The Great Need For Good Leaders by Zac Poonen

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Bode Ososami

Zac Poonen

The state of God’s people depends on the quality of their leader. Most of today’s leaders in Christendom are not strong enough to keep God’s people on the straight and narrow path because the leaders themselves do not know God and are compromisers. They seek to please men and to be popular like Aaron, and therefore God cannot endorse their leadership. Moses and Joshua never sought to be popular.
“The people served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, who had seen all the great work the Lord had done for Israel” (Judges 2:7Judges 2:7
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
7 And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel. outlived: Heb. prolonged days after

WP-Bible plugin). But by the time Joshua and his fellow-elders died, there were no God-fearing men available to replace them. And so “all that generation also died and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor the work which He had done for Israel” (Judges 2:10Judges 2:10
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
10 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.

WP-Bible plugin). There was nobody who knew God.

After many years of moving in many Christian groups, I have to say that I have met very few Christian leaders who really know God, and who can say like Elijah, “I stand before the Lord God.” Most people in Christian work today are professional preachers. They study the Bible and get a degree, get someone to support them and then go out to “serve God”. There may be some sacrifice in their lives and even zeal. But zeal, sacrifice and knowledge are of no use, if a person does not know God. The statistics of their work may be impressive, but the quality of their converts will be poor, because they don’t know God. They may say that they have born-again believers in their church. But are these “believers” disciples of Christ? There is a vast difference between spiritual believers and carnal believers. Any man of God knows that it is better to have a small church of spiritual believers, than a large church of carnal ones. That’s like saying that it is better to have a few 1000-watt bulbs than a hundred zero-watt bulbs.

We are to be the light of the world. But the intensity of our light depends upon how much we know God. If the leader does not know God, the people will not know God either. You can study the Bible and teach it to your church-members, and they will know the Bible. But that would be like teaching them chemistry in a classroom. That won’t help them to know God. People cannot know God by getting Biblical information. You can know God only as you go through trials and testing. You have to humble yourself in those trials and have to have a yearning in your heart for God. That is how you can know God, not by sitting in a meeting. We certainly need to know the Scriptures, but we need to go beyond the Scriptures and get to know God. “The people who know their God will be strong” (Dan.11:32). The Israelites did not know God and therefore “they did evil in the sight of the Lord and served other gods.” (Judges 2:11Judges 2:11
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:

WP-Bible plugin) That was because Joshua had died, and now there was no God-fearing leader to lead them.

The history of Christianity in the last 2000 years is replete with numerous examples of men whom God raised up to start a church or a movement that brought revival in their lifetime. But once they died, their church (or movement) declined just like the churches and movements before them. The new generation holds the same doctrine as their founder and the same theory of sanctification, but they are not holy as their founder was. Many of them claim to have the same “baptism in the Holy Spirit” that their founder had. But their life and ministry do not have the same anointing. Something is missing. Then God has to raise up another man and start something altogether new.

God has always done His greatest work in the church through individual men whom He has raised up in different generations in different lands. Around such a man God gathers together a few people who are concerned not so much for size as for quality – for a pure testimony for God in their generation. I believe the church needs many such men and women.

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The Quarry Site not Harvard Business School…have you been there?

Posted on April 3, 2011 by Bode Ososami

‘’Though God desires to use men on earth to accomplish His divine purposes; He does not rush any man into spiritual leadership. He takes time to prepare every vessel before He presents him or her to men as His mouthpiece on earth’’

This is so crucial and of great importance as many are of the opinion and belief that becoming a leader has a great deal to do with the quality of your academic qualifications, the amount of knowledge and information you have, the kind of association and institution you belong and have studied etc. Well, as good and necessary some of those things are, it is never a substitute for yet a training that comes as a result of God Himself sharpening such men and women to fit into what I will call ‘’ an Enduring and Effective Leadership under God’’.

Such kind of training in order to become an effective leader is not something new, it has and will always be the only proven means by which God makes the men and women He uses. For example, looking at the life of John the Baptist, he ‘’was a child born with a prophecy around his neck of what he would accomplish for God, in preparing the way of the Lord. Yet God took him to the wilderness to prepare him for thirty years before the day of his showing unto Israel…’’

God’s credentials of making a leader that would become a mouthpiece for Him only comes to be when such men have only been formed at the Quarry Site. God is never in haste to fill any vacuum in responsible and correct leadership.

He might even permit the enemy to continue to occupy the arena until He can find a man or a woman whose life He can pour Himself into them, then will the purposes of God be revealed to all to see. Oh! Not even my zeal can make Him be in haste. Eloquence and being charismatic is not enough to occupy the seat for God. Even if you want to prove a point, it won’t be Him sending you to the Gates. It is a serious concern that many haven’t been formed by the hand of the Almighty and they are assuming positions of authority in the Church.

‘’No matter how urgent the need for a leader is in God’s work, God does not become nervous and hasty in rushing unprepared, untrained and untrimmed men into the helms of affairs in His Church. Crash programme of Leadership development and placement is alien to the biblical pattern of ministry.’’

What is the Quarry Site?
The quarry site is a place every man being prepared for spiritual leadership must go through. Bible Colleges, Theological Seminaries and training institutes are very useful, but do not replace the quarry in God’s evaluation for making men fit for divine assignments’’

When King Solomon in 1Kings 6 was given an account of the Temple that the Lord had commissioned him to build, it was as it were a graphic illustration and an heavenly mandate by God of any man that wishes to build along-side Him His Church, His people(the Temple). It is important to understand that God has no new method other than the one that has always been, meaning that whatever He does and command has the ability and capability and the potency to transcend generations……God’s word is eternal and ever relevant.

At this point, can we settle it in our hearts that God’s word is eternal and ever relevant…..His position on what He intends to do through us is still the same? In fact when we seem to get it wrong, He reminds us of His promises and the ‘’terms and conditions’’. Hallelujah!!!

When Solomon gave the account of the temple that was built, he said ‘’ And the temple, when it was being built, was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.’’

It is clear that the living temple God is building in our time is the one where the stones are lives of men and women called out the darkness into His marvellous light. The critical issue in all this is that all the stones that were used in the building of the Temple were stones pre-finished, cut into shape and size, dressed to fit into specific and specified positions in the temple. All chiselling, all hammering, all filing and smoothening had been done at the quarry under the instrumentality of various machines and the supervision of the quarry manager.

There was no cause for noise or trial and error. The stone used for the building was made at the quarry site, not at the point where the building was taken-off. There was no reason to cause disruption, distractions because the building was taking-off. It was a noiseless exercise where every ‘’stone’’ served a specific assignment and there was no jealousy, division as to what ‘’stone’’ is important or not. There was no much sweat, no human effort and human activities, these all fitted in to one purpose, the building of the Temple.

God’s ministry today is experiencing a short-fall in men whose mission is to see the ‘’temple’’ built, several have started well but suddenly at the point of getting them admitted to the quarry site where men are formed, they roll away as undone and uncooked men with no definite assignment. It has led to several “break-aways” we now see on our streets in the guise of ministries with big and bogus names. Men give titles to themselves at will, just to appear to be the greatest. At the quarry site is where God prepares and trims men to fit the specific calling He has placed in their lives. When God calls a man, He also creates a space for him or her in the Body of Christ to operate. It is during the quarry experience that all the issues of life and character, the need for enlargement of capacity in grace and spiritual gifts are perfected.

The Quarry is the first place God calls His choice men into. No one became anything significant in God’s service until deliberately positioned in this challenging place.

Extract from Pathway to Leadership by Bro. Gbile Akanni – Peace House Publications visit www.livingseed.org or www.livingseeduk.org for details.

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Abimelech and his Party of vain and light persons – Who to vote for ? Part II

Posted on September 25, 2010 by Bode Ososami

The clever schemes of politicians are not recent inventions … even in Bible days we see the financing of wicked acts to gain power at all costs and many underhand strategies to control the seat of authority. Abimelech and the brethren of his mother – the concubine of Gideon hatched a plan financed by the house of Baalberith to ensure Abimelech was king.

Judges 9[3] And his mother’s brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother. [4] And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him. [5] And he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.

Abimelech eventually became King with the help of hired vain and light persons of Shechem … while the legitimate ruler Jotham remained in hiding. If he had not hid himself… he would have been dead. They later told Jothan what had happened … and he answered with a Proverb…

Judges 9[8] The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. [9] But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? [10] And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. [11] But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? [12] Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. [13] And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? [14] Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. [15] And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon. [16] Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands; [17] (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian: [18] And ye are risen up against my father’s house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;) [19] If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you: [20] But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.

Vain and light persons enthroned Abimelech only to come under a curse of being devoured by the same person they had helped to be King. Abimelech is like the bramble bush – rubbish offering himself to be the king of trees … his only qualification being his idleness..and lack of any skill/qualification to be of any value to anyone else.

Jotham’s proverb proved prophetic. God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and his lackeys – the men of Shechem. A strife broke out culminating in thousands of men and women of Shechem destroyed by fire from Abimelech (Judges 9:49Judges 9:49
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
49 And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.

WP-Bible plugin) and Abimelech also ending badly – murdered (Judges 9:54Judges 9:54
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
54 Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

WP-Bible plugin).

A bad voting decision could have serious consequence…vote right. Do not sell your vote for any form of gain … and do not be part of financing wickedness. In an election in a recession with poverty and much unemployment there are many vain persons and crowds begging to be hired – seeking opportunities and waiting to cash in… Lord help me not to be one of them.

Pray that every Abimelech will be stopped. Do not vote for the bramble bush … for all it offers is a curse. Pray that God will give us good leaders to choose from and will divinely protect those the enemy will be hunting for…Pray against assassinations and for peaceful elections in Nigeria. It is well. Amen

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Selecting a new President – who to vote for? Part 1

Posted on September 19, 2010 by Bode Ososami

The Bible is not silent on politics and qualities to look for in leadership. Neither has God left us clueless or unguided on how to glorify His word through our vote. Observe what God demands of rulers with access to vast national resources and wealth and His criteria for selection. The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof …God who owns all national resources has the right to define the qualities of those to rule on His behalf…

Deuteronomy 17 [15] “You shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. [16] “But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’ [17] “Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself.

“One from among your brethren you shall set as king over you “ A good ruler is a brother or a sister … not a foreigner. One who understands the issues of the family …not alien to our pains … not a foreigner nor a stranger… a nationalist…burdened with the reproach of the land … not a scorner – dedicated to removing and healing them … one rooted in simple community issues …we can trust one from among the brethren. A ruler must be worthy of trust. You can place your life in the hands of a true brother or sister and feel safe. He/she is known… with familiar weaknesses and strengths … A foreigner or a stranger offers many promises but is unpredictable. Vote for someone you know…take the trouble to find out all you can before you select.
“But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, “ A man who has developed expensive appetites towards multiplication of horses – cars, houses and assets…even though seen to have honestly worked to earn these perks…is not the leader that God has appointed. The values of a leader speaks a lot…does he/she have a track record of building people with the right values? A God ordained leader is able to build people contented to lead simple Godly lives even when tremendously blessed. He knows the greatest asset of a nation is an enterprising and skilled people with the right values … they must be aligned not to material acquisition but to selfless service and sacrificial sharing. God cannot trust leadership in the hands of those who will turn the people back to hunger for “Egypt” worldly acquisition and luxury … but will through example of meekness and simplicity cause a cultural shift to build true national values…multiplying industry, justice, jobs, schools, skilled labour and diligent selfless service. Observe the values of the leader…Do not vote for one who will multiply vanity.
“Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away “The leader must be a man of self control – a man that has proven to be disciplined in family life who knows what he can have and cannot. The private life of a leader is not private but very important to your decision. A man who has proven himself unable to be contented in his home life runs riot when exposed to temptations of power. A man not practiced in self-control is easily turned away and confused by baits too pleasant to resist. He/she may not be a polygamist but find out his/her heart concerning his/her home and how he/she values the family heritage he/she leaves behind … if his/her children are not in check or carefully cared for and nurtured…be sure he/she cannot truly care for millions of unknown voters. Vote for someone who practically demonstrates concern for family values.
“Nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself.” The leader must not be greedy. Many have been tested with wealth and found already to be “money launderers” and treasury looters… holding vast sums in private coffers ostensibly for the people. A man who will aggressively improve his own personal finances in a nation struggling through poverty and decay of infrastructure is a thief and not a leader … people who have amassed great sums inexplicably in their personal accounts already will plunder the resources that belong to God if placed in leadership. Do not vote for a thief.
“… for the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again…’A leader must have a vision of a better future – a different way…must have new dreams to give hope to the people and be able to lead us through new paths. Someone bereft of new God-given ideas is unfit to rule …let him/her be humble to support those with a vision of a new way and beginning. Test the vision of those who want your vote…will they lead us back the ways we have taken in the past …foolishly expecting a different result…vote for change. Do not vote for the visionless or the blind.

Samuel was miserable that the children of Israel rejected the way of God and preferred to have their own king and fight their own battles…in spite of all the warnings of God. They did not care for God…

I Samuel 8[ 8] According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. [9] Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. [10] And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. [11] And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. [12] And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. [13] And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. [14] And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them , and give them to his servants. [15] And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. [16] And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. [17] He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. [18] And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day. [19] Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; [20] That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

Do pray concerning your vote. Now and in eternity…there will be an accounting for your decision. God will be glorified in your election. Do not sell your vote or select a candidate for selfish personal gains. Remember…if you choose wrongly … God will honour your choice and demand that you pray for and support your leader… even when he turns against you. Indeed it is so true that we deserve the leaders we get.

Choose wisely.

God bless you.

Bode

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Leadership and Followers

Posted on August 22, 2010 by Bode Ososami

by Pastor E.A. Adeboye

At what stage will God answer our prayers 100 per cent? Is it when our leaders are 100 per cent righteous or when the whole nation becomes righteous?

I believe that time will come when a certain percentage, not all of us, of the nation will be 100 per cent committed to seeking Him. I will illustrate that one. When God was going to destroy the city of Sodom and Gomorrah, and He visited Abraham, His friend and He told Abraham, this is what I am going to do.

Abraham began to plead for the city because he had relatives there who were precious to him. He started by saying, ‘God, if you can find 50 people in the two cities, will you destroy the 50 with the unrighteous multitude? God said, if I find 50 there, I will spare the city. Abraham kept on pressing until he got to 10 and God said if I can find 10 people in the city doing My will, I will because of them, spare the city.

Unfortunately He couldn’t find 10. In other words, God is not going to wait until the whole nation – leaders and followers – have become committed to Him. He is looking for a percentage. Unfortunately, we don’t know that percentage. He knows that one and that is one of the reasons why everyday, we are struggling to get more and more souls saved. I am convinced beyond all doubt, that while we could apportion some blame to the leadership, a big blame also belongs to the followership. I have always said that in a nation of thieves, the leader will be a thief because a nation will get the leader it deserves. If we are all transparent people, if we are all honest people, if we are all against corruption, we will only vote into office people who are not corrupt. But if during the preparation for election, for example, somebody comes to you and says he wants you to vote for him and you say ‘fine, where is my bread’; and he gives you some money and you pocket it. When he gets to office, he will want to recoup the money that he has spent and when he begins to steal you don’t have any mouth with which to talk.

But if all of us say to someone, we are voting you into office, we are not demanding anything from you now, we don’t want your money; but when you get there, spend our money to take care of us. If he gets there and he begins to enrich himself, then we can rise up as one, and ask him, ‘what money are you stealing and what is the purpose of stealing it? We did not take any money from you’.

But as long as getting to office is going to be dependent on how much money you can spend on us before you get in there, when they get there, they will regard getting there as an investment and they will want returns for their investment.

So, the problem is not just with the leadership, it is also with those of us who vote them into office.

Originally published in RCCG North America site

God bless you as you register to vote. May God be glorified in all your voting decisions.

Amen

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Leadership, President Jonathan, Religion and Reformation

Posted on June 12, 2010 by Bode Ososami

Judges 6 [25] And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Take thy father’s young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it: [26] And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down. [27] Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father’s household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.

Concerning President Goodluck Jonathan – I quote an article from allAfrica.com “…. Can President Jonathan midwife a process while maintaining a vested interest without tinkering with that process? Arguments in this regard tend to take a ding-dong pattern as people are found on the two sides of the divide. But there is a taint of haltedness in those who argue in defence of the possibility of participatory insulation as their submissions appear speculative. Those who hold the view that he must not contest argue that he can only drive the process impartially from outside and not as a participant. They posit that this is one moment in history President Jonathan should seize to join the pantheon of great leaders in Africa and the world. They state that the only way to demonstrate the quality of patriotism that would give him that ascendancy is for him not to contest 2011 election.”

The Reformation model in the call of Gideon featured initially a relatively small and private victory before the public challenge. I suspect that when one has not confronted the private demons and immediate issues in our area of direct influence – then seeking God’s mandate for larger assignments becomes premature and may be proven in later years as unwise. For further illustration – David’s brave encounters with the Lion and the Bear prepared him to some extent to develop the courage for Goliath. But does God still call ? Perhaps to lead large scale change – smaller pilot private victory in our spheres of direct influence can confirm the call.

Indeed, God still calls and found the “least qualified” Gideon and commissioned him. His first task for Gideon was to reform his own backyard by confronting the idols of his father … an act that further established, by the grace of God, His divine call to lead Israel to victory. God is not without His Gideons even in times of subtle and aggressive self promotion and greed as depicted in Karl Zorowski’s cartoon.

In Psalm 62[9] Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity. …David writes off the quiet poor Mr Nobody or our Titans as vanity and lies…and instead prefers to simply wait upon God. Divine insights and models can still inform much of our thoughts on reformation and leadership. David had a very long wait for God’s process to mature.

I met an elderly Christian friend who expounded very convincingly why President Goodluck Jonathan may be God’s elect to be used to wave the much awaited magic wand. I do not know … but fear more the bewitching spells that enchant and lead both charlatans and well-meaning gentry into assignments that do not fulfil divine patterns and vision. I am therefore persuaded to agree more with the other fellow who said Nigeria needs working institutions, credible processes and mind renewal for clear thinking of its citizenry – more than it needs religious hocus-pocus and strong-men. God certainly hates any partiality and hypocrisy … and crooked elections continue to contradict His word.

James 3[17] But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

Nigeria needs only one President at a time for a limited period. We do not all have to scramble to win every battle today…we also need umpires, coaches, losers, watchers etc…the defeated can also rise up again…there is learning and value to be contributed in every stage for every role. Good losers contribute immensely to the process and tradition of credibility and the construction of enduring institutions. Abraham Lincoln who became the President of the United States in 1860… Lost job, 1832…Defeated for legislature, 1832…Failed in business, 1833…Elected to legislature, 1834 … sweetheart (Ann Rutledge) died, 1835…Had nervous breakdown,1836…Defeated for Speaker, 1838…Defeated for nomination for Congress, 1843…Elected to Congress, 1846…Lost renomination, 1848…Rejected for Land Officer, 1849…Defeated for Senate, 1854…defeated for nomination for Vice-President, 1856…Again defeated for Senate, 1858. Abraham Lincoln did not quit and remained hopeful because he believed that there existed credible and fair electoral processes and institutions that would one day work for him.

Jonathan may well still emerge as a great “elected” President in 2011 or perhaps later…but there are altars of Baal in the backyard to be thrown down. A major part of the reformation expected of him today is to umpire fearlessly with the grace of God the emergence of working democratic institutions and credible governance mechanisms perhaps requiring an affront on the political “home” that fathered his emergence i.e. let him start with uprooting the demons in the domestic and/or “home” front. Gideon did the job in a clandestine manner for fear – in the night – but he did the job. For President Jonathan, this is perhaps a key part of the private battle that must precede his ascent as our “Messiah”. God will help him to succeed as He helped the nervous Gideon.

The opinion of some is that it may be easier to fight and win this battle without being lumbered with the image (rightly or wrongly) of being another (perhaps innocent) sit-tight tool of wicked interests clinging to power at all costs. He must not fight with the fear of losing the support of the machinery that seems required to retain Him in power.

As Nigeria celebrates her Jubilee – 5oyears of Independence, our expectation is that the blessings of Jubilee will perfect what God had started and pour more than sufficient grace to usher in the best leadership team in a most critical political transition – resulting in future years of rejoicing. All Nigerians will do well to be active participants in this peculiar transition in the year of Jubilee.

Our nation is blessed with outstanding potential leaders – even as we continue to pray for all current and past leaders at this crucial period … remembering that nothing is impossible for Him who leads us into realising His perfect will for our great country, Nigeria.

You may not be our next Honorable Minister of Finance ( you are not less important to God) – for there are victories God needs in your small town, your marriage, household, office, institution, ministry, business and personal life…and may you have victory as Gideon did.

God bless you as you pray for Nigeria.

Amen

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Bode Ososami

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The Civilizing Influence of Leadership

Posted on April 23, 2010 by Bode Ososami

This is putting our influence into play for the benefit of the civil society. Too many believers are detached from what goes on around them. Our influence can come into play to do what is right. This can be in so many ways;

To elect capable people into political offices and not ethnic, tribal or religious cronies.
To get people to register to join political parties of their choice and go out and vote.
To be alert to electoral malpractices and move in community watch to prevent rigging and report electoral fraud.
To build and assist to run clinics and hospitals, hospices, orphanages and other welfare projects including homes for the handicapped and the homeless.
Repairing of roads and clearing of gutters and ensuring environmental cleanliness.
Drilling of boreholes and water purification projects for availability of drinkable water especially in rural areas.
Being active in Parent Teacher Associations to ensure Theo-centric education and being alert/mobilising for improvement in education in schools and resisting subtle paganism being taught to children.

The struggles to stop or eradicate “underground” slave trade, child labour and human trafficking for prostitution must continue in full force. Influence will stop or reduce consumption of alcohol (through prohibitive taxation and other disincentives) , drug abuse, smoking of hemp/substances etc.

William Wilberforce, John Wesley and several other leading believers of their era all fought for the rights of workers and proper wages, healthcare for the poorest and stood against the slave trade – which persisted stubbornly.

All that is required for evil to prosper is for good people to be silent and too busy or spiritual to care. We must influence our members on social issues so that they are armed to influence others in the wider society. Perhaps the Churches especially in the developing nations and poorer countries have not done enough…forgetting that God is not only interested in spiritual life but also very concerned about the civil society. We are to pray for those in government that we may have a peaceful life. We must join and encourage others to resist all oppressive laws. Our civic responsibilities must be carried out. Electricity bills, taxes and levies must be paid and we should influence others to so the same. The task of social change cannot be left to unbelievers. As a result of the Church’s apathy, one inadvertently associates the Church with the evil doings of oppressive and corrupt governments. For example, Church leaders did not protest the evil of the Czars and so when the communist revolution came to Russia, the Church perceived as aligned with the oppressors was also attacked. It is the duty of the Church to make the mind of God known to the civil society. We should make it clear where God stands on national civil issues and matters touching our local environment.

Hear the word of God …

Isaiah 58 [3] Wherefore have we fasted, say they , and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. [4] Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. [5] Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him ? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? [6] Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? [7] Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

[8] Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. [9] Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am . If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; [10] And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: [11] And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

(Excerpts from “Leadership Minister’s Conference” )

God bless you.

Bode

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Transforming followers to Leaders

Posted on April 19, 2010 by Bode Ososami

A different attitude is required for encouraging the spirit of leadership in others. Transforming followers requires rare courage and recognition that within every follower is an undiscovered leader. Remember God looks at the heart and His future purpose and not visible appearance or past circumstance.

The growth and development of people can be subtle but is the highest calling of true leadership. God’s best investment is in people and not gadgets, titles or projects but raising people for His vision. True leaders therefore work for the benefit of others to see them emerge to play God-given roles and not for their own personal gain or promotion. We influence others for their good because we want to develop them. We want their God-given potential and ability to blossom out. The period of training and developing others is often painful and thankless. A true leader also may need to fade out for a while when the task is accomplished and does not cling to remain always influential.

An important lesson of leadership is self-development to pursue God’s plan and purposes. Be the best you can be for God. Do not ever say again, it is too late for me to change or to improve for it is never too late. We can still expose ourselves to God for upward movement. The chain of yesterday must not tie you down. True leaders know this and will assist others overcome resistance and to develop and recover from past errors or limitations.

Not all change is improvement but without change there is no improvement. It is not what you are that holds you down but what you have been made to think you are not. I can do all things through Christ who supplies me ability. The one who effectively influences others to become leaders is a leader without limitations who also encourages others to see no limitations in Christ.

People tend to be what the most important people in their lives think they will become. You may have to first uproot what others have passed unto you and your people before you can plant what God wants. You can literally change people’s lives by your attitude and expectations of them. Do not drive people, instead discover what God wants them to be and influence them in that direction.

Successful people developers make the right assumptions about people. Our assumptions will determine how successful we are in developing leadership in others. We must seek to discover the potential of others whom we lead under God. We cannot make good success if we push them in the opposite direction of their calling.

We cannot hope for things we are not currently working on. To have a hope but make no effort cannot produce the desired result in us or in others. You will become only what you are becoming i.e. working on – right now.

Indeed there are many unsung leaders and change catalysts that played vital roles. Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, is an example to consider.

I Kings 1[11] Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not? [12] Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon. [13] Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign? [14] Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words. [15] And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king. [16] And Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou? [17] And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid, saying , Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne. [18] And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not: [19] And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.

Bathsheba, a woman who lived with the reproach of a husband murdered by her lover, still saw greatness in her son Solomon amidst bitter palace rivalry and intrigues. Her move was an act of rare courage and great risk that could easily have cost her life as David, her protector, was dying and the future scenario difficult to predict …

But the risk paid off and Solomon, the son of Bathsheba, became King. The “more qualified” Adonijah, Abiathar and Joab (helpers of Adonijah) who did not see Solomon as King had to be uprooted … and the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon. Bathsheba’s task was done…little or nothing is heard of her in the scriptures after this. In eternity her distinguished act is well applauded.

Jesus Christ is the ultimate leader who exemplified humility, sacrifice, courage and compassion as He died on the cross that we may all be transformed to kings. Surrender your life to Him – He is waiting for you …now. Most leadership roles are tenured…but the inheritance we have in Him has no expiration date.

Bode

Enjoy a recent video teaching for Christian leaders on ”An adjusted gospel – a false gospel” by prominent theologian Dr. Albert Mohler

<a href="http://www.vimeo.com/10939937" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.vimeo.com']);">http://www.vimeo.com/10939937</a>

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The Leadership Diet

Posted on April 15, 2010 by Bode Ososami

A lot has been written already on leadership and many mindsets on the topic abound in management and philosophical theories. The Bible does have its perspective on leadership practices and in many examples we observe that God finds, chooses, selects, prepares and trains His leaders for pivotal roles in business, ministry and politics. Leadership in the Bible is neither accidental nor self-initiated. It also not based on self effort or declared intent or strong resolve. God chooses His leaders often using the foolish to confound the wise. Still, the unprepared cannot lead nor can the sluggard escape a destiny of begging in harvest. This post begins a series of articles dedicated to leadership from a Bible perspective and what the word of God says on the topic using, among others, Jesus Christ, John the Baptist and Daniel as case examples.

Jesus Christ was prophesied to come as a leader and commander. In Isaiah 55[4] Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

In John 4[32] But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. … [34] Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

Jesus had a different diet. God’s leaders are on specific assignments to execute God’s blueprint in a time-based realm. God’s plan is a vast mosaic of complex circumstances that can only amaze and baffle most of us. Like DNA, the hereditary material in humans under the most powerful microscope we are lost in wonder… but the trained and prepared eye of the leader sees the patterns and what they mean. Obedience comes easy with revelation of divine assignment that most lack.

Daniel and the three Hebrew boys emerged as leaders in Babylon Daniel 2[48] Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. [49] Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

In Daniel 1[16] Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

Daniel and the team of future leaders were fed with vegetables. The word that nourishes leaders is often different in its demands and exactitude from those who will be led. Like Moses in the wilderness, the training and experience curriculum of leaders will be tougher, distinct from others and will separate, as they say, men from the boys. Where the way is narrow, the way of leaders is even narrower. The standard fare of entertainment, pleasure and idle chatter will be far from God’s leaders. Others may but leaders cannot.

John the Baptist was described as the greatest of all leaders before Christ…Matthew 11[11] Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist…

John the Baptist’s meat was even more peculiar. Matthew 3 [4] And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

The one chosen to lead the way for Christ, John the Baptist, who would also minister boldly to correct the lavish and unmentionable escapades of King Herod, fed on locusts. Locusts are devourers – a predatory nuisance in most cases but for John the instrument of the devourer was only food to sustain Him. In like manner for Elijah, the raven, a scavenger, became an obedient carrier of nourishment for the man God had chosen to ravage the priesthood of Baal. God’s leaders will survive and be nourished in the most hostile and arid environments. Joseph was weaned for years on the menu of servants and prisoners. Humility – a vital trait for the leader – is often grown in the laboratory of simplest diets and limiting circumstances.

The diet of God’s leaders has always been somewhat peculiar – those who grow eating what others eat be it spiritually, physically or mentally will be hampered to lead others. Saul ate so much with the people until he dropped his divine assignment for the people’s mandate

I Samuel 15[24] And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

As Christians, we are all leaders in Christ Jesus. It is more than being an example for others to follow as indeed we must. But in addition staying ahead and apart from the pack to be able to lead. Be encouraged as God sets you apart for His purpose in business enterprise, ministry and in politics. Wait on Him.

God bless you.

Bode