Dependability of a Christian Leader

I. Introduction

Crucial to the continuity and sustainability of God’s work is the dependability of

the leaders. Dependable leaders are those you can trust to guard the vision of the
community with their life, and those who have the heart for the mission of making
God’s plan a reality. We need to build up leaders who can be trusted to take care
of God’s people effectively, otherwise what they build will collapse.

II. Dependability

An important quality of a Christian leader is dependability. Members will not be

secure in their commitment unless dependable leaders lead them. The Israelites
endured 40 years of hardship until they possessed the Promise Land because they
trusted Joshua. How long have we served as leaders in SFC? Can we be trusted
to see this through, to the extent that God will allow us? Or will we be like the
stupid Galatians who were rebuked by Paul in Gal. 3:3 because they ended in the
way of the flesh after starting out in the Spirit of God?

III. Important Elements of a Dependable Leader

1. Discerning

Keep yourself attuned to the will and plan of God for the community or
any task that is entrusted to you, making sure that you do not fall into the
trap of unrighteousness in pursuing your goal.

2. Decisiveness

This begins with a strong conviction that leads to a decisive action. There
is no room for lukewarmness, half-heartedness and weakness to those who
have been entrusted with the responsibility of making important decisions
that affects the lives of God’s people. Indecisive leaders are those who are
not totally convinced about the importance of what they are doing, or are
reluctant to let go of their personal agenda in order to follow the will of
God.

3. Daring

A Christian leader can make radical decisions if he is confident that he is

doing the will of the Lord. And if he trusts that God will take care of him.
A successful leader is a risk taker if his heart is pure and his motives are
not selfish.
 a. In doing strategic evangelization one should not be disturbed by
comments that we are being elitist when we know in our hearts that unless
we make this move we will not be able to sustain the work.

b. When God called us to produce the Bagong Silang Musicale it took a lot
of guts to venture into a field that is totally new to us. But we took the
risk. God brought us the right creative people at the right time and the rest
was history. Bagong Silang the Musicale is now one of the most
successful shows in the history of Philippine theater in terms of reaching
the biggest audience.

c. To be daring is to be flexible in exploring new approaches and strategies

in spreading the work of God. The whole area of creative evangelization
will not be possible if we had leaders who cannot be daring because they
are too rigid. Because we dare to be different, we now have Praise and
Fashion, Praise Parades, Club Praise, Praisefest, Praise Concerts,
Praise Parties, and Big Conferences. We are confident that by next year
we will be moving to television and other forms of expression to spread
the Good News and the Great Adventure Life of a Christian.

4. Enduring

Dependability is seeing things through. Paul calls upon us to finish the

race and as leaders it is our responsibility to help other finish as well.

5. Disciplined Life and Growing in Personal Holiness

To be dependable is first of all to be a good witness in our personal life to

the people that we serve.

IV. What Makes One Dependable

Practical areas of dependability that we take for granted:

1. Punctuality
2. Lack of Thoroughness/Resourcefulness
3. Lack of Obedience

We have problems with the above areas because of the attitudes that we have as
Christian Leaders.

1. Our lack of consciousness to strive for excellence in doing God’s work.

We bring mediocrity into our service because of our “pwede na” attitude.
 2. Lack of Accountability for the work of God. This is often taken for
granted, because God does not manifest Himself in person to ask for an
accounting.

Conclusion:

The work of God is our highest priority and accountability. The time we spend
doing God’s work is an investment in our marriage and the future of our children.
For we are building and securing not only our future but for our children, and our
children’s children. For us leaders the accountability is greater because in
addition to our own family, other families have been entrusted to us. If we cannot
be depended on to do our job, a lot of people will suffer and fall out and we would
have lost our purpose and anointing as leaders.

 Brothers and Sisters let us all be dependable. If there are more dependable
people, more work can be done and serving God will not be a burden.

 Let us actively seek responsibility and be a part of God’s great work, happy
and peaceful.

 Let us remember that in God great work although we may not be paid but God
will surely reward us in his kingdom.

 So let us all actively seek responsibility, be accountable, and be dependable

Christian Leaders. AMEN.

A LITTLE STORY

This is a story about four people named EVERYBODY, SOMEBODY, ANYBODY,

and NOBODY. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that
Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought
Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up
that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

Reflection:

1. Am I a dependable leader? Can God and my community depend on me?

2. What holds me back in from being a dependable leader?
3. What must I do to become a dependable leader?
4. List down areas wherein I should improve and become dependable?
(To end sing “Song Of A Servant”)