Relational Leadership

I was thinking over the past few weeks about the people that I have learned the most from, and what I discovered was that time together was a huge factor in that learning process. There have been a few people who have taught me some really big life lessons, and those lesson came from working together, listening to what they taught, and then seeing how they lived that out in their everyday life.
Jesus was the master of this; in John 1 we see Jesus calling the guys who would become His disciples. He says to them, “Come and see” and “Follow me,” then over the next three years He teaches them the mission of the kingdom of God and walks out the mission with them in His daily life. This group of disciples then turn the world upside down for the kingdom of God. Leaders, if you really want to make a difference with the people you are leading, stop talking so much… Live out the lesson you want them to learn; let your life be the classroom. Now, the struggle with leading this way is you will have to let a few of these learners get close enough to really see your life.
Go for it; it will change you as a leader, and it will pay long term dividends in the people you are leading.

-Pastor Tim