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Ministry Leadership Etiquette

I was sitting talking with some leaders yesterday, just giving them some insight on some things in ministry. Teaching etiquette in ministry and building character and integrity are so important.

Leaders must do more than teach you how to put a sermon together. If their first priority is not to teach you how to get a relationship with God, to develop your character so that you can walk in integrity, they have their priorities wrong.

Explaining to them, the importance of their behavior, being righteous and holy, as they walk with men and women of God, is very serious. If we are preaching one thing, but those around us are displaying something totally different, it is a reflection on that leader.

People tend to judge the leader by the conduct of those who are connected to them in ministry.

I was telling them how I teach the people to respect each other as leaders, and to respect and honor each other’s differences in ministry, because God uses each of us in His own way.

I teach those in leadership how to serve each other, how to esteem others higher than themselves, how to submit to authority.

One thing I don’t ever let them do, is get to a place to where the only person they respect in leadership, is me. That’s a big “No! No!” I don’t want anyone to get to where they can’t hear a word from anyone but me, because God has set others within the Body to help perfect us.

I was explaining to them how to have respect for those in leadership. How not to get common with your leader, just because you are allowed to work closely, or to travel with them. That there will always be a line drawn a boundary set by your leader, that you can’t cross.

I was telling them how it’s up to the leader to make sure that the respect is maintained. As a leader I must make decisions sometimes that may seem unfeeling and unloving to others, but necessary for the growth or integrity of the vision I’m carrying. It does no good for me to have someone who is just gifted and talented, but they must also have character morals and integrity with all those gifts.

I don’t need someone gifted, but can’t get along with anybody; gifted, but has a mean spirit; gifted, but jealous and insecure; gifted, but gossips and lies. Gifts mean nothing, without the character of Christ attached to them.

I was explaining how their are some with excellent natural skills, but no spiritually attributes. They are not living lifestyles of holiness. Explaining moral conduct, carrying yourselves appropriately when you are in leadership, because your conduct sets the level of conduct of those you lead.

Explaining to them how even the way you dress can invite attack from different spirits. Showing all your assets is not glorifying God, but it will attract lust spirits and unrighteous and cause men or women to approach you according to your advertisement.

Being in leadership, I told them, automatically puts your life under a microscope and people will examine it down to the smallest detail. They may not be looking for perfection, but they will be looking for a consistent lifestyle of holiness and righteousness and your character attitude and behavior is very important to them.

Being able to preach pray and prophesy and lay hands makes you available, but living a lifestyle that is pleasing to God makes you usable.

NOTE: I try always to be an example for others to follow in ministry in these days. Yes I may seem hard on those whom I mentor or lead, but it’s necessary so that they can maintain the integrity and character that is needful for the mission they are called to do, and so the anointing on their life won’t be tainted by sinful issues and carnal flaws!

I don’t want to teach what I’m not willing to walk in myself! I’m the first partaker of the rebuke I issue out.

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Leadership Integrity

When you are a leader, integrity should begin at home first.

You can’t preach holiness to others, if you are condoning sin in your own house. If you allowing your own sons and daughters to fornicate in your house, or to move their lovers in, or to drink and party at your house, then you can’t be trying to counsel somebody about putting their house in order.

If you say, “Well, they’re grown up, I can’t tell them what to do,” then you need to show them the front or back door. The rules of the house apply to everyone that lives in the house. When they to grown to obey and to grown to listen then they to grown to stay in the house. We should be setting our own house in order because we lead by example.

 

~ Apostle Barbara R. Thomas

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Apostle Barbara R. Thomas is founder of I Come to Heal Ministries, A Woman’s touch Ministry, The Next Dimension Global Outreach Ministries and Spoken Word School of Ministry and she is on a mission traveling the world proclaiming the Gospel for soul to be won to the Kingdom of God. She has a mandate on her life to help brings others to their divine purpose.