Nuggets #6

Continueing on with the book An Unstoppable Force by Erwin McManus
Intelligent Speed
Obedience is the spiritual equivalent of speed. Light speed is immediate obedience to the voice of God. When you bring together the willingness to obey and the wisdom to know what God is saying, velocity emerges. It is a synergy between direction and decision. As God brings light into your life through his Word, you accelerate.

Gaining the Lead
The leader must have a clear direction and must move with intentionality in that direction. I know that it's been said many times before, but the leader actually does need to be in front.

Blinding Speed
When you move with spiritual velocity, with a clear sense of God's calling, with clarity of vision, and with a heart that moves with immediate obedience to the Spirit, the environment that once overwhelmed you with its rate of speed can now be experienced in slow motion. The way not to be overwhelmed by the radical changes and speed in our world is to know where you're going to know why you're going there, and to do it with urgency.

(Now this is really good)
Speed is an important leadership dynamic because it helps the leader identify emerging leaders, as well as helping others identify him or her as a leader. When the pace of the church is unusually slow, those individuals who desire to get somewhere quickly will be naturally filtered out. If the person who stand in the role of leadership or in the position of leadership moves slowly, or even cautiously, he will not only be seen by those who appreciate that pace. At the same time, the leader who values a slow rate of change often perceives those who try to move faster as rebellious, insubordinate, undisciplined, and adversarial.

The tragedy is that many who are perhaps crafted by God to become apostolic leaders become invisible to those who see velocity as the enemy of the church. By the same token, the leader who moves at an accelerated speed with intention and a God-given direction can more effectively identify those who have apostolic gifts. Such a leader literally begins to see certain people more clearly. It is almost as if we lie in a different space-time continuum.

For those who choose to move slowly, those who move too fast are a blur. And for those who move rapidly, those who move slowly can be virtually invisible. It is as if we're moving at a blinding speed. The rate at which you lead determines who remains in your field of vision. The practical result of this is that, many times, revolutionary leaders are seen as indifferent and perhaps uncaring. They don't stop long enough to check the wounded.

Apostolic leaders understand that what God is creating is a community with a cause. Both the needs of the community and the sacrifice necessary to accomplish the cause are clearly before them. It is through such leadership that movement is initiated. Fueled by faith, these leaders move forward to accomplish the purpose of God. They personify velocity: speed with a purpose.

These four paragraphs are so true. I've seen it played out with many people I know, including me. So, are you fast, purposeful, fueled, decisive and leading? Are you slow, not knowing where you're going, not hearing from God, flailing about in the abyss of your Christian faith? If so, it's time to pray! Pray for direction, purpose, passion, clarity and light. God will answer. Again, it comes down to a willing heart. Are you surrendered?

I met with a vendor yesterday. He's a very open person for a salesman. He says things he probably shouldn't, but fortunately, I'm not one to take advantage of his transparency. We have been working out the details of switching copiers. He had called me a few times to see if I was ready to sign. I didn't sense it at the time, but he told me yesterday it had been a slow month, and with Christmas, he was really happy I decided to sign yesterday. He said Monday he had resigned himself that this deal would happen in January. I could see a teaching moment. I said, "See, once you let go of the situation . . ." I could see the light go off in his head. He stopped, wagged his finger at me as if to say, "Yeah, you've got something there, you're right." Are you letting go of whatever situation is keeping your from following God with everything you have? It's when we open those tightly closed fists that God is able to pour something better into them.