Spent some time this weekend learning what it means to be a leader. I took some very good things away from the leadership conference we attended and participated in the last two days. Pastor Rick Cortijo, Pastor Israel Flores, Pastor Rudy Luna, Evangelist Bernie Guebara, and my Pastor Jehu Hernandez brought some excellent lessons about leadership and to sum up everything I gleaned from these meetings in 3 words: A leader leads. Sounds very simplistic doesn't it? It isn't profound or difficult. It is a straightforward approach and one that I believe has become over complicated in our world today. It may be bare bones but it is structural and foundational. It holds everything else up in other words and the way I see it, it is incredibly pertinent to our world today. In the Church a leader leads in ways that are tangible whether they are seen or unseen. Whether what they do is acknowledged or unknown.
There are leaders who lead in prayer and the one person that always comes to mind when I think about prayer and leadership is my Pastor's mom, Maria Hernandez. A diminutive lady but a warrior equipped with the full armor of God, she is one of the strongest leaders in the Church and an inspiration for us all. They don't make 'em like her anymore do they? A leader leads in other ways too. Today, I watched as my pastor led in excellence. I had to text my pastor's daughter during the time he was teaching (yes, I took all my notes.) My text said: "Your dad is awesome." My pastor led in excellence today, through his words. As he dissected his material I listened intently and I learned that my pastor exudes excellence. In the way he speaks to others, in the way he approaches his subject matter, in the way he practices, in the way he plays music, in his every day speech, in the way he loves us, in the way that he takes care of his family, in the way that he prays, in the way that he studies, in the way that he challenges us, in his humility, he practices and exhibits excellence. God's favor is on him and it is evident. Not that I'm not glad all the time that he's my pastor but today I was especially proud. He represents Solid Rock Church very well. It is no wonder that the two people I mentioned here today are related. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Thank God for my pastor and his family.
Some other things that I heard today that I may have heard before but was glad they mentioned were:
1) Leaders are on time (Double AMEN to that! Heard a comedian tell people of his own race one time: "Be on time for something other than a free meal sometime!")
2) Leaders are servants (you must be willing to serve others if you want to be a leader) Serving with a towel around your waist: WOW that was a powerful teaching. Thanks Pastor Cortijo.
3) Leaders are disciplined (they learn to be regimented in certain areas of their lives)
4) Leaders are goal makers (they make goals and they work on meeting them)
5) Leaders are submitted (leaders submit to authority)
6) Leaders lead no matter where they are put (in public or private, leaders lead)
7) Leaders are lifetime learners (they are always looking for ways to improve and grow)
8) Leaders are faithful (leaders that can be trusted with little will be trusted with much)
9) Leaders are thick skinned, but soft-hearted (criticism will come, you have to be able to take it, but also continue to love those who dish it out.) Thanks, Pastor Flores for this one.
10) Leaders are worshippers (leaders have a worshipful relationship with God)
11) Leaders are focused (leaders focus on what is important, and they drop the stuff that keeps them from moving forward)
Thanks God for the opportunity to learn and fellowship with some great people. Thanks to those people who were willing to step out in faith and take a stranger (me) by the hand and pray.
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