The Most Important Process of Leadership Starts with Trust

Playing with Legos is definitely a favorite kid’s game I still enjoy playing. This past week I shared on leadership with the Multicultural Discipleship Training School (MDTS) and you guessed it, we played with Legos. Come one, who doesn’t like Legos. It was fun, interactive, and the multiple lessons this activity taught our group was amazing. (On a side note, Amy and I are happy to come play this game with your team!)

Teaching on Leadership isn’t just about games. I really believe we are all leaders in some way or another. As Bill Hybels often says at the Global Leadership Summit, “Everybody wins when the leader gets better.” Getting better as a leader is definitely what I want and I’m sensing others desire this too.

These students from East Asia and Pacific Islands are trying to build a structure only their leader has had the option to see.

A key leadership principle Amy and I are learning I believe can be applied to all people no matter where they’re at in life.

When we first came to YWAM Tyler the Lord gave Amy insight about leadership through a comparison of the stories of Joseph and Daniel. If you aren’t familiar with these guy’s stories, you can find Joseph’s in Genesis chapters 30-50 and Daniel’s in Daniel chapters 1-6. After reading these men’s stories the similarities are fascinating and give us keys to understand how effective leadership is developed.

Both of these men encountered God and had their hearts moved to see Him revealed to their people. Both ended up serving where they didn’t necessarily choose. Both were given opportunities to prove their character and build trust. Both struggled hard under very difficult circumstances. At some point in their journey, both were inquired upon to speak into a problem only God could fix. In the end, both literally saw an entire nation changed as a result of God’s work.

The leadership principle I’m learning first hand and shared with the class is simple. Trust leads to influence, and influence will open the door for change.

Memorize this process. Trust –> Influence –> Change. (In this order, ONLY!)

Reflect on your own place in life ~ at your job, in your home, within your church. Where are you in this process?

Amy and I are here at YWAM Tyler building trust with a wonderful group of missionaries. We ask God to help us daily be faithful to His call on our lives, and we also pray regularly for the works of our hands to be anointed by the Lord. We are a part of a huge team impacting the world in Jesus name. As the Lord brings about His purposes for us here in East Texas, I know it starts with trust.

I would suggest to you today, if you are struggling with feeling under appreciated or not very useful, if fears of never accomplishing anything creep up in your mind and heart, or if change seems to be too far out there and impossible, remember God brings the opportunities for influence. We can’t make those moments happen. He ultimately inspires change. Wherever you are in leading a group of people or investing in an organization, first humbly ask God for help in building trust. Then wait patiently for the magic moment when someone, somewhere, turns to you and says, “What do you think we should do?” Rest knowing whatever changes are to come are in the hands of God.