The Necessity of Urban Christian Leadership
07-06-2015
By Student Gregg L. Greer
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”
Philippians 2:3-4
Most people understand that our desire for satisfaction always dictates the direction of our lives–whether it be the hunger of our stomachs, the desire for material wealth or prestige, or the longings of our spirits for God. But for Christian Communities around the world, the hunger for anything outside of the will and direction of God can be an enemy. While our hunger for God–and Him alone–is the only thing that will always bring life’s victory overall. If we are to understand the issue that affects our leadership, we must understand how to 1) first Recognize the core of the problem, and 2) secondly we need to understand why, the problem with leadership exist, one rational to consider is people’s “questionable,” Hunger for change. Recognize and Resolve the problem!
Recognize and Resolve the Problem
Let’s be very honest: In many churches around the world the pipeline for “Salvation,” within the church is not the same thing as a pipeline that breeds and multiplies leaders. These are two different things. In truth, you need both-Followers and Leaders! Currently, most churches have only one-thus our communities truly do not have a conduit for leadership. If we are to consider helping one another then we must make a commitment to live our lives in search of Justice, and Truth everyday. May I offer just to make one simple suggestion-Make a Resolution? Commit to change today!
Every year, As I have grown wiser in recognizing the will of God and I won’t partake in New Year’s resolutions anymore, if I can help it. For my direction, I now try to do that which God wills me to do everyday! – Ecclesiastes 5:18, which is to relax and enjoy the life He has given! Remembering this life is but a vapor and things staying cleaned are less than that.
The main question that we must answer is what sort of resolutions with God would you want to make? What would God endorse? To answer those questions quickly – any resolution that sees eye to eye with his (God) word (His will) is the type God wants you to make. In the rest of this I will answer those questions with some down to earth humor and of course Biblical insights.
Hunger for Change
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Matthew 5:6
If one is a true Christian leader he must seek vision from God within the community and then being given the holy power to execute that vision — I call this “Our biblical marching orders.” That’s the birthright of every Christian…to hear the calling of the “Heavenly,” Father. But, in the way we handle our leadership, suddenly it’s set up whereas only the select and the elite few in our church-who are given this privilege. And let’s be clear: Our ego has a lot to do with this.
Independence in the church and community must be taught, People must take a stand and commit change. understand God doesn’t mind at all if you want to –, walk 20 miles a day, go back to college, learn to play the banjo, read all of 3000 of the T.D Jakes book collection in one night, if you paint your house that pink color you have always loved, stand outside in your underwear while drinking sassafras tea in the rain (I hope not!) or, even dance the night away to the 50’s oldies and so on. In truth our independent thought helps us all in our effort to evangelize the world.
Yet, we must always be mindful that, physical things have worth but godliness or godly living has the only value needed to improve our present life circumstance as well as for our life in eternity. Hello! for some that would be awow principal concerning godly living! Here are a few items one must consider;
We do not seek a single virtue of justice or rectitude toward others. The essence of Godly Living, for us (Christians) is state of harmony within your mind heart and soul; that is the seed out of which all single righteous virtues may grow.
We should not merely a desire to be righteous-ignoring the world at large. As people of Faith, God’s love must be shared with all even (Non Believers).
If there is a desire for merely for doing righteous things, but not for being righteous-then our effort is devoid!
Have I Done Enough?” Dr. King’s Legacy Forces everyone one of us to Ask Ourselves!
My Question; Can you take to heart the following words Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke just four days before he was gunned down ?? “First, we are challenged to develop a world perspective. No individual can live alone, no nation can live alone, and anyone who feels that he can live alone is sleeping through a revolution.
“One day we will have to stand before the God of history and we will talk in terms of things we’ve done. Yes, we will be able to say we built gargantuan bridges to span the seas, we built gigantic buildings to kiss the skies. Yes, we made our submarines to penetrate oceanic depths.
We brought into being many other things with our scientific and technological power.
It seems that I can hear the God of history saying:
‘That was not enough!
But I was hungry, and ye fed me not. I was naked, and ye clothed me not. I was devoid of a decent sanitary house to live in, and ye provided no shelter for me. And consequently, you cannot enter the kingdom of greatness. If ye do it unto the least of these, my brethren, ye do it unto me.’
That’s the question we are facing to this day today.
In Summary!
I fear some are not hungry for righteousness, but for the only for rewards of righteousness. Worldly goods cannot fill the soul of a man. Intellectual attainment cannot. Goodness will satisfy. There is no condition where we cannot be satisfied in the enjoyment of righteousness. Goodness does not forsake a man.
Being a disciple means being a learner of all the things Jesus was — and we know Jesus did multiply leaders. Scripture outlines truly practical models for church leadership you can learn to put into practice in your own context to begin identifying, training, and releasing kingdom leaders to do God’s work in the world. I’ve done it and I’ve seen other people do it all over the world. It can be done and done with incredible results.
The necessity for Urban Christian Leadership or any good leadership is deeply felt and needed around the world. This need starts with a special condition of the mind, and, an indication of a healthy, spiritual life which all people of faith must learn to receive-Post Haste!
Student Gregg L. Greer a Public Speaker, Minister, Social Activist, and the Editor of the One World internet journal, where this post first appeared. If you are interested in interviews and educational training from his and others of the brightest minds today, you can email him at one1worldtoday@gmail.com.
What does salvation look like for the city?
