Lessons in Leadership - Part 1 — K.P. Yohannan

Hi there, we are so glad you could be with us today for the road to reality in just a moment. We'll hear from GFA founder and director KP Ohannon who today is going to offer up a few lessons in leadership from 2nd Timothy 1 if Your goal in life is to please God.

This is definitely something you need to hear KP. We'll be pointing out some of the qualifications and qualities of a Christian worker or servant of God.

The Character and Calling of a Christian Worker

We'll begin with chapter 1 in 2nd Timothy. Character of a Christian worker or a Christian leader. Who is he? What is he about? What kind of material this Christian worker or a leader made of? What are his?

Qualifications and qualities. Many many questions and I believe God's Word. Especially in this small letter Paul wrote to This young Christian leader Timothy has the answers first of all this individual.

Is someone who is? Called by the Lord. Everything of His behavior attitude character. Everything of has to do this work. All this is made up influenced guided regulated by this one factor. That is life.

His conduct is based on this thing that he's called by the Lord. Chapter 1 verse 1 Paul simply begins. As he normally writes says Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. Paul won't impress upon this young man.

Timothy. I just wanted to know. 30 years I've been running this race, and I didn't start this because I wanted to do it. It's not because Barnabas called me to do it. Not because Some church paid me. Not because my parents said he will be a servant of God.

No Timothy it was not even my own choice. It is not my will my choice. He called me. It's not organization. It is not some human being. It's not a Bible school. It is not some big offer. That became the reason for the call.

God's Call Rather Than Human Choice

No He called me. I am by his will. In chapter 1 verse 9 Paul says. Who saved us and called us. He called and then. In verse 11 or chapter 1 I was appointed as a preacher by the Lord. That reminds me of that verse in mark 3 14 about Jesus.

He appointed those 12 to be his Disciples his apostles, and he called them then. Matthew 28 now. He sent them out. Moses didn't call himself. I mean it would be a funny thing and kind of a crazy thing to do.

To walk away from the possibility of being the leader of the most powerful nation on earth ancient Egypt and Then to wander around in the wilderness for 40 years looking after not your own sheep. But someone else and someone else your father-in-law's.

Think about that. He didn't do it by himself. The Lord Called him Amos when they said what is wrong with you, man. He said don't blame me. My father is not a prophet. Nobody in our family is doing this thing.

I was going around picking Sycamore fruits and all the sudden he calls me and say I want you to go and be a Preacher. I didn't do it. He called me. Jonah was called, but he didn't want to do it, but God won't let him go.

No. You are called. I Want to ask you a personal question? Very sober deliberate. Here is a question. Do you know? The Lord Jesus has called you to serve him. Have we ever heard? Him saying to you come.

Follow me be with me and I will send you. How we ever heard the call? What is the difference between a call and a profession. Here it is someone said a Job. A profession is one you choose. A Ministry is one Christ chooses for you.

A job depends on your abilities. A Ministry depends on your availability to God. In a job you expect to receive something. A salary. In a ministry you expect to give a Job well done brings you self-esteem.

A Ministry well done brings honor to Jesus Christ in a job. You give something to get something in a ministry. You return Something that has already been given to you a job. Well done has a Temporal reward.

Paul's Investment in Timothy

A ministry well done has eternal rewards. 15 years ago This young lad was led to Jesus by Paul and sensed in him a Heart for God and Paul decided to invest his life in Timothy. There's another young man named Titus so Paul writes in Philippians chapter 2 about Timothy.

I have no one like him who Care for the things of Christ. No wonder why Paul left Timothy at Ephesus after his first arrest. To take her the church. Now you read first Timothy to understand the responsibilities that was committed to Timothy.

To do the work of the ministry and things he must do. Now Paul knows his death is imminent and Timothy's young and inexperienced and inadequate to carry on the ministry up that throws me off completely.

The Burden of Leadership and Spiritual Experience

You mean after 15 to 20 years of being disciple Mentored taught by great Apostle Paul. Timothy was not able to handle it. Yes last night as all our dear brothers and sisters walking around here I Turned to one of the brother.

I was talking and said to him. Oh my how young They are. So many young people then somebody who just joined the conversation said yeah 25 to 35 years old. But you know what the problem is. Responsibility is being committed to young people like you.

Responsibilities that should be committed to people 45 50 60 years old with 20 30 years of ministry experience of pain and anguish and suffering and sacrifice and God's attesting their life but Why how I?

Don't know. I Find some encouragement hope in this when the Lord called me. I was 16 years old. When I became a leader to lead others in the ministry. I was barely 19 years old. I Was coordinating a whole region?

Conviction of Calling Shapes Character

When I was 22 years old If God could do that with me. Fragile weak Insecure Individual. I see much hope but then too I think about Timothy. There is hope. So the lesson is here what You become. Your character your formation your behavior your responses attitude your evaluation.

You're making decisions your action depends on your deep conviction. The Lord has called me to serve him. How can I do this? How can I say this? How can I take this? See how important the call is. Timothy was still very young chapter 2 verse 22 Paul says don't let anyone look down on you because you are young and Timothy knew that.

Encouragement for Young and Inexperienced Leaders

How do you feel about yourself? He said I don't know. I happen to be in this Movement and I Don't know. Yeah. Yeah, the Lord gave me this responsibility now I didn't know I was going to do but I'm teaching in this training center.

I Never thought about it. So I say How did that happen? You may feel Inadequate you may feel you are young. You don't know much. You struggle just to maintain even the image of somebody calling you a teacher.

You sit late In the night and reading through the books trying to find out something to say so nobody will think that you don't know much. Or you're trying to figure out what to do about the decision and enough wrong decisions.

He made that you feel terrible about it. And maybe you are feeling it was a mistake. I'm given some responsibility. Maybe I should get out of it. Well Timothy was young too if you feel discouraged and you are Inexperienced if you know it you are in good shape.

If you don't know it, if you think you are able and mature and you will succeed then you are in trouble.

We've been receiving some lessons in leadership today on the road to reality with KP Ohannon. Since 1999 GFA has been serving in the slums of South Asia providing food medical care and sharing the love of God.

In Recent years we've noticed Desperation filled slums in Asia are growing with millions living in extreme poverty and struggling to survive. We'd like to ask you to consider doing something that can really make a difference.

A Good place to start is by going to our website road to reality org there We can give you more information and you can even donate to slum ministry there too again. That's road to reality org. As you may know when he was on earth Jesus was all about helping the outcasts of society and you can do the same at road to reality Org or call us at eight six six nine four six two seven four two.

That's eight six six nine four six two seven four two. Please listen in next time as brother KP Ohannon shares another Inspirational message to help us along the road to reality.