Lead, Follow, and Get Out of the Way!

     

Imagine hearing General Patton declare, "We herd sheep, we drive cattle, we lead people. Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way."* His words epitomize a dominant model of leadership, which car companies, presidential candidates, and other commanding officers have enjoyed repeating.

Now try to envision Jesus making that statement! What about the apostle Paul? The words just don't resonate as well, do they? Change one word and try it again: Lead, follow, and get out of the way. Now we're getting somewhere.

We're reminded immediately of how Jesus led the disciples, followed the Father, and got out of the way (literally, He ascended into heaven), so the Holy Spirit would come to guide us:

I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me (John 17:6-8).

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16:7-8).

We also remember the servant leadership of Paul as he led Christians, followed Christ, and got out of the way of the Holy Spirit:

I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me. That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church 1 Corinthians 4:14-17).

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:1-5).

So how are you doing at leading, following, and getting out of the way? Do you see these conflicting with one another or do they work together in harmony for you? Are you leading others down the right path? Are you following in the footsteps of Jesus? Is the Holy Spirit showing up and showing off in your life?

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him (2 Chronicles 16:9a).

Have you surrendered your life?

In 2013, as I've turned more of my attention toward helping churches establish Life Purpose Coaching Centers, God has reminded me of the importance of leading in alignment with His guidance and depending upon His Holy Spirit's power. Before we can ever take the lead in a church-based coaching center, we must reignite our passion to be devoted followers of Jesus. Through consistent prayer and meditation on God's Word, our dreams and desires become aligned with God's delight.

Delight yourself in the Lord,and he will give you the desires of your heart 

(Psalm 37:4).

Once our "followship" is established, our leadership will be effective. And lead we must, when we're called to launch a Life Purpose Coaching Center in a church! If you've caught the vision of establishing a center, you must first cast the vision to your pastoral team, remembering that those dedicated leaders are already over-committed and are not looking for more to do. Then you must be willing to pour yourself into the task of turning your godly vision into reality, all the while following the leadership of your senior pastor. And don't think you can do this alone; you'll need to lead a team of people who are skilled in design and decoration, media and marketing, finances and funding--as well as those whom God has called to be trained as coaches and instructors. You'll need many surrendered souls to help you!

Finally, you must be willing to get out of the Holy Spirit's way! We must never forget to whom the church belongs. No one is more committed to seeing people find and fulfill God's purpose for their lives than God Himself. No one is more concerned with the growth and development of the bride of Christ than Jesus. And no one is more adept at empowering church leaders to establish a place, a coaching center, which can save broken marriages, encourage health and wellness, grow character, reduce personal debt, invite forgiveness, create ministries, and help people understand their unique purpose--than the Holy Spirit, if we will just get out of the way.

Regardless of what General Patton, Lee Iacocca (of Chrysler fame), and countless others have said about leadership, if you're God's chosen instrument for establishing a Life Purpose Coaching Center in your local church (or, perhaps, your denomination or seminary/Christian college), you must "lead, follow, and get out of the way."

*Pocket Patriot: Quotes from American Heroes (2005) edited by Kelly Nickell, p. 157. 

Hopelyn International

In association with LPCCI

Presents

HOPE Jamaica 2013 

"A Life Purpose Coach® Training Conference"

Character Makeover: 40 Days with aLife Coach to Create the Best You By Katie Brazelton, ICCA Board Member

Get the kind of makeover that will transform your life! Best-selling author and ICCA life coach trainer, Katie Brazelton, takes you on a deeply personal, 40-day journey of developing your character. Discover how to close the gap between understanding God's purpose for your life and carrying it out as you put an end to well worn patterns of defeat, woundedness, insecurity, unworthiness, and self-centeredness.

Life Purpose Coach® Challenge: 

To Surrender All 

Let's pray for one another to Surrender All, moment-by-moment for the entire month of March and beyond!

Sincerely,

Dr. Katie Brazelton

• Founder, Life Purpose Coaching Centers International®
• Board Member, International Christian Coaching Association (a project of AACC, the American Association of Christian Counselors)
• Board Member, Rockbridge Seminary (If God is urging you, sign up today for classes!)