The Marks of Great Leaders

Bishop Aludus Todman

• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781098007409
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Biographies d'artistes

The Marks of Great Leaders was born out of the undisputed, undeniable, shortage of leadership: in the homes, the church, and in the wider society. The constant falling away of leaders is appalling and troubling. The void that exists as a result of it remains unfilled. The Marks of Great Leaders wishes to address key components that are relevant to leadership sustainability. 1. The first aspect of leadership is to follow the leader that's leading you. Good and faithful followers certainly produce good leaders, and good leaders can become great leaders. 2. A leader is a servant, not self-serving. One whose interest is consume in the interest of others. 3. A leader must be trustworthy, uncompromising, insightful, and humble and must possess dignity and integrity. Moreover, it is paramount that integrity must be guarded and preserved. More importantly, a leader must be God-fearing.4. When great leaders fall, the fall is great. Failing is inevitable, but total failure can be avoided.

8

The Erosion of Confidence in Leadership

Confidence in leadership in the twenty-first century is at an all-time low.

This tough reality is visible in every facet of human operation. The cry is being heard in marriages, churches, businesses, and nations. This is a sad and painful report, indeed, but how painful? Here is the answer: “Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint” (Prov. 25:19). The excruciating pain derived from a broken tooth is an experience that is totally unbearable and puts one in anguish and misery. Equally so is the pain of a foot out of joint. A lack of confidence is a very serious issue in any sphere of leadership. It sometimes demands impeachment; other times, it demands a brutal overthrow of government.

In such a case, the church may request a voluntary resignation. Many leaders chose to hijack and split the church instead. They do this in the spirit of hostility and rebellion. A lack of confidence, for whatever reason, should not be included in the marks or legacy of one’s leadership. Confidence can be restored. First, humbly admit your wrongdoing or failure. Second, make the necessary restitution, and third, want reconciliation, as David did in Psalm 51:10–12. “Create in me a clean heart, O, God, and renew a right spirit within me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” Nevertheless, the consequences that follow behavioral patterns and decision-making have no boundaries.

The laws and principles of cause and effect grant no one exemption. One of the major laws of creation is this: Everything brings forth after its kind. Whatever we are, that is what we bring forth. Moreover, as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. No wonder the writer of this book is called wise. If there was a better description for leaders in whom there is no confidence, Solomon would have known it and used it. A broken tooth and a foot out of joint are awful descriptions for a leader. There is a solution to this global erosion of confidence in leadership that is plaguing the smooth operation of every entity.

We trust people in whom we have confidence; and we place confidence in people whom we trust. In the pastoral ministry, confidentiality is critical to the ongoing upbuilding of the church. It is my belief that confidence is a stepping-stone to trust. Again, no one would trust someone in whom they have no confidence.

Hence, I strongly suggest the establishment of a leadership image bank that will describe prospective leaders as follows: cautious, confidential, trustworthy, respectful, honest, reachable, understanding, uncompromising, truthful, patient, loving, humble, fair, tough, and tender.

In Leadership, Trust Is a Must

Trust cannot be enforced or demanded; it can only be earned through the daily demonstration of the lifestyle qualities mentioned in the above image bank.

In this age of deception, people are not taken at face value. Those who are being trusted today were tested yesterday. In Matthew 24, when the disciples questioned Jesus about the signs of the last days, a portion of his answer was a warning: “Take heed that no man deceive you.”

When you possess the qualities mentioned in the image bank, like a tree, you will be known by the fruits you bear. No one will question who you are. The world is saturated with false prophets, and the gullible are being taken advantage of. Without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, deception will flourish endlessly. There is a global demonic movement whose atrocities are causing great fear among the nations. Yet hundreds and thousands of men and women have placed their trust and confidence in this wicked movement. They become volunteers in the fight against Christianity and their own countries.

The bloodthirsty ambition of this vicious, ruthless, and heartless organization has no limit. The devotion to their cause has permeated to the extent that they are destroying themselves. This relentless operation of delusion has taken Satan’s program to the next level; men are committing murder and calling it justice and committing suicide and calling it martyrdom. The church is not exempted from the attacks of the enemy, but this one thing is sure: The forces of hell shall not prevail against the church. This is a good time to praise God and say “Hallelujah”!

Respect Shown, Respect Owned

Respect will follow confidence and trust. Those who are owed respect must have demonstrated in real life that they are who they say they are wherever they are. They must have the discipline to walk away from the opportunities that only come from darkness. When one embraces the light, such action conveys confidence, trust, and respect. Such an action conveys confidence, trust, and respect. Even in the absence of the Holy Spirit, self-respect and respect for others can shield against the crushing heartaches and shameful experiences that many families, churches, and nations are presently enduring.

Respect for authority is a command from God, and it is the responsibility of every parent to instill such a value in their children at the earliest possible age. When respect is lived out in the home, the evidence will be demonstrated in society. Hence, the law-enforcement officers will have little or no clashes, the courts will have fewer cases, less fines will be levied on persons, fewer will be imprisoned, and society will become safer.

The tough reality is that there are far too many dysfunctional homes—some of which never experience a father figure. On the other hand, many homes that have a male presence still suffer from a lack of fathering.

It is safe to say that males who were not fathered by a real father cannot father a child. In many instances, teachers are forced to administer a form of training in the classroom that should have been done by the parents at a child’s home.

It is heartrending to behold the high number of children who must fend for themselves after school and on the weekends until their single mothers come home. The lack of supervision during those lonely hours and days contribute significantly to and provide the opportunity for: early child molestation, abuse, undisciplined behavior, and disrespect.

On the national scene, it has been discovered that certain high-profile and highly funded organizations are behind this hideous crime against innocent children.

In the opening statement of chapter 8, it is mentioned that there is “a man in every child” and “a child in every man.” We must strike a balance between childlikeness and childishness and manliness and mannishness. Each child is born with the potential of manhood or womanhood. A male child must be taught how to be a man by his father, but he will act childishly while he goes through the process of childhood. Therefore, a child cannot behave as a man does. On the other hand, a fully grown, mature man does possess some elements of childlikeness. However, never should a man be found with childish behavior. Unfortunately, such is the case with too many men in our society today.

The Bible is the answer to the past, present, and future. Hence, we should look to God’s Word to find the balance between “the man in the child” and “the child in the man.” Paul, in his writing to the Corinthians, says this: “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11). The journey from childhood to adulthood calls for consistent gradual changes that will eventually lead to full maturity. However, even in adulthood, there is an element of childlikeness that the Word of God supports. For example, in 1 Corinthians 14:20, the Word says, “Adults must not behave the way children do when the need for understanding must be applied.”

In malice, be children, but in understanding, be men. When children do get angry with each other and fight a little, they very quickly get over it and are back to their friendly frame of mind—as if nothing went wrong. Such is generally not the case with adults. “In malice be children, but in understanding be men” is a demonstration of humility. Many adults have huge problems—some dive deep to bring up the past, which is sad.

The Christlike Spirit in the Childlike Heart Attracts Jesus’s Attention

It could be that the Christlike spirit in children is what attracts Jesus to them. When the disciples rebuked the parents for taking their children to Jesus, he said unto them, “Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein” (Luke 18:16–17). Sometimes Jesus referred to Christians as little children. Within the context of the texts before us, we are dealing with physical children. For example, Matthew 18 opened with the disciples expressing a concern to Jesus: They wanted to know about the statuses and ranks in the kingdom. Jesus is amazing. Jesus called a little child unto him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.” The word child is mentioned 181 times in the Bible. Children is mentioned 1,516 times. This speaks volumes of how God feels about children.

A Child in Every Man

“A child in every man” does not refer to the childishness of a child, for a child must behave as a child while he or she is a child. However, when one reaches adulthood, childishness should be replaced through the ongoing process of maturity. The child in the man is critical as it relates to responding to the gospel of Jesus Christ. A fully grown, mature man bowing in humility before God and crying out to him is not an ordinary thing. However, a mature man does possess some element of childlike trust; a child is easily led by its parents without reservation.

If a child is placed on a platform and its parent, with outstretched arms, tells that child to jump, trust will lead that child to leap from that stage into its parent’s arms. The child is unable to truly assess danger and does not fully comprehend the science of fear. They are totally dependent, innocent, and vulnerable. While the child is in the man, the man remains mannerly and manly.

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Table of contents

• The Essence of Leadership
• Leaders Are Dreamers
• God May Not Always Save His People from Trouble, but He Will Always Be with His People in Their Trouble
• The Struggle for Religious Freedom
• You Are Not Too Late until You Are “The Late”
• Rejection
• Leaders Must Be Tough and Tender
• The Erosion of Confidence in Leadership
• When Great Leaders Fall, the Fall Is Great
• Intentional Impartation—the Leader’s Expectation
• Great Leaders Possess Great Insight
• Seasonal Transition in Leadership