Jul 30, 2019
Why is it important for you as a leader to know what you believe and why you believe it? What are some of the reasons that you need to have a solid faith foundation as a leader? Do you have answers when the questions come about your faith?
Holly and I are kicking off a new series on faith foundations and how this impacts our leadership. Today, we’re diving into why it’s important for us as leaders to know what we believe and why we believe it.
It’s not enough to have great leadership skills and strong relationships skills and even good self-care. If you don’t have a solid faith foundation and the ability to share why you believe what you do, then you may have trouble when you lead others.
3 Reasons You Need a Solid Faith Foundation as a Leader:
1. Teaching and leading is a weighty responsibility.
As a leader, you teach with your actions and your words. Leaders carry the weight of responsibility.
The way you live your life sets an example for others whether you know it or not. So as a leader, you should be keenly aware of the way you live out your faith as well as what you teach others.
There is a humility that should come naturally when you recognize the weight of the leadership role. Leading others, and especially teaching them, requires a spirit of humility. Anytime a leader removes himself or herself from the authority of other believers, it’s a dangerous thing.
Being part of a local church is essential because this gives you a place to be under solid teaching and also to receive feedback and accountability when you need it.
Scriptures referenced:
James 3:1: “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”
1 Timothy 4:12-16: “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
2. You will be
persecuted as a Christian and even more so as a Christian
leader.
The Bible explicitly states that Christians will be persecuted and that the world hates us. So why do we expect people who are not Christians to like us and agree with us and our moral values? This isn’t going to happen because we have a different worldview than they do.
Scriptures referenced:
2 Timothy 3:12-17: “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
John 15:18-19: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
3. You should be
prepared to respond to questions.
You will be accused of things and will need to give a response. But there may also be times when you receive questions that are not antagonistic or accusatory. In both cases, you need to be prepared and have a solid faith foundation so that you can share with others why you have hope.
We know these truths from 1 Peter 3:13-17:
- There will be suffering.
- People should see that we have hope.
- We need to be able to defend the reason for our hope.
- We need to do so in a gentle and respectful way.
- Our behavior should be evidence of our faith.
Scriptures referenced:
1 Peter 3:13-17: “Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.”
1 Kings 10:1, 3: “Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions…. And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her.”
3 Principles to Keep in Mind Throughout the Faith Foundations Series
Over the coming few weeks, we will discuss having a solid faith foundation and understanding what you believe as a leader. Here are principles to keep in mind as you listen in:
- You don’t have to have all the answers about everything (you’re not Solomon after all), but you should seek to have a solid foundation on the essentials.
- Know why you believe what you believe. Don’t just take what you’ve learned for granted, but spend time digging into the reasons for your beliefs.
- Develop discernment so that you can navigate our culture and your leadership role effectively.
Scriptures referenced:
Conclusion:
Through the Faith Foundations Series, The Christian Woman Leadership Podcast dives into conversations about faith and leadership so you can be equipped to develop your solid faith foundation. We hope these episodes will both encourage and challenge you. And we look forward to having conversations inside our Facebook group about these topics.
You can read my own statement of faith here.
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This episode was originally published on estherlittlefield.com/episode58.