Leadership starts with influencing and we are then called to be “influencers” for God and in whatever we do in the process we need to bring glory to God. We could start in the family by bringing God into our conversations, reminding us of His goodness, His role in our lives whenever and wherever we can. Positive influence at work too could bring staff to go the extra mile. One effective way to influence as taught by Christ was to serve the people they were to lead. In serving, one gets to observe the situation on the ground, and become empathetic and forgiving. Serving should be viewed as nourishment and not punishment. It is the Grace of God that facilitates your leadership and serving the people of God gives you the platform to influence them.

Under Skills Formation, a number of characteristics were highlighted for effective leadership. Top of the list was the need to have a very clear Vision of what is expected for a better tomorrow, which is an improvement of the past. Not only that, the ingredients include courage for a positive change, a focus on the “dream” that it is divinely inspired for a selected group of people and for a specific timeframe for the purpose of God. Vision often arises out of a need.

Visions normally begin with an idea born out of serving the people. God can also plant a vision onto you if you spend time with Him, and He can help you discern the choices you should make.  After which one should communicate the Vision to the people so that they understand the aim of their efforts especially when the going gets tough in reaching that goal (Matt 9:35). Towards this end, Jesus didn’t work alone because He knew it would be impossible to attain His goal ‘going solo’.  As in Matthew 10:1, He called His disciples and gave them authority. Likewise, leaders need workers and they need to be empowered.

The Strategies included the mechanics of deciding on priorities and decision-making. Several quotations from the Bible were cited to indicate how Jesus and the Twelve prioritised their plans and actions, and at the same time shaking off all that hindered the way to the goal, - “fixing our eyes on Jesus”(Heb 12:1). Another strategy was to pose questions to one’s self - What is required of me? What gives the greatest return and reward? Leaders should spend time working in areas of their greatest strength, and God will reward you with deep satisfaction.

Building relationships is an important strategy and an asset in effective leadership. But it starts with the leader. How one sees oneself is the way you tend to serve your people as is seen in the story of the Good Samaritan. Do you see the situation as an opportunity to exploit the victim (Robbers)?  Or see the victim as a nuisance to be avoided (Priests)? Or see the victim as someone to be loved as the Samaritan did.  Thus, in leadership and in cultivating a relationship one needed to look past human failings and concentrate on their gifts. Leaders should train their people and empower them.

Christianity is about relationships, and Jesus has asked us to love our neighbours as ourselves. In the light of this, leaders need to take the initiative of being host to the relationship. He/She has to ask the right questions and diagnose the real need, become an active listener, give confidence where it is needed, acknowledge good ideas and affirm them, and give direction when followers seem undecided. If there is resistance, one can take a page off Abraham Lincoln’s philosophy - get to know one’s enemy better.

In achieving the goals, apart from developing relationships, good leaders need an action plan. The Bible is full of stories of great planning. Noah took 120 years to accomplish the long-term plans of God to build the ark; Nehemiah had his vision of the completed wall and reconstruction of the wall of Jerusalem in 52 days was accomplished by practising division of labour; David ‘s building of the temple, even though it was only completed during Solomon’s kingship, was completed in 7 years based on David’s plans. 

In conclusion, it was pointed out that everything rises and falls on leadership – in the impact or non-impact it makes on the followers. The key to doing extraordinary ministry through others stems from learning to lead and to influence in Church. The question is whether you would allow yourself to be used as God’s leader.