Praising Him In Our Pain

In the whirlwind of the last few months of Floyd’s illness, I have not had it on my mind to post anything on our website.  Then our website was down for a while being changed and revamped.  Now that it is back up, I thought I would try to post some news about our journey once a week.

This past week Floyd has gone through days of being really awake and busy with his active left arm, and then days of being really distant and sleepy.  He has struggled with horrible phlegm off and on which is something that we are really praying will clear.

The therapists have him up in his wheelchair several days a week, and they have started putting him on the tilt table on the days when he is strong enough.  He can only manage that for very short periods as his body is not used to being vertical after all the months in bed.

There are times when Floyd seems really frustrated with his situation. With him not being able to communicate, it is very difficult to know what he is thinking and feeling.  We continue to pray that the Lord would comfort him, and give him the grace that he needs to endure this.

This week a friend told of hearing a man preach after his mother, a very godly woman, passed away.  He was thinking of the joy she must be having in heaven as she worshipped Jesus with all the saints and angels.  The Lord spoke to his heart - "you know there is praise that you can give that they can't give in heaven.  It's the praise that you offer in the midst of pain, darkness, confusion - when you can't see all that the Father is doing."

I have been offering up that kind of praise this week.  A bit hard - but He's worthy!  And I trust Him completely.  

Someone also said to me that God "has Floyd in His grasp."  I loved that visual image.  I could just see God's big hand holding my gentle giant in the palm of His hand......holding him firmly, but not too tightly - never letting him go.  I know Floyd is in good hands!!

And while he's holding Floyd in His palm - I am grateful that He is holding my hand and guiding me along.

"For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, 'Do not fear; I will help you."  Isaiah 41:13

I absolutely could not have made it through these months without Him holding my hand.  I've told friends that I don't know how people could go through something like this without the Lord.  And then I had the strangest thought - "I help people even when they don't ask."  And, you know, I think God does that!

When we forget to ask.  When we think we don't need to ask.  When we don't think God cares.  When we get too busy to ask.  When we're distanced from Him and think we don't have a right to ask.  When we don't even know Him.  I think He's still there holding our hand.  He loves us in all these situations.  He loves us even when we aren't close to Him.

I thought of how many families I talked to while Floyd was in ICU - many of them didn't have a relationship with God.  And a number of them told me they felt God "with" them in the time of crisis.  How big and awesome is His heart that He reaches out to us in our need even when we sometimes don't reach out to Him.  I remember thinking how great His heart was to do that.  And I prayed for these dear ones to come to know Him personally during their trial!  I was even able to pray with some of them.

I love a God who is so big hearted.  It means there will always be room for me!  And He'll never let me go!  He'll always be there holding my "right hand."  I miss holding hands with Floyd, but I'm so grateful God is there holding my hand.  What immense comfort that brings.

In my quiet times the last few days, the Lord has been focusing my thoughts on thinking and thanking.

"Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise - think about these things." Philippians 4:8

It's so easy to let my thoughts wander to things that aren't on the above list - especially when I'm tired.  When I see Floyd's suffering, I can worry. When I think about the unknown future, I can be distressed.  When I try to face all the problems at once, I can be overwhelmed.  If I'm not careful, I can accept the worry/distress/thoughts of being overwhelmed as "normal" or acceptable in this journey we're on.

But God is saying I can control those reactions by focusing my thoughts on what is true, just, pure, things worthy of praise.  I have the power to rise above these things with my thoughts!  I just need to make use of that power God has given me.

"In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you."  1 Thessalonians 5:18

There is also wonderful power in giving praise and worship to Him in every situation and circumstance - thanking Him. 

I'm trying to be careful to think and thank by His guidelines!  I know it will make my load lighter.

Floyd

Some of you may be wondering why Floyd has been so 'quiet' for the past while, some of you may have heard...Floyd has been in ICU fighting for his life since 23 February. It was a terrible oversight for me not to have posted anything about it, but with all that has been going on I just didn't think about it - please forgive me. Floyd has been ill with a very serious bactrerial infection which led to him going into septic shock. It has been a very hectic time with many challenges for the doctors to deal with but the Lord has been faithful and has kept His hand on Floyd and he is now stable.

There is still a long road of recovery ahead but we trust and believe that God will perform miracles of healing for Floyd. Sally spends everyday at the hospital with him and there are many, many people all over the world standing with Sally and praying for him - the Lord is building a wonderful testimony for both of them out of this difficult time.

Julie (Floyd's Personal Assistant)

Finding Meaning in Times of Crisis

"Leadership is proven through dark and stormy times. Extraordinary leaders find meaning in times of crisis. Such times are opportunities to become stronger, more confident leaders. These transformative events are not always caused by God, but He uses them to shape us. Dark and stormy times are leadership crucibles that give us opportunity for deep self-reflection about our values, our leadership philosophy, and our purpose.

Here are the skills Jesus modeled when His disciples were facing the storm:

• Engage people to discover meaning in the storm. Jesus and His disciples were “in the same boat,” as the saying goes. It was a time for them to learn from each other. To the degree that leaders can constructively and sensitively engage others, they can help them find meaning from a crisis. This means listening, comforting, and looking to God together.
• Discover and use a compelling voice. Jesus spoke compellingly to His disciples. Those who speak with confidence, openness, peace, and wisdom in the midst of a storm, learn and grow from the experience and encourage others to do the same.
• Act with integrity of purpose. Jesus was not impressed with the power of the storm. Leaders rise above fear, above pain, and lean hard into God and His Word to act with integrity of purpose. Dark and stormy times are not times to use religious clichés (“God knows,” “It’s all in the Lord’s hands,” etc.). Jesus saw meaning in the storm. It was that meaning that guided Him, not the storm itself or the reaction of His disciples to the storm.
• Cultivate “adaptive capacity.” This is the most crucial skill a leader can possess to lead others through a crisis. It is the ability to grasp context, to see the big picture, to learn from the storm itself, and to step back and gain perspective. Effective leaders learn to adapt - some gain perspective from prayer, others from asking good questions, still others draw on past experiences. Like Jesus, 
strong leaders are not emotionally reactive. Rather than getting lost in subjective personal responses, they increase their capacity to connect with others through difficult circumstances. These leaders remain hardy and hopeful despite disaster and difficulty.

I was pastoring in the United States when the 9/11 terrorist attack took place in New York City. I quickly consulted with a close friend, then called the congregation together for prayer. We agreed that a national time of tragedy was not a time to reason things through intellectually, cast blame on the enemy, look for “sin in the camp,” or simplify such a complex issue as a spiritual attack. I led the congregation to respond from the heart. We responded through prayer and scriptural reflection to acknowledge our feelings. Through that posture of honesty, we looked to God for comfort and to guide our attitudes and actions.

As a result, some members of the congregation decided to reach out to their Muslim neighbors and co-workers to assure them of their love and the love of Jesus. Others visited Muslim schools and community centers to take food accompanied by notes of friend- ship. We also ran an advertisement in the local newspaper to share our love as followers of Jesus with the Muslim community.

God used our responses to touch the hearts of many Muslims, open up deeply meaningful conversations, and be an example of how a city should respond in one of our nation’s darkest and stormiest times.

List a few stormy times you have walked through, or walked others through. Using the four skills Jesus modeled, assess your responses. Spend some time in prayer, asking God to help you remember and use these skills when tough times happen. Also keep in mind the four things we should not do in stormy times.

Four Stormy-time Dos

1. Engage people to discover meaning in the storm.
2. Discover and use a compelling voice.
3. Act with integrity of purpose.
4. Cultivate adaptive capacity.

Four Stormy-time Don’ts

1. Reason things through intellectually.
2. Cast blame on an enemy.
3. Look for sin in the camp.
4. Simplify a complex issue by calling it a spiritual attack.
"

If you would like to read the rest of this book please click here t0 find Leading Like Jesus on Amazon Kindle or here to find a paperback copy from YWAM Publishing.

When People Try Make You King

"In the inner depths of every leader, there is a desire to be needed, to be a hero, to fix things. It appeals to our ego to be important. But be warned - if we find our significance by being put on a pedestal, it is only a matter of time until the same people will pull down the pedestal, and we will come tumbling down with it. The same people that make us kings will depose us when it suits them. Some of the very people who sought to make Jesus king, later turned on Him and chanted, “Crucify Him.”

Rather than seeking significance, serve people because God calls you to serve them - not because it meets a need in you or in others.

There is a thin line between being compelled to meet people’s needs and being called by God to do so. A discerning leader will find that line and not step across it.

In 1 Samuel 8, the people of Israel demanded a king, wanting to be like the other countries around them. God gave them what they asked for, but in doing so was creating a test for the king (Saul) and a test for the Israelites as well. Saul failed his test and God removed him. The people failed their test and God punished them. May we learn from this lesson and not insist on a human king or elevate any leader to a God-like status. As leaders, may we resist any such acclaim thrust upon us. May we trust in God alone.

Jesus responded to the demands of the people who wanted to make Him king by withdrawing to be alone. Perhaps the best place to be when we are tempted to be a king to people is to be alone with God and find out what it is in us that is attracted to stardom or power.

As a younger leader, I found myself becoming political about my leadership role. I defended my position in the organization I served with at the time. I had an unhealthy need for the right title. I was offended when I was asked to change my title to one of “less stature.” 
I am ashamed of my behavior when I look back now on those days. There were some dysfunctions in the organization, but that is no excuse for my immaturity.

Thankfully, God used those experiences to refine my character. It was a season of ministry maturing and I learned valuable lessons during that season. I am thankful for the leaders over me and with me at the time who set an example by responding with greater maturity and patience.

What was it in me that fought over those things? God was exposing my insecurities and my selfish ambition. I am thankful He did so, although at the time, it was not easy to humble myself and acknowledge my sinfulness.

I recall one co-worker saying, “Wow, these things are really important to you. Why is that?”

It was that piercing question that helped me step back and question myself. Thank God for people who are not enamored with having a king over them, who simply speak the truth.

Do you receive the truth when spoken to you? Perhaps there are steps you can take to encourage others to tell you when they disagree with you.

What steps can you take to build accountability and transparency in the community or corporation you lead?"

To read the other 39 Chapters of Leading Like Jesus click here to get it on Amazon Kindle OR here to get a paperback copy from YWAM Publishing.

Don't Do Miracles By Yourself

“Notice that Jesus did not do the miracle of feeding the five thousand directly Himself, but by working through His disciples. He performed the miracle, but involved others in its completion. Even though their faith was low, He still used the disciples. He trusted them to play an important role in spite of their unbelief.Jesus gave the disciples the bread. They distributed it to the people and later gathered the leftovers. Surely Jesus could have performed this miracle easily, and more dramatically, without their help. But instead, He deliberately involved the disciples in a learning experience. As they participated, their eyes were opened to see the miracle taking place.

There are some key leadership lessons at work in this story: • Leaders are more effective when they involve others. • Disciples don’t need to be mature to be involved. • Self-discovery is more powerful than teaching discovery. • Disciples learn more by doing than by watching. • There are different learning styles for different people.

Jesus didn’t just want to perform a miracle; He wanted to train His followers to believe. He was developing men of faith, not running a feeding program. He wanted His leaders to have compassion fueled by faith, so He engaged them by having them participate in the miracle. He could have done it faster by Himself. He could have done it more efficiently by Himself. But He chose to trust an important responsibility to His men. Those who are prone to perfection find it very difficult to operate by this principle. These are the people who often say, “It’s easier just to do it myself.”

If you have a very strong predilection for neatness and excellence, allowing others to be involved who don’t share your standards will be a severe test for you. The goal of good leadership is not always getting people to do things the “right” way, but instead, training them through the process. Here is a challenge for those with high standards: there are times you may have to sacrifice getting things done your way in order to encourage more people to be involved.

Jesus didn’t preach a message of “excellence,” but He did speak often about the need for more workers. Multiplication of workers for the harvest is not incompatible with high standards. But leaders create cultures, and a culture of control for the sake of excellence can be a huge hindrance to mobilizing workers for the harvest. Control can be an underlying issue if a leader is reluctant to involve others in important tasks. If you are a prisoner of your personality, you will insist on doing things your way, no matter how it affects others. Take time to do some honest assessment. Ask yourself and others who work with you: • Am I a controlling leader? • Am I proficient at involving others? • Do I get great satisfaction from seeing others learn by doing?"

To read the other 39 chapters of my new book 'Leading Like Jesus' get it from Amazon Kindle here. Or order a paperback copy from YWAM Publishing here.

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross - Quote...

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”

Leadership Tests: No One Likes Them and We All Go Through Them

"God tests leaders. In the scene from Jesus’ ministry to the multitudes in John 6:4-6, Jesus asks a seemingly innocuous question to test Philip.Later in the Gospels, we learn that Philip was most likely an accountant, a man who dealt in exact numbers and precise records. When Jesus tested Philip, if we listen carefully, we can hear an unwarranted response from Philip to Jesus: “We don’t have enough money to do this...we only have two hundred denarii and besides, this is not in our budget.” What Philip did not say is, “I trust you, Master.”

A leadership test is a crucible that, by its nature, is intended by God to be a transforming experience. God does not initiate every human situation that tests us, but He uses them all.

As a 21-year-old leader, I asked God one morning to teach me “His ways.” Earlier that morning, I had read these words from Psalm 103:7: “He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.” I realized I knew little of God’s ways, especially His ways in developing leaders.

I have since discovered that there are indeed certain “ways” God works in and through leaders’ lives. To discern His ways is to ease the path of our service to God. Neglecting to discern His ways is to wander through life blindfolded, unable to see the path ahead. A leadership test is a crisis, big or small, that God uses to teach us to depend more deeply on Him. Testing is one of the least understood aspects of God’s ways. We often ignore God’s testing in our lives, to our great detriment. As leaders pass through tests, they discover God’s goodness in new dimensions. They gain confidence that He can and will meet them in the crisis experiences of life.

In his crucial leadership book, The Making of a Leader, Robert Clinton says, “Not only does God meet the leader in the situation, but He does so with a solution that is tailor-made for the leader. The overall effect is a more confident leader.” God-orchestrated tests in leaders’ lives usually produce one of two results: drawing them closer to God, or pushing them further from God. Identifying the nature and purpose of the tests can help us move toward God, instead of away from Him. But that is a choice we must make for ourselves - God will not force us to trust Him.

One way to view the Bible is as a collection of leadership biographies that narrate the various kinds of tests God takes leaders through. By identifying and naming the tests we go through, we recognize that we are not alone in our experience and that God has good reasons for allowing us to go through tests. Most importantly, it gives us perspective. In 2 Corinthians 1:8-10, Paul describes the lessons he learned from the difficult tests he passed through: “We don’t want you in the dark, friends, about how hard it was when all this came down on us in Asia province. It was so bad we didn’t think we were going to make it. We felt like we’d been sent to death row, that it was all over for us. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally - not a bad idea since He’s the God who raises the dead!” (The Message)

Below are the components of unique tests we go through as individuals and the common tests most leaders go through at some point.

Components Of God-Appointed Tests: • Difficult Circumstances (A Crisis) – If it wasn’t difficult, it wouldn’t be a test. • Desired Response – God wants us to seek Him. • Delight – God delights in our growth as we develop deeper dependence on Him. This is the reward He gives us for passing the test.

Common Test For Leaders: • Rejection – Dismissal by friends, family, or trusted co-workers • Isolation – A wilderness time of loneliness or confusion • God’s Silence – When God does not speak • Integrity – To be true to our convictions no matter how hard • Hearing God’s Voice – Knowing it is God speaking • Obedience – Doing what God says, no matter the cost • Laying Down Our Rights – Not insisting on having our way • Word Test – Obeying God’s direction to us • Faith Test – Believing God in spite of overwhelming odds

All leaders are tested, but not all recognize the test and its importance for their development as wise and faithful leaders. It is hard enough to go through the test, but even more difficult to go through it and not have an understanding of what the test is.

At one point in my life, I went through an isolation test. I lived in a beautiful part of the United States, the Rocky Mountains, and was surrounded by close friends, yet it was a test of isolation nonetheless. I didn’t know what the test was at the time, but I sensed God was up to something. I often cried out to Him for understanding about the nature of my test. I knew about leadership testing, I understood God’s ways, but I lacked a personal, Holy Spirit revelation about the nature of my test. Many times I prayed: “Please Lord, just show me what the test is, Lord, and with your help, I will pass it.” Th
en one day a friend visited my wife and me. “I wondered what’s happening in your life, why you are stuck out here in the mountains, and now I know,” he stated emphatically. “You are isolated. God has isolated you!” In that moment it was like a light was turned on in my soul. I was going through an isolation test. I loved living in the mountains, but it was still a “wilderness” for me spiritually. I began to study the people in the Bible who experienced significant periods of isolation. I got perspective from the Bible as to why God tested leaders with the isolation test.

An isolation test occurs when a leader is separated from normal involvement with people, work, or ministry - often for extended periods of time - but life carries on. On a physical level, isolation can result from sickness, conflict with others, depression, or ministry or moral failure. Isolation can be a way of God cutting a person off from normal outlets of activity to put pressure on their soul. God uses periods of isolation to create new levels of dependency on Him. For some of us, we can continue in our normal place of service, but still experience a profound sense of isolation. Some periods of isolation are a result of God withdrawing His grace, and as a result, deep levels of frustration are experienced. God uses the “holy frustration” caused by isolation to draw us to Him. At times, He uses the frustration to prepare us for changes He wants to bring about in our lives. Some of those changes are internal in our character or identity, and in some instances, the change can be a career or geographical move.

We learn an imperative lesson from Jesus about passing our tests. No one has ever been tested to the degree Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane. He is our supreme example of passing tests by being in total dependence on the Father. He prayed in the garden, “Father, let this cup pass from me, but nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.” Are you prepared to pray this same prayer of surrender that Jesus prayed in the garden?

What major tests has God taken you through in your life? Take time to make a list of those tests. Put names on them, such as “isolation” test, or “rejection” test, “forgiveness” test, etc., and then write the significant life lessons you learned (or did not learn) as a result of the tests. 
I suggest you read the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis as another example of a leader who was tested and what God accomplished in his life as a result."

To read the other 39 Chapters of my book, Leading Like Jesus, please click here to find it on Amazon Kindle or, to get a paperback copy from YWAM Publishing, click here

Imperative People

"Another way to describe the religious leaders of Jesus’ day would be “imperative.” Imperative people must be in control. The Pharisees who confronted the lame man who Jesus healed on the Sabbath are a prime example. Imperative people:

• Are uncomfortable with people whose ideas are different from their own

• Have an inborn craving for control

• Are driven by duty

• Hate to admit they are wrong

• Get irritated when people make “mistakes”

• Do important jobs themselves because someone else might not do them right

• Create dependency on themselves

• Act superior but feel inferior

The Jewish leaders who opposed the paralytic that Jesus healed were concerned with only two things: conformity and control. It didn’t matter to them that a lame man was healed. Their petty concern was that he was carrying his bed on the Sabbath.

It’s as if they were saying, “Shame on you, healed man. Wait until tomorrow to be excited. Don’t carry your bed now that you can walk...just lay there and be calm!”

Obviously, these imperative people were not focused on the right thing. They were more concerned with their petty religious traditions than the joy of a man whose lame legs were made whole. 
They followed the “letter of the law,” but disregarded the Spirit of Truth. They read God’s Word but had no understanding of its true meaning. The Scriptures were a pretext for them to control and manipulate others.

One of the greatest challenges you will face as a leader is imperative people who don’t want to yield their supremacy over a church, school, classroom, or work department. Imperative people feel strongly obligated to direct the behavior of other people - beyond their mandate. They have an inner need to command, to exhort, or direct the lives of others. Imperative people are a bane to leaders who want to get things done for God.

When Jesus healed the lame man, He modeled acting according to the motive behind all biblical truth - God’s love for us. 
The Pharisees, and many Evangelical Christians still today, fall 
into the trap of trying to follow the letter of truth; they try to obey the Bible without fathoming the love of the One who gave us the Bible. Perhaps worse yet, they issue judgment when others do not act in accordance with their personal interpretation of biblical truths.

When more weight is given to literal interpretation of the words written to convey biblical truth than the intent of the One who gave us that truth, it ends up being more man-centered than God-centered. Obeying the letter of the law is a matter of physical action, but obeying the Spirit of Truth requires more than just outward action - it involves a loving attitude of the heart and mind.

To refrain from adultery is obedience to the letter of the law, but to exercise restraint in one’s thought life is obedience to the Spirit of Truth (e.g., not lusting in one’s heart for another man’s wife, or any woman or man for that matter).

Great leaders don’t try to monitor or control the behavior of their followers according to the letter of the law. Instead, they seek to motivate obedience from the heart by equipping people to act as independent adults, not dependent children. Healthy, independent adults can think for themselves; children need their parents to think for them.

The teachings of Jesus are revolutionary because He taught obedience to the Spirit of Truth. He didn’t annul the Ten Commandments, He expanded them, revealing their spiritual intent. He didn’t annul the law against murder, but taught us not to hate or judge others from the heart.

In the same Spirit as Jesus, mature spiritual leaders empower their people to look at problems from a biblical perspective, then spiritually discern the intended application of biblical truth for those specific circumstances. The best teacher in town is not a human being, but the Holy Spirit. As leaders, our followers have the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit within them, the Spirit of Truth, to teach and guide them as they apply biblical truths to their lives.

My father used to say to me, “Son, if you are going to get on your knees to pray through your conviction about something, stay there long enough to get that conviction for yourself and not everyone else!”

Though I grew up surrounded by imperative people in our conservative Evangelical church, I am so thankful my dad was mature enough to see through the superficial religious veneer of many of his peers.

Dad fought his way through the rubbish of imperative religion to find a deeply felt, but lovingly held, set of convictions. He was beloved as a pastor because he was not judgmental when parishioners came to him about an alcohol problem or confessed that their daughter was on drugs. Dad was deeply compassionate when a single mother was overwhelmed and depressed by the burdens of caring for two or three children alone. Dad had convictions, deeply held biblical convictions, but he held them with love. He gave others space to come to their own beliefs.

To apply these truths to my own life, I had to learn the difference between following the letter of the law versus the Spirit of Truth. It means being flexible rather than rigid; being a person of conviction, but not imposing your convictions on others. It means giving others freedom to apply biblical truth for themselves - with loving accountability.

Most of us have some imperative characteristics. It becomes a weakness when we allow them to disrupt our relationships with family, business associates, and friends. When that happens, we need to back off and learn how to keep a potential strength - leading with conviction - from becoming a damaging weakness.

To live in freedom, imperative people must yield to these truths:

• God is absolute, we are not. Give others space to come to their own convictions.

• We are not responsible for people, God is. Trust the Holy Spirit to correct, convict, and guide others.

• Cultivating relationships is more important than being right. Live from the inside out, not the outside in (i.e., from the heart, not the head).

Freedom is the key word here. Imperative people have to learn to allow others to be themselves, and - this is sometimes even more difficult - to allow themselves to relax and simply be themselves. 
Freedom from being an imperative leader means influencing others without controlling them. There is a time and place to clarify expectations and commitments, but there is a line between doing that and becoming the religious police. It means cultivating contentment in your heart about your convictions and allowing others the same freedom.

If you recognize imperative tendencies in yourself, here are some steps you can take toward freedom:

• Identify any controlling or judgmental inclinations you might harbor and humbly acknowledge them to others.

• Understand how the drive to control others has worked in your life to the detriment of others.

• Yield to God’s change in your life through repentance, confession, and forgiveness.

If you would like to read the other 39 Chapters of my new book, Leading Like Jesus, you can find it on Amazon here.  Or you can buy a paperback copy form YWAM Publishing here.

Leading Unlikelies

"Jesus loves terrorists. He loves Muslims. He loves rebels, critics, Democrats, liberals, gays, socialists, Communist comrades, Republicans, sassy teenagers, Goths, pot smokers, and ex-cons. Even worse, He wants them in His church. He even wants them on the front row of your church. In John 4, Jesus reached out to a crass, sleeping-around woman, and then went with her to the village to reach her friends as well. Jesus led a lot of “unlikelies.”

Jesus’ Lot of Unlikelies: • Zacchaeus – Jesus invited Himself to the home of a treacherous 
tax collector, not worrying about public opinion. • Woman Caught in Adultery – Jesus forgave an adulteress without first insisting that she confess her sins and make things right. • Peter, James and John – Jesus hung out with rough fishermen, synagogue rejects, violent terrorists, and soldiers of the occupational forces. • Simon the Zealot – Jesus called an urban terrorist to be on His team. The Zealots were an illegal political faction, committed to the violent overthrow of the Romans.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem but raised in Nazareth, a Galilean fishing village. He recruited a crew of fishermen - unlikely leaders among the young men of Galilee - as His first disciples, the future leaders of His movement. He didn’t start with graduates of the best Torah schools or followers of the most respected rabbis as His first disciples. He modeled the principle that it is better to raise up insiders than to import outsiders.

A pastor friend recently told me a story of welcoming a known prostitute to his church congregation. At a church function for young people, she stripped down to a bikini and jumped in the swimming pool with the rest of the youth swimming at the party. Watching some older parishioners in his church looking at her with wide eyes and hard stares, he decided to prevent the certain judgment they were going to visit on the woman. He took off his shoes and jumped in the pool with her...clothes and all!

There are unlikelies all around us who have dismissed the church but are fascinated with Jesus. The most secure and courageous leaders are willing to risk rejection from the religious to reach the unlikelies.

Consider your circle of relationships. Is there anyone you might have overlooked for leadership training and development? Make a list of the least-likely candidates for leadership mentoring. Ask the Lord if you have overlooked anyone on that list.

If you would like to read the other 39 Chapters in my new book 'Leading Like Jesus' please click here to find it on Amazon Kindle. Or you can order a paperback copy at YWAM Publishing here.