Relational Leadership

1) Leadership Definition—relationship between a leader and a follower, ideally, a

relationship of shared vision, relationship and leadership.

a) Who you are matters…character and relationship

b) If leaders we mean hold a position or authority—then everyone is not a leader

c) If it means a person who enters into a relationship to influence their behavior,

attitudes, etc then every Christian is a leader.

i) Christians should seek to influence others

ii) A relationship where one seeks to influence the thoughts, beliefs, values
of another person

iii) Relationship that raise the vision values and aspirations of both the leader
and the follower to new level of expectations.

d) Jude 13-14

i) “Thet are shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without
rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted-
twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame;
wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved
forever.”(Tom Peters—In Search of Excellence)

Centeredness—To Those who have been called who are

loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ
2) Three Questions that Are Foundational to Any form of Leadership anywhere

a) Who am I?Do I have worth? Dealing with Issue of Identity

b) Will I be here Tomorrow?—dealing with issue of survival

c) Why am I here? Dealing with issue of meaning

i) Peter Koestenbaum, secular philosopher of business, The Heart of

Business” examines effective leader—argues effective leaders centered in
their souls, they have to peace with those three questions…this makes
one listen to them, people want to trust their leader

ii) “Centeredness is what makes people seem powerful and its absence is
what makes people pereceive themselves and be perceived by others as
ineffective and even impotent Centeredness is-source of authentic faith,
belief and realistic self-confidence.”
3) Judah 1 deals with those three questions

i) Identity—we are loved by God…our value, individual personhood is

determined by the fact that God loves us that he has entered to a
relationship with us. He commits to our wellbeing , our growth and our
eternal existence…It is based on the knowledge that we are loved by God
—this is the KEY TO Leadership for Christians

ii) Survival—Jude says what matters we are kept by Christ…it does not
matter whether or not we are here tomorrow.

(1) The fears of today should be hand back to God…we are kept by Him,
our lives are shaped by our relationship with Him in Christ Jesus
Christian leadership is grounded in Him.

iii) Meaning…why we are here?...Jude says “We are called.”

(1) To be his people and servants, his child, for his glory and his honor

(2) We are not called to a role, specific ministry etc

(3) We are called to live the resurrected life of Christ in a way to point
people to God

(4) Leadership is about God not about us…

iv) Three temptations that can draw us away from God

(1) Relevance

(2) Popularity

(3) Power

(a) Only an intimate relationship with God anchors the leader in God’s
love

(b) Centre our soul in Christ

(c) I depend on God for studying

4) Five Areas we need to develop

a) Solitude:

i) Time to listen to God without distraction, from praying in our room to

walking in the mountain
 ii) Study—reflection in His word—reading Greek to reading psalm in the
seashore

iii) Worship—personal and corporate

iv) Community—share with people we care about, family friends and mentors

v) Ministry—time to experience and share the love of God to make a

contribution to exercise the gifts entrusted to me and make a difference

5) Hessed.—covenant kindness of God and the shalom, sense of total wellbeing

flow out of this covenant

a) Jude 1—focus on leader and relationship with God

b) Jude 2 –relationship with other people—leadership

i) Only when we are centred in Christ we begin to influence others in the

way they think, believe and act.

ii) Henri Nouwen called this Solitude of the heart—a process where we
attached ourselves with God before we attach with others.

iii) Listed three qualities—Mercies peace and love be yours in abundance

(1) Love—we are to be lovers of people

(2) Peace--In a world of conflict—leaders bring calm, brokenness-healing,

loneliness—relationship…looking for the well-being of the person

(3) Mercy—hessed means more than pity or compassion

(a) God’s covenant love and faithfulness—God commits to us even

when we fail him

(b) We are to give the person a change to fail, to change etc…

(c) Keepers of commitment

(4) Leadership is for lovers of people, peacemakers and keepers of

commitment

6) Principles of Servant Leadership

i) Leadership is about influence and service

ii)