Contagious Leadership Workbook

John C. Maxwell

• Publisher: HarperChristian Resources
• Year: 2007
• ISBN:
  9781418579241
• Topic: Negocios y empresa
• Subtopic: Liderazgo

What does it mean to be a good leader? Do you believe that leadership is a biblical idea?

Founded by John C. Maxwell in 1996, EQUIP™ is dedicated to equipping Christians with the leadership skills needed for advancing the Great Commission in their communities, workplaces, and churches. This curriculum, featuring Maxwell's core leadership teachings, has been translated into 35 languages and taught in over 100 countries, and has already effectively trained over one million leaders worldwide!

According to Genesis 1: 26, God made us to lead. Join leadership expert John C. Maxwell and EQUIP™ in an exploration of biblical leadership. In Contagious Leadership Workbook, you will learn how to grow as a leader-cultivate your people skills and deepen your relationships, learn to develop and communicate vision and purpose, discover how to set priorities and strengthen your time management skills, and how to become a good mentor.

This material is perfect for you if:

• You want to develop your people by investing in them personally
• You want to grow your church
• You are busy and have little time to write your own leadership training curriculum
• You want high-quality, proven, field-tested material developed by veteran leaders
• You want to equip your leaders to excel in their ministries

Designed for personal or group study, this workbook contains everything you need to train your leadership team and the entire church body or organization to be effective, biblical leaders.

Learn the life-changing leadership principles that hundreds of thousands of people around the world have discovered. It has worked for them-it can work for you!

God’s Call for Us to Lead

Lesson 1

Why and How God Calls Us to Lead

Let us make man in our image...
and let him rule. (Gen. 1:26 NIV)

BIBLICAL BASIS

Christians have debated the subject of leadership for centuries. Is it biblical to lead? Are we not called to be followers instead of leaders? Are we not called to be servants instead of rulers? Can we honestly believe that leadership is a biblical idea?

When we study the Bible closely, we see that leadership is, indeed, God’s idea. God is not only the Ultimate Leader, but He has called us to lead as well.

Born to Lead

Consider this. The first description of mankind in the Bible involves leadership. God designed us to lead, to have authority and take dominion. According to Genesis 1:26–31, you and I were born to lead. Study this Scripture . . .

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” (Gen. 1:26 NIV)

1. Being made in God’s image means we were created to LEAD.

According to verse 26, we are made in God’s image. What does this mean? One clue is found in the next phrase: “and let them rule.” Knowing we were fashioned to lead and rule is part of what it means to be like God.

2. God gave humans AUTHORITY over the whole earth.

We should be comfortable with two positions. The first position is being under God’s authority. The second position is being in authority over the world. God has given us this calling. We must discover what it means to lead like God does.

3. If God told us to rule, we must have the ABILITY to do it.

God never commands us to do anything without enabling us to do it. You and I have the ability to lead because God created us and commanded us to do so. Based on your gifts and personality, you have the ability to lead in some area.

EXAMINE THE WORD

Being Salt and Light

In the New Testament, God confirms this calling to influence others. Look at Matthew 5:13–16 NASB:

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? . . . You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Salt influences the food we eat. Light influences the homes in which we live. Jesus is calling us to embrace our calling to influence and to shine wherever we go. The Apostle Paul took this calling seriously when he said:

Therefore knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men . . . (2 Cor. 5:11 NASB)

Divine Permission to Lead

Many of us feel like Moses did when he faced God at the burning bush, in Exodus 3–4. He felt inadequate and unprepared to lead. But that’s what God called him to do. Many potential leaders in the Bible were afraid and ran from their call. God had to give them permission to lead.

Most of us can list why we don’t lead effectively, just as Moses did. When God called him, he instantly had five excuses why he couldn’t lead. Notice how God responds to them.

Excuse One: Who am I? (Exod. 3:11)

Moses struggled with his identity. He just didn’t feel qualified. He thought God picked the wrong leader. God’s response: It doesn’t matter who you are. I’ve called you. I am with you.

Excuse Two: Who are you? (Exod. 3:13)

Moses struggled with intimacy. He didn’t know God well enough to describe Him to the people. His relationship with God was weak. God’s response: I AM WHO I AM. I’m everything you need.

Excuse Three: What if they don’t listen? (Exod. 4:1)

Moses struggled with intimidation. He worried about people’s reaction to him. God’s response: When I am finished, they’ll listen. Trust me.

Excuse Four: I’ve never been a good speaker. (Exod. 4:10)

Moses struggled with inadequacy. Who would follow him if he couldn’t speak well? God’s response: Guess who made your mouth? I’m the source of your gifts.

Excuse Five: I know you can find someone else. (Exod. 4:13)

Moses struggled with inferiority. He compared himself with other more competent people, and he felt weak. God’s response: Okay, I will let Aaron go with you . . . but I’m still calling you.

Question: What excuses do you have for not leading well? What do you believe God’s response might be?

[Your Response Here]

Leadership Is Influence

J. Oswald Sanders said it first: Leadership is influence. Nothing more. Nothing less. It is about influencing others in a worthwhile cause. It is not dependent on titles or positions. It is dependent on someone catching a vision from God and mobilizing others to join them in its fulfillment. When this happens, leadership arises in its purest form. It happens to every organization at one point or another, especially when there’s no system or plan. In those times, there is no expectation of progress. Today, many regions of the world are crying for godly, effective leaders. The leader must earn the right to lead and others choose to follow.

The Period of the Judges

Before Israel adopted a monarchy and Saul was appointed to be their king, they experienced an era of time called the period of the judges. It was a season when pure leadership was required. Every judge who led was a pioneer. The following verse appears more than once in the book of Judges:

In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit. (Judges 21:25 NIV)

Here are six reasons why this period was a leadership-intensive season:

1. Chaos reigned because there was no precedent for authority or accountability.

2. Since the Jews first occupied Canaan, aggressive enemies surrounded them.

3. There were no government funds for national defense or safety.

4. Other nations influenced Israel with their idols and superstitions.

5. Heroes like Moses and Joshua were dead and there was no expectation of order.

6. Momentum and morale were low, so growth was hard not easy.

Fourteen judges led Israel during this period. Each leader started his/her leadership role from scratch. These are the ones we know about: Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Gideon, Abimelech, Tola, Jair, Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, Samson, and Samuel.

Certainly, we know more about some of these judges than others. However, from the text we can summarize how effective leaders led during Israel’s most difficult season. During these times, leaders must go back to the basics. The basics are clear during this period in Israel’s history. The judges had the following characteristics in common.

The Basics of Effective Leaders:

KEY POINTS

1. THEY PERCEIVE A NEED

Contrary to what many think about leadership today, during this time leadership always began with a need. In Judges, it didn’t start when someone wanted to fill an empty position. There were no positions to fill. There was no protocol or structure at all. There was no vote for deacons or Sunday school teachers. If you led it was because you saw a need and got others to help you meet it. The judges all got their start when they saw a specific problem they could address.

• Othniel: Found Israel surrounded by Mesopotamia. He stepped forward to recruit and lead an army of Hebrews against the king. He prevailed. This led to forty years of peace.

• Ehud: Observed the Moabites dominating his people, and decided he’d had enough. He led Israel to...