Principles of Leadership - Define the Expectations 'What'

 

This is Chuck Rapp with Multiply, a podcast to provide a word of encouragement for village church planters.

During 2022, I will be sharing my Ten Principles of Leadership.  Principle #3 is “Define the Expectations”.  Today we will discuss what Jesus Christ’s expectations are for us and our expectations for VCP.  Next time we will address “how” (appropriate behaviors and ways of interaction) we are to go about achieving these expectations. 

Jesus set clear expectations and instructions for His Church.  “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  Matthew 28:19-20 [emphasis added].

Jesus’ clear expectations set forth include:

·         Go (or “as you are going”)

·         Make disciples of all nations

·         Baptizing them

·         Teaching them to obey

He also prepared His disciples (and that includes us) for success in this venture.  We do not do this work alone or in our own strength or power.  His promise is “I am with you always”.  This is through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit within us.  In Luke 24:49, Jesus gave these instructions.  “I am going to send you what my Father has promised, but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”  We see this fulfilled in Acts chapter 2 on the day of Pentecost.  

In VCP, what does our success look like?  “Success” relates to our vision.  Or, another way of saying this is that our vision defines our success.  “A church in every African village by 2050.”  This is why we do reports and keep track of progress. Our reports provide feedback regarding our progress toward “a church in every African village”. 

In his book “Management: A Biblical Approach”, Myron Rush wrote that “Without measurable objectives an organization has no way to evaluate performance.” VCP reports provide one means of evaluating the performance of our training centers and the effectiveness of our leaders.  

In my culture we have this idiom.  “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.”  Perhaps you, too, have a saying that is something like this. 

However, as we as leaders define the expectations for those who follow, we help them understand what success will be, and we provide the standard by which success will be determined.

This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.