A talk presented during the first
session of 2018 ASF RSU Branch Mandatory Leaders Retreat holding at Holy
Trinity Ang. Church, Okuru-Ama, Port Harcourt from 25th - 28th October, 2018.
1.
Introduction:
Everything
worthwhile is likened to a mounting. Whether you are talking about personal
issues, personal health, business, spiritual growth or some other aspect of
life, nothing of value is easy. The precious things in life require something in
exchange which then defines the core area of our discussion today: SACRIFICE. If you desire to become the
best leader you can be, then you need to be willing to make sacrifices in order
to lead well.
It reminds
me of a quote from missionary Jim Elliott: “He
is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
As a servant
leader, Jesus modeled leadership traits and qualities for His followers to
emulate in their own lives. One of the most touching lessons of
leadership to be drawn from Christ's ministry is the importance and necessity
of leaders to sacrifice for the greater good. Successful and inspiring
leaders must be willing to make
several types of sacrifices in order to elevate the people and see their
visions come to fruition.
Real leadership requires sacrifice, and understanding
this is the first step towards becoming an effective servant leader that God
desires of us.
2.
Definitions/Discussion:
There
are several definitions of leadership, but for the sake of this discussion, Christian leadership is a
dynamic relational process in which people, under the influence of the Holy
Spirit, partner to achieve a common goal - it is serving others by leading and
leading others by serving.
A sacrifice is a loss or something you
give up, usually for the sake of a better cause.
Leaders are well aware of the need to
sacrifice. The decisions leaders face almost always include some measure of
giving up something in order to gain something; for leaders, life is always a
set of scales that need balancing.
As leaders Christian
Leaders, we are called to make tough choices on behalf of our people. Sometimes
the sacrifices are obvious and simple. You let go of a little comfort to gain a
better product. Sometimes the sacrifices are harder and more draining. Every
leader must be willing to make sacrifices, because leaders are expected to pay
the prices others won’t pay. That’s what makes you the leader! But it’s not
just about making the hard decisions—good leaders make the hard decisions when they need to be made. Being
able to face the moment of decision and choose the hard path of sacrifice in
that moment defines the greatest leaders in history.
I challenge
you, in your growth as a leader, to be willing to face – and even embrace –
sacrifice when it is called for, to help your people (The Anglican Students
Fellowship, RSU Branch). It is often said that we have to “give up to go up.” I believe that no matter how challenging the
sacrifice, you will end up understanding that it was worth it to take your
leadership to the next level.
3.
Sacrifice
The Heart Of Leadership (Heb. 11:23-25)
- There Is No
Successful Leader Who Did Not Sacrifice
* Esther gave her life for the Jews (Esther 4:11-16)
* Hosea had to marry a harlot (Hosea 1:2)
* Paul sacrificed his comfort (1 Cor. 9:5-15)
* Jesus had to become like us (Heb. 2:1-18)
Every person who has achieved any success in life has made
sacrifice to do so. Athletes sacrifice countless hours in the gym and on the
practice field preparing themselves to perform at a high level.
- Leaders are
often asked to give up more than others (John 12:24-33): The hearts
of leadership is putting others ahead of you. It’s doing what is best for the
team. For the reason, I believe that leaders have to give up their rights. “Leaders
must be willing to give up more than the people they lead.” For every leader,
the nature of the sacrifice may be different. Everyone who leads gives up other
opportunities. Some people have to give up beloved hobbies. Many give up
aspects of their personal lives. Some, like kings, give their actual lives. The
circumstances are different from person to person, but the principle doesn’t
change. “Leadership means sacrifice.”
-
As you rise in leadership, responsibilities’
increase and rights decrease (1Cor. 8:9):
When you have no responsibilities, you can do pretty much anything you want.
Once you take on responsibility, you start to experience limitations in what
you can do. The more responsibility you accept, the fewer options you have.
- The higher
the level of leadership, the greater the sacrifice.
- You must
keep giving up, to stay up (2 Sam. 11): Today’s success is the greatest threat to
tomorrow’s success. And what gets a team to the top isn’t what keeps it there.
The only way to stay up is to give up even more. “Leadership success requires
continual change, constant improvement, and ongoing sacrifice.” Anytime the
step is right, a leader shouldn’t hesitate to make a sacrifice.
4. The
Peril of Unsacrificing Leadership Model
- The leader tends to limit the rate of flow of blessing on the team.
- Followers will feel less important and drop.
- Followers will show poor dedication to service.
- Leaders tend to suffer from inner guilt.
- The team experiences Stunted growth
- Takes the team off the path of Christ (Christ no longer the role
model)
5. Closing
Charge: "The Rechabites" Jere. 36:1-10
Title : THE PLACE OF SACRIFICE IN LEADERSHIP
Description : A talk presented during the first session of 2018 ASF RSU Branch Mandatory Leaders Retreat holding at Holy Trinity Ang. Church, Okur...