Leading with courage

“Some of the most talented people are terrible leaders because they have a crippling need to be loved by everyone.” - James Schorr (Holidays Inns)

“The pioneers are the guys with arrows in their backs.” - Erwin Potts

“I learned early in life not to take counsel of my fears.” - General George Patton

“Heroes and cowards feel exactly the same fear; heroes just react differently.” - Gus D’Amato

“Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities “Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities ... because it is the quality which guarantees all others.” - Winston Churchill

“Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared.” - Eddie Rickenbacker

“One man with courage makes a majority.” - Andrew Jackson

“Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point.” - C.S. Lewis

Acts 4:13 (NIV) When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

1 Corinthians 16:13 (NIV) Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.

Deuteronomy 31:6-8 (NIV) 6Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” 7Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go

Deuteronomy 31:6-8 (NIV) CONt. with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their forefathers to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. 8The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Deuteronomy 31:23 (NIV) The Lord gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.”

Joshua 1:6 (NIV) Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.”

1 Chronicles 28:20 (NIV) David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.”

Myths – Courageous Leadership...

Courageous Leadership. . . Isn’t Fearlessness. “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” -Nelson Mandela

Courageous Leadership. . . Isn’t Fearlessness. “Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” -John Wayne “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.” -Mark Twain

Courageous Leadership. . . Has nothing to do with personality or temperament.

Courageous Leadership. . . Isn’t reserved for the super-smart or super-gifted. Those who lack courage will always find a philosophy to justify it. -Albert Camus

Courageous Leadership. . . Isn’t about age or Experience.

Courageous Leadership. . . What is it? “Clarity around and unreasonable commitment to what should be.” -Andy Stanley

Obstacles – Leaders need courage to. . .

Leaders need courage to. . . Face current reality. Confront an unhealthy culture and build a healthy one. Risk. Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. -T. S. Eliot

Leaders need courage to. . . Initiate and manage change. Stay on Mission. Let go of the familiar in order to embrace methods and systems that will reach lost people.

Leaders need courage to. . . Simplify. Do the hard things Persevere. “Things go wrong all at once, but things go right gradually.” -Murphy’s Symmetry Principle

Leaders need courage to. . . Realize that we can’t make everyone happy, so we need to make the right people happy. Entrust the church to a new generation of young leaders.

Leaders need courage to. . . Balance grace and truth. Trust God to do something supernatural.

Catalysts – What builds courage into the life of a leader?

What builds courage into the life of a leader? Spiritual health. Physical health. Being a lifelong learner. Relationships with other courageous leaders.

What builds courage into the life of a leader? Build a team that “has your back.” Pray for humility. Constantly remind yourself that it’s God’s battle and Jesus’ Church.

1 Samuel 17:45-47 (NIV) 45David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air (cont.)

1 Samuel 17:45-47 (NIV) and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

We’ve gone as far as we can go… safely. CONCLUDING THOUGHT: We’ve gone as far as we can go… safely.