating may be that you could not be replaced, it there should be a need of that”

Robert Greenleaf, Servant Leadership

Decades ago a new book arrived on the shelves called ‘Servant Leadership’ written by Robert Greenleaf it has always amazed me how few books have taken on this focus, although I do believe for lasting impact we are beginning now to realise the distraction we have been brought into.    The term Servanthood, Servant, has been part of our vocabulary for many years and yet we still seem to struggle with its’ full implication in leadership and influence but subtle distractions come our way.   We seem to be still much more comfortable with a dominant leadership style, rather than one the soul reflects the Godhead and the modeling of Christ in pouring oneself out. Perhaps if we considered a different vantage point we could see a change, and move from the idea of being the chief to being a builder.

The servant leader is not the center of attention but the one that matures, releases and promotes others into their position. The servant becomes the stepping stool for others.

It is time that the church becomes aware of their lasting effect and become the leaders and influencers to bring about maturity.

“Servant leaders want to see the company even more successful in the next generation, comfortable with the idea that most people won’t even know that the roots of that success trace back to their efforts” 

Jim Collins, Good to Great

This “servant leadership” will be built on integrity and therefore will attract trust, people will enable men and women to sleep at night as they pulled out their lives for others. There will come a time with the using of others step is to achieve power will cease only as the impact of servant leadership is allowed to be seen.

To lead with the desire to become a successful as you aim to succeed in the very process, servant leadership it is our day greatest cover our call and vocation to evolve into Servant Leaders, to follow the Christ and explain the Fathers ways.

As we move more and more into the day of the saints, advancing from the priesthood of all believers to the ministry of all believers it is the lasting hand of the servant leader that will bring about a lasting impact for the Kingdom of God and his King.

This Kingdom will fill the whole of creation, and the joy of God, the church, will cause Christ to be seen in our world, by being the exact representation of his style in every way.   To love and empower, to free and give course for life, to be the incarnation in our generation through servants of Christ and leaders who are servants of all creation.

This is not a style of leadership but it is a leadership that endures and therefore brings about true lasting enduring advance

Leadership – discovering again its SERVANT nature.

/ 'face2face' - Gareth Duffty / Leave a comment

There are so many Leadership styles along with books urging us to discover style would be the best to lead making your mark amongst people and society.    We some times get confused how we who are followers of Christ should reflect the Christ in our work.    Jesus said in John 1:18 (NASB) “…came to explain the Father.” he has invited us to continue what he started, explaining the Father.    I have repeatedly stated and asked the challenging question of my self “do I  explain the Father” as I live my life, do we explain him.

My interaction with people, my work ethic, my conduct, character, the way I live life, are people gaining an explanation?     You and I have to admit we will through word and deed explain something of to others, I wonder what.     I wonder how I conduct myself in a supermarket line, the way I drive the car, my conduct towards those older, younger, or of any difference to me, what do I explain?   Do people walking away from me depart with an explanation of God or is it something else?

We have been called through our own temperament, they way we are cut our character and life not be like the leadership style in our own way but one that explains what God if like.   Leadership is clearly to be rediscover, is in urgent need to be seen as a SERVANT style, one that pours out for others, one that is more interested in establishing an inheritance for the next generation that building for our selves, that serves the society around giving away to build and establish through a servant leadership.   Let us rediscover in world govern by business, getting more and more, amassing wealth, gaining control a servant leadership that flows from being a son of God rather than endorsing an orphan spirit of protection of me and mine, working to make secure my provision rather than trusting the Father and being a Servant Leader.    the people of God would be different in itself if we could driver our delve storm celebrities to servant ministries and taking that model to our world.    Sometime we are so caught on making a mark we have forgotten the desired Christ like style to do so and fall to become “Christian X-factor” leaders rather than poured out Servant Leaders, Christ will triumph and we will become the Servant Bride- a Challenge to be different but explaining God!

‘Leadership is an opportunity to serve. It is not a trumpet call to self-importance.’

J. Donald Walters

‘You don’t have to hold a position in order to be a leader.’

Anthony J D’Angelo

‘Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.’

St. Augustine

‘Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.’

Winston Churchill

‘But among you it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must become your slave.’

Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage.”( Matt 20:27, 28)

Jesus the Christ

Good read to consider further – Leadership, Greatness & Servanthood Phillip Greenslade

“Doing God” or prelude for Revival to become a “season of Restoration” in UK?

/ 'face2face' - Gareth Duffty / 1 Comment

The God Question in politics again, it hits the news again!    2012 has become a year that our Christian faith has been brought to the centre of many debates on many issues, it is certainly causing conversations and comments.    It’s not the church that has achieved this directly but the Prime Minister and the Queen.   The Guardian wrote  “At an Easter reception in Downing Street, David Cameron ventured where even Tony Blair feared to tread, quoting from the Gospel of Luke, speaking of ‘we Christians’, and welcoming the Christian ‘fightback’. ‘The values of the Bible, the values of Christianity, are the values that we need’, he said. In your view, is it acceptable for a modern prime minister to espouse Christian values so openly?”

Ok consider for your self, with David Cameron’s own words, what will resound into in our world, if declarations has any authority, the supernatural realm has certainly had many words from the Queen’s speech at Christmas,  Cameron’s words  at the celebration of 400 years of King James Bible, now more words from David Cameron.     We will all wonder what did the UK Prime Minister mean by this or that, what ever he has meant by these words he certainly has spoken of a regaining of Christianity at the forefront of the UK.

Are these just words or a contributing to a preparing Revival bringing about a season of  Restoration (Acts 3:19-21)?     Bringing Christ to the forefront of people’s minds in a country that is economically challenged , challenges on National identity what does it mean to be British, social challenges, young feeling isolated and more disenfranchised, education being undermined by budgets and Christ, faith being put right into the middle of it all.  An appeal for a Christ faith to take place in the ‘Big Society‘, perhaps to be the lead,  of a community of faith, a community of restoration, a community of recovery in the UK making a difference because of our Christ.

My next post will be David Cameron’s words read and consider your self