October 9, 2013
(Download this FOM Communique as a PDF)
We are leaders! We are not man-made – we are God-made! Oh, we may have been born with some natural leadership abilities, but we are what we are by the grace of God, and thus we should lead, not like leaders of the world lead, but lead as we are led by the Spirit of God. God’s leaders are not haughty; they do not use “flattering” words; they do not run greedily after great gain; their ambitions are God’s ambitions. Following is a brief article taken from the book, Tozer on Leadership, a worthwhile read. I presently have it as an app on my iPhone through Bible Gateway and receive his daily thoughts on leadership.
Blessings on you as you lead today, Maynard
The Passion Failure and Success: for Publicity
For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness-God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ.—1 Thessalonians 2:5-6
If this is a fairly accurate view of things, what can we say then when Christian men vie with one another for place and position? What can we answer when we see them hungrily seeking for praise and honor? How can we excuse that passion for publicity which is so glaringly evident among Christian leaders? What about political ambition in Church circles? What about the fevered palm that is stretched out for more and bigger “love offerings”? What about the shameless egotism among Christians? How can we explain the gross man-worship that habitually blows up one and another popular leader to the size of a colossus? What about the obsequious hand kissing of moneyed men by those purporting to be sound preachers of the gospel?
There is only one answer to these questions; it is simply that in these manifestations we see the world and nothing but the world. No passionate profession of love for ‘souls’ can change evil into good. These are the very sins that crucified Jesus. The Pursuit of Man, 126.
“Deliver me, O God, from this insidious trap. Give me a humble spirit; willing to serve You faithfully, however obscure might be my service. Amen.”