“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, then you will be able to test and approve God’s will; His good, pleasing, and perfect will.” Romans 12:2
Recently I had the pleasure and privilege to speak at a men’s retreat at Lake Placid, a beautiful getaway in rural central Florida. The topic for the three sessions was “Christian Leadership.” During each session I taught systematically from this definition:
Christian leaders are called by God into the Kingdom of God as servants to prepare and move people in a God-given direction for Christ and His purpose to God’s glory.
In session two, we focused on this statement from the definition, Christian leaders prepare and move people in a God-given direction. Unlike secular leaders, Christian leaders are called by God to prepare God’s people and move them along the continuum in the Kingdom of God as God guides them and grows them by His Word through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Leaders prepare people in many ways, including teaching, training, discipling, mentoring, coaching, encouraging, helping, and serving. However, leaders not only prepare people for specific purposes, leaders move people directionally. How? Influence. Without influence, leadership cannot happen and a leader influences for good or evil.
Aubrey Malphurs, in his book, Being Leaders, says, “Influence involves moving people to change their thinking and ultimately their behavior.” However, we can take this a step further:
Change thinking > Change action > Change habits > Change behavior > Change character
In other words, a change in thinking leads to action, leading to a change in habits, leading to a change in behavior, leading to a change in character. And when people change and grow in Christian character, this can in time influence and change a culture for the glory of God.
The most important and powerful way to change thinking and character is by God’s Word through the power of the Holy Spirit. And this is what Paul has in mind in Romans 12:2:
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”
As Christians, we are not to conform any longer to the old way of thinking that is perverted and polluted by the system of this world leading to sin and depravity. Instead, Christians are to focus on Christ and His Word which renews our thinking (our mind) and this only happens from God’s direction in His Word.
“God’s Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105
Christian leaders must be directional – we are preparing and moving people in a God-given direction. We are not aimless wanderers. Although we may have different journeys along the way in different seasons of our lives, we have been called to a new direction by God through Christ and His Word and we must lead others in that direction.
May God bless you with His grace, love, and truth!