Faithfulness-Focused Strategies
Steward leaders who are singularly motivated by obedience adopt faithfulness-focused strategies. Like Jesus, they desire to say what the Father says and do what they Father says to do.
Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. ~ John 5:19, NIV
Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. ~ John 14:10, NIV
Discerning and doing God’s will are their primary strategies. They serve with humble transparency for the sake of accountability. They understand the instructions of Jesus, model obedience to the same, and exhort others to follow them as they follow Christ.
Steward leaders also believe the good works they and others perform at the church or ministry are worthless before God unless the Holy Spirit generates them. They are determined to embrace faithfulness-focused strategies because they realize obedience over time is the only path for producing kingdom outcomes.
In biblical terms, they realize that no branch can bear fruit unless it remains attached to the vine.
Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. ~John 15:4, NIV
They realize that fruit is not the results of our strategic labors, but rather the kingdom outcomes that flow from our obedience.
How are you ensuring your strategies reflect God’s will for your ministry?
##
Each year, CLA selects one book that captures the spirit of the theme of the annual conference. For CLA Dallas 2014, the conference book of the year is, The Choice: The Christ-Centered Pursuit of Kingdom Outcomes (ECFA Press 2014) by Gary Hoag Ph.D., R. Scott Rodin Ph.D., and Wesley K. Wilmer Ph.D. This post in an excerpt from the book.
About the authors:
- Gary G. Hoag, Ph.D., provides spiritual and strategic counsel to ministry leaders as the Generosity Monk.
- R. Scott Rodin, Ph.D., has a passion for helping Christian ministry leaders take a biblical approach to strategic planning, board development, and capital campaign fundraising with Rodin Consulting, Inc.
- Wesley K. Willmer, Ph.D., currently serves as senior vice president of advancement for Prison Fellowship Ministries.
Be sure to order your Digital Pass from the CLA Dallas 2014 conference. Unlock the higher thinking of dynamic keynote speakers, go deeper with backstage interviews, and capture the best of the best CLA faculty as they share high-impact concepts from their workshops.
What is Christian Leadership Alliance?
Christian Leadership Alliance equips and unites leaders to transform the world for Christ. We are the leaders of Christ-centered organizations who are dedicated to faithful stewardship for greater kingdom impact.
Sign up for FREE blog updates.
Upcoming Events
Check back later!