4 Phases of Spiritual Leadership

Craig Groeschel, pastor of LifeChurch.tv

Reference verse: Acts 20:22:

“²² And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. ²³ I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. ²⁴ However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” – Paul

4 phases God takes us through to develop us into a spiritual leader

1. Spirit’s Prompting

   “…compelled by the spirit…” –Deo ho numa

   1. To step towards your destiny, you have to step away from your security
   2. How do you know when the spirit is prompting?
      1. Pay attention to the times you feel “wrapped” by the spirit – compelled by the spirit to do something.
      2. Pay attention to “coincidences” or God-incidences – incidences of God acting in your life.
      3. Story:
         1. Craig’s flight happened to be delayed, so he was waiting around in the airport when all the sudden a woman gives him the “that’s my pastor” look, and walks up to him, remarking how crazy it is that they meet in the same airport. But Craig’s tired and wants to get back to his book, so he tries to shut down the conversation. The woman walks away, but he feels the Spirit saying, “there was really something more I wanted to do there.” He gets up and talks to the woman, saying “I’m sorry, I kind of shut you down, but I’m getting the sense that there was really more you wanted to say.” She breaks down in tears, saying that she was just coming home from a business trip and had just cheated on her husband the previous night, and suddenly there’s her pastor in the airport. Craig refers her to counselor, and they make a deal that she will tell her husband when she gets home in two days.
         2. Two days later, Craig gets home and takes his daughter to dance lessons on the other side of town. Normally, his wife does this, but today it’s Craig. He has some down time while he waits for his daughter to finish, and he’s trying to figure out what to do in this unfamiliar part of town, and something in his mind was telling him to go to Wal-Mart. Craig hates Wal-Mart, but decides to go anyway. In the frozen food section, all the sudden, this guy gives him “you’re my pastor” face, and comes up to him saying, that his wife just told him that she cheated on him and he didn’t really know what to do, so he decided to go to Wal-Mart. Craig’s able to take time and talk to him and help him through this difficult time. He says, “Wow, God must really love you two.”

2. Certain Uncertainty

   “…not knowing what will happen to me…”

   1. You want God to show you the details, but God may say “you can’t handle the details”
      1. If you knew the full cost, there would be no way you would take the risk and go through the pain.
   2. The word is a lamp unto your feet, not a floodlight – you just see one or two steps.
   3. If you knew how it was going to get done, then it wouldn’t be God’s doing, but your doing.
      1. Without faith, it’s impossible to please God.

3. Predictable Resistance

   “I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.” – Act. 20:23

   1. Hard times are coming.
      1. If you’re not ready to be abused, then you should go home, because you aren’t ready to be used by God.
   2. Everything new in the church is met with resistance:
      1. Drama and plays in church
      2. Video teaching –
         1. Aside: Video teaching isn’t the answer to instant church success – it’s the leadership behind the video teaching, and the spirit of God that brings success.
      3. Drums and blue jeans
   3. God uses resistance to teach you.
      1. Craig’s first ministry Single Truth was a horrible failure. It was the fastest growing ministry singles ministry, but it grew in reverse. Started out with 100 people, and was down to 4 within three months.
         1. Instead of seeing this as a learning opportunity, Craig started getting really depressed and wondered if he was really right for ministry – but this not how God intends failure to work.
      2. If you blame yourself for the declines, one day you’ll take credit for the increases.
         1. Instead, see failure as a learning opportunity.
      3. Kinds of resistance you face:
         1. Why start a new church? What makes your church any better.
         2. Why do you have 6 kids? Not cause i like kids, it’s because I like my wife.
         1. Church leaders, if you’re not called a cult every now and the, you aren’t doing squat.
      4. Worry when you don’t face resistance.

4. Uncommon Clarity

   “However I consider my life worth nothing to me if only….” [fill in your blank here]

   What is the race and task that you would give your life to complete?

   1. How do you know what your calling is?
      1. Clear vision of why you were created – a task that it seems like you were born to do – your whole life has been preparing you for it
      2. Things that bother you that don’t bother anybody else.
   2. God put you at this moment in this specific place.
      1. At the crossroads of your talent and passions
      2. How can you help people in this particular location? In this particular time?
   3. The reason it’s “Uncommon”  is because not a lot of people have it.
      1. Pray for clarity