Surprising Leadership Goals

The great apostle Paul opens his hear to the believers in Philippi giving them the glimpse into the mind and heart of a Godly leader.

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
 - Phil 3:12-14

Humbled by his own imperfections. Too often leaders take their eyes off their own weaknesses and sins and to readily see problems in those who are following. If only the people who they are leading were better examples of followers of Jesus then things would be a million times better around here.

Paul was never afraid to put his own frailties and difficulties up front. He didn't try to pretend he was something he wasn't in front of his followers. The recognition of his own imperfections kept his heart humble.

Honoured to be chosen by God. Leadership can go to peoples heads. It is amazing how people can react when they are given just a little bit of "power". No matter how gifted a leader we are we are not God's gift to the world, Jesus is! Paul understood that the only reason he was a leader was "because Christ Jesus has made him his own." 

God is not honoured because we are serving him we are honoured because he found us when we were not even looking for him and we get to serve him and his family.

Hungry for more of God. Leaders tend to be hungry driven goal oriented people. Church leaders always want more. If they have 50 people in their community of faith they want 100. If they have 100 they want 200. If they have 200 they want 500. If they have 100 people in small groups they want 200. If they have one location they want 2. The list goes on. There is nothing wrong with this. Its just that too often the quest for more of these things replace a quest for more of God.

Paul was probably one of the most "successful" leaders of Christianity. He literally had nowhere left to go in his region where he hadn't preached the gospel. (so he went to another region) But his hunger for MORE of God never abated.

Continue to be humbled before a holy God, savour the honour of serving and all powerful God & let the desperation of starvation drive you on to discover more of God.