How are leaders developed? Some argue that leaders are born while others assert that leaders are made. In my view, leaders are both born and made. Study a few kids in the playground and you will see that in-built in some of them are qualities of leadership. They just lead and others follow. This may be proof that leaders are born that way…. however this is not a doctrine. It is just a truth. And the Church today has the challenge of ensuring that we do not relegate our young children to the backstage but help them develop leadership skills.
In the same way, several people develop leadership qualities as a result of experiences of failures, war, other challenges and childhood events. However, the key to leadership development lies not in these experiences whether good or bad but in people’s responses to those experiences.
Today, it will be rewarding to study how God develops leadership qualities in His people. A Fuller Seminary Professor, Robert Clinton in “The Making of a Leader” enumerated six stages of leadership development from God’s methodology as revealed in scriptures. I kind of agree with his theory. In this study we will look at his theory and my personal meditations on leadership development.
The six foundations include: 1) Sovereign Foundations, 2) Inner Life Growth, 3) Ministry Maturing, 4) Life Maturing 5) Convergence and 6) Celebration or Afterglow.
The first phase of leadership development recognizes the sovereignty of God in our affairs. There is really not much any of us can do about where we were born, our nationality and the financial status of our parents. God in His awesome way sorts all these out Himself. This is very influential on the way we perceive and manifest leadership skills. Like the Psalmist said, “Yet You are He Who took me out of the womb; You made me hope {and} trust when I was on my mother’s breasts” Ps 22:9 Amp.
This is a stage we can do nothing about. But it is great to know that the Lord has plans for us to do us good. His thoughts are always of good and not evil to give us a hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11.
Keep trust in Him. He will make you the leader worth emulating.
– david sanda
http://www.davidsanda.org/cyberword/
