Leaders are not created; they are cultivated and developed over a period of time. In the same way that humans are not born as adults but as infants, there is a process of preparation, purification and pulling out potential, until an adult is fully formed. This process requires a high degree of intentionality on the part of the spiritual father or mother to help a child mature into the person that God has called them to be. They know the child’s developmental level, strengths and weaknesses, and are able to create growth opportunities to help each person grow in every needed area.
1. Illustrating the importance of developing new leaders into spiritual adults.
God’s Strategy and Methodology has always been Family.
In some cases, spiritual family is romanticized to the point of dysfunction…
Spiritual family must be redefined and re-presented in our generation.
2. Kingdom leadership develops new self-reproducing leaders in the Kingdom.
A. Kingdom Leadership consists of spiritual parents raising sons and daughters.
• In our consumer culture people think spiritual family is about meeting needs.
• While needs are important, the purpose of family is to raise thriving adults.
• The evidence of our success is when our children raise healthy children.
B. A closer look at Paul, Timothy and Titus as people developers.
• Paul raised his sons with instruction, correction, encouragement and love.
• Timothy was timid but overcame to lead multiple generations. 2 Tim.2
• Titus was sent to Corinth to provide leadership of the family there.
C. Leadership development is about maturing sons and daughters in all areas of life.
• Identity: Spiritual Parents impart DNA, history, nurture and instruction.
• Community: Spiritual Parents help develop a leader’s relational skills.
• Maturity: Spiritual Parents help process life’s challenges and opportunities.
• Responsibility: Spiritual Parents help a leader grow in increasing service.
• Destiny: Spiritual Parents help clarify the future, set goals and empower.
3. How to raise self-replicating leaders who will fill the earth with God’s Glory.
• Vision: What we see in the future that guides our journey forward.
• Values: What basic convictions determine the relative worth of all things.
• Priorities: How we allocate our resources in the light of our values.
• Practice: What behaviors emerge naturally from our values and priorities.
• Programs: Our strategies and structures that best facilitate our practices
