Leader Development: A Mentoring Checklist for Sons and Young Men
By Phillip G. KayserJanuary 1, 2007 đ Booklet
*This list is for men. For the checklist that is women-specific, please check out Mature Daughters
Note to Fathers
Fathers must be involved
This checklist of leadership competencies will be useless unless the
father is involved in his sonâs life. The father is the shepherd of his
family, and his influence (for good or for bad) cannot be overstated.
This booklet is given as a tool to help you be more systematic in the
training of your sons. But it obviously cannot do the job for you.
Only leaders can reproduce leaders
Having a checklist to give to your sons will be of little value if you
do not personally invest a lot of time in their lives. While teachers
can help, only leaders really produce leaders. Teachers can produce
teachers, but leaders will build leaders by imparting their life, values
and methods into the new person. Paul said, âFollow my example, as I
follow the example of Christâ (1 Cor. 11:1). This checklist is only a
tool. It cannot replace the importance of your modeling male leadership
to your son.
Dads must work with their sons to impart leadership skills
Though Deuteronomy 6 informs all homeschooling, it is particularly
addressed to Dads and sons. Verse 7 particularly implies an involvement
in every facet of your sonâs life. Donât leave the teenage years to your
wife. The only way your son will learn male leadership is through
watching and interacting with a male leader.
This was the pattern Jesus used
In Mark 3:14 it says about Jesus, âHe appointed the twelve â designating
them apostles â that they might be with him.â Why did they need to be
with Him? Why did they have to follow Him around and live with Him?
Because there was so much that Jesus had to show them. They watched
him, then they imitated. How does an evangelist learn to evangelize? By
being with an evangelist and watching him and imitating and practicing.
And the same is true of leadership. If leadership could be learned from
books, there would be many more leaders in the world than there are.
Leadership training requires hands-on involvement in your sonsâ lives.
This was the pattern God gave
And this has been the pattern right from Genesis chapter 2. God wanted
Adam to take leadership in subduing the earth. So God planted a garden
to model to Adam how to take dominion of the earth. Itâs clear from
Genesis 2:8-15 that Adam was present when God made the garden (see Gen.
2:8a, 9-14 with Gen. 2:8b, 15). Verse 15 says, âthen the LORD God took
the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep itâ. God
showed Adam, then told Adam, and then gave Adam a challenging task.
This was the pattern Paul used
Paul did the same. Paul invested in numerous leaders who were on his
teams just as Christ invested in leaders by having them with Him (Mark
3:14). Much of leadership must be âcaughtâ as well as âtaught.â The
disciples watched Jesus in every situation. They watched Him with good
people and with bad people. They watched how He motivated people. They
watched Him show compassion and learned that compassion is an important
leadership value. They watched how He prayed. They watched Him cast out
demons and heal the sick. They watched Him handle victories and they
watched Him handle His death. They watched Him rejoice and weep over
Jerusalem. They watched how He handled false teachers and self-righteous
men.
I caught more of a passion for lost souls from seeing my father weeping
on a mountaintop as he surveyed new unevangelized areas in Ethiopia than
I did from his teaching on the importance of the Great Commission. It
was watching leaders make tough decisions that helped me to make tough
decisions. It was watching others have effective delegation that enabled
me to start delegating more effectively. If you want to pass on a
heritage of leadership values to your sons, you must be involved from a
young age. Others will influence your sons as well, but God ordained
that fathers be the first and most important leader builder in the
kingdom.
2 Timothy 3:10 shows Paulâs leadership development of Timothy. It
involved teaching of principles, but it involved so much more. He says,
âBut you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose,
faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions,
which happened to me at AntiochâŚâ The first word that Timothy carefully
followed was doctrine. Teaching and lecturing doctrine is very
important. But he goes on to say, âmanner of life.â There was an
imitation of lifestyle as Timothy lived with, worked with and followed
Paul. But then there were worldview issues such as vision, faith,
handling of difficult situations and difficult people. Timothy learned
how to respond in a godly way by watching Paul respond in a godly way
to difficult circumstances. Verse 14 describes Paulâs life as it
embodied doctrine and verse 15 gives the doctrine. Both were important.
As parents we must invest both information and life into our children.
God is the ultimate leader builder
Another thing that is important to remember is that we are not the
ultimate builders of leaders; God is. God is the leader of the universe
(1Tim. 6:15), and He constantly raises up new leaders. Revelation 5:10
says, âYou have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our
GodâŚâ 1Corinthians 3:9 says â⌠you are Godâs field, you are Godâs
building.â Before you ever began leadership training in your son, God
was already at work in developing him to be a leader. And God will
continue to develop your son.
Forests and trees
One of the purposes for offering this list of questions is to help
parents be more systematic and thorough in their training. However, one
of the dangers of having such a list is that it can sometimes blind us
to what God is doing in our childrenâs lives. So another caution I want
to give is to not be so pressured in getting through a 586 point agenda
that you miss the lessons that God is teaching your child this week.
Your child has a whole lifetime to mature, and it isnât essential that
every point be covered. I have had to learn to be flexible, sometimes
throwing out what I had planned to teach my children, because a far more
important lesson was pre-planned by our Heavenly Father. When my oldest
son got into a car accident, the new experience offered many leadership
training points that could easily have been missed â lessons in
character as well as lessons in economics, parenting, conflict
resolution, how to respond to integrity checks, how to grow in the face
of persecution (he was the victim of another personâs road rage), etc.
God strews hundreds of these kinds of lessons in our paths. Rather than
seeing them as frustrating interruptions of our schedule, we must see
them as perfect lessons from a loving Heavenly Father. Newspaper
stories, political happenings, family tragedies, vacations can all be
part of the overall plan to develop a leader out of your son. Sometimes
you may consciously be making a lesson. At other times no comment is
needed. You know your son has learned his lesson well.
God is orchestrating every detail of your sonâs life
In a very real sense, we are simply cooperating with God in His work of
leadership development. God has orchestrated many events from the time
your child was born to prepare him to be the leader he was meant to be.
Romans 8:28 says, âFor we know that all things work together for good to
those who love God, to those who are the called according to His
purpose.â What is the good that God is working everything together to
produce? The next verse indicates that it is being conformed to the
image of Jesus. Just as Jesusâ leadership was conformed to the Fatherâs,
ours is conformed to Christâs by God. These are passive learning
opportunities that illustrate the active lessons we are teaching our
sons. This has made my job so much easier. Because my sons were taught
to see Godâs hand at work in their lives, they have become very
motivated learners.
We canât do this in our own strength
Finally, a fatherâs goal in life should not be to make a son depend upon
dad as âthe answer man.â Instead, it should be to show the child how to
derive the strength, wisdom, joy and graces he needs from the
fountainhead, Jesus Christ. Think of how Jesus developed in his
leadership (see Luke 2:52). His parents were involved (v. 51), but it
was the heavenly Father that was the source of all Christâs leadership.
These questions are not designed to make you fathers experts, but to be
entry points into turning your sonsâ hearts to the word and to Godâs
grace.
Jesus did nothing without the Father; we can do nothing without the Son
Everything Jesus did in His leadership flowed out of His relationship
with the Father. He was fully and inwardly submitted to the Fatherâs
will. He said, âFor I have come down from heaven not to do my will but
to do the will of Him who sent Me.â (John 6:38). We have no authority
when we are not submitted to Godâs authority. All authority flows from
God. We cannot give life if we are not experiencing life from God. We do
not have power and joy if we are not experiencing Godâs power and joy.
Jesus said in John 5:19, âMost assuredly I say to you, the Son can do
nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He
does, the Son also does in like manner.â The Father was the source of
all Christâs words and works and wisdom and power. In John 5:30 Jesus
said, âby myself I can do nothing.â If that is true of the greatest
leader of all time, then it is certainly true of us. In John 15:5 Jesus
said, âWithout Me you can do nothing.â But the same verse says that if
we abide in Christ we will bear much fruit. Paul said, âI can do all
things through Christ who strengthens meâ (Phil. 4:13). The nature of
our leadership is reflected by the strength of our fellowship with the
Triune God. If we want our leaders (that we are training) to have the
savor of Christ, then we need to make sure that we teach them how to
enter into union with Christ and how to abide in union and fellowship
with Christ. Consider the following Scriptures:
Verses that illustrate our need of Christ in leadership
Colossians 3:16 â âLet the Word of Christ dwell in you richlyâŚâ When
everything we do is saturated with the Word of God, it will transform
our ministry.
Colossians 3:17 â everything must be done in the name of Christ. When we
died in Christ, we lost our old identity and we no longer have the
authority to do things in our own name. But truly doing all things in
Christâs name causes us to enter into a revolutionary power that no
secularist can have. God doesnât want us simply teaching our children
competencies. He wants us living a supernatural life.
Ephesians 1:3 â âblessed us with every spiritual blessing in the
heavenly places in Christ.â This verse shows that God has not
shortchanged us in this important process of growing in leadership. He
has already blessed us with everything we need in His heavenly bank
account. We must now write checks on this account by faith. Teaching our
children how to live by faith is one of the most important lessons we
can teach.
2Corinthians 12:9 â âthat the power of Christ may rest upon me.â
Doctrine in our heads is a good thing, but Paul wanted his hearers to
experience the reality of Godâs power. We do not want to train our
children to have a form of godliness, but to completely miss out on the
power of true godliness (2 Timothy 3:5).
Ephesians 2:6 â âraised us up together, and made us sit together in the
heavenly places in Christ Jesus.â We have a new authority in Christ that
we would not have in ourselves. To pray from our throne in heaven is to
pray with an authority that moves mountains. It is critical that our
children learn more than simply the ritual of prayer. It is important
that they be shown how to connect with heaven.
Colossians 2:5 â âin whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge.â This verse shows that in Christ we can have all the
leadership wisdom we need for the moment. It is critical that our sons
be taught how to think Godâs thoughts after Him.
Apart from life, which flows from Christ, leadership is weak
Just as Christ revealed the fact that He was in fellowship with the
Father, the apostles showed clearly that they were in fellowship with
Christ. Acts 4:13 says, âNow when they saw the boldness of Peter and
John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they
marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.â They
realized by their leadership that they had been with Jesus. The
fellowship that these apostles had with Christ gave to them an
authority, confidence and power in their leadership that none of the
seminary trained rabbis had. The rabbis had vast training, but they
lacked the authority, confidence and power of the apostles. There was
something about the apostlesâ presence and character that transcended
the credentials of the world. Being with Christ impacts our leadership
far more profoundly than reading about Christ. If leaders are healthy
leaders, the reaction of others will be the same. They will see a life
transformation.
Luke 6:40 says, âA disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who
is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.â That is dealing with
far more than facts. The Bible speaks of transference of life,
character, and competencies. And doing that requires spending much time
with the Teacher. Good leadership will exhibit more and more of Christâs
leadership character, but this can only happen as we are sensitive to
His ongoing training work in our lives. Christ is the ultimate builder
of leaders. And what He does not build in us will be burned up as hay,
wood and stubble. It is being like Christ that is important in
leadership development. Without it, all the skills we build are garbage.
But no matter what opposition a leader may face, if He is in fellowship
with God, He will be able to stand.
In John 14:21 Jesus said, âHe who has My commandments and keeps them, it
is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and
I will love him and manifest Myself to him.â The strength that comes
from fellowship with the Triune God will carry a leader through the
toughest times.
May the Lord prosper your efforts as you use this guide to raise sons who expect
great things from God and attempt great things for Him.
Mentoring Progress Checklist
Son, your goal is to become a shepherd of a family and a leader in the
community. Following is a profile of very specific leadership
competencies in which we men should strive, by Godâs grace, to be
strong. Do not be discouraged by the results as no one has arrived on
all of these points. But they do form a basis by which you can measure
the level of your growth and the areas of training still needed. They
can also be a means by which you can discern where you need to
compensate for your weaknesses. (Every leader has strengths and
weaknesses and a wise leader will bring strong men onto his leadership
team who can compensate for those weaknesses.) Remember that the goal of
this is to guide you in the path of growing in holiness and growing in
leadership skill. Confess your sins and failings to God remembering
Christ is your faithful high priest and shepherd â the Shepherd of
shepherds! (Heb. 4:16) Rejoice in your weaknesses and let them drive you
to depend upon Christ and receive help from His people. Prayerfully set
goals. Ask people to pray for you and hold you accountable. Above all,
do not let Satan discourage you with the results. Instead, rejoice in
the fact that throughout Scripture God used weak and sinful creatures to
accomplish his will. But do not let that fact keep you from pressing
toward the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:14). Remember
that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day
of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6).
Rank yourself in each of the competencies that follow.
Fill in each blank according to this scale:
1
2
3
4
5
Strongly Agree
Agree
Uncertain/Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Press the Tab key to go move from field to field.
Answers will be remembered if you close the page and come back later.
Communication
Proverbs 10:19 says, âIn the multitude of words, sin is not lacking.â If
that is true, leaders will be ever prone to stumble if they do not have
a great deal of maturity in speech. Since God measures our words (Matt.
12:36-37; Psalm 19:14; Mal. 3:16-18; Prov. 6:16-19; Numb. 12:1-15; James
5:19), and since words reflect our inner self (Matt. 12:33-35; James
3:11), and since Satan is very interested in destroying ministry through
our words (James 3:1-12), and since God calls us to submit our tongues
to His lordship (Psalm 12:4), it is important that we evaluate our
speech.
I am ready to teach my future family the Biblical principles of
communication.
I am quite mature in living out those principles of communication.
I can think through the appropriate motive, goal and standard for
speech.
I am sensitive to the circumstances when I speak (e.g. Prov. 27:14;
Prov. 15:1).
I sometimes try to cheer peopleâs spirits through laughter (Prov.
17:22; 12:25; 15:13,15)
I try to minister with letters (or phone) to distant friends,
relatives or missionaries (Prov. 25:25)
I can always be trusted to keep my word (Matt. 5:37).
I am not hasty with my words (Prov. 29:30; James 1:19).
I feel comfortable admonishing people when needed (Rom. 15:14).
But, since love covers a multitude of sins, I recognize that there
are times when patience is called for rather than rebuke (1Thes.
5:14).
I try to avoid arguments and quarrels (2Tim. 2:24).
I enjoy greeting others (Rom. 16:3-6,16).
I honor magistrates and others in authority over me even when I
disagree with them (Prov. 23:5; Ex. 22:28; Jude 8).
I honor those who are older than me (1Tim. 5:1-2; Lev. 19:32). For
example, I do not rebuke an older man, but entreat him as a father
(1Tim. 5:1). I speak respectfully to my parents.
I do not gossip (Prov. 16:27-28). I keep private things private and
do not broaden the circle of those who need to know about a sin
beyond the circle of those who are helping (Matt. 18:15; Prov.
11:12-13).
I do not listen to gossip, but immediately reprove it (Prov. 17:4)
or ask what solution the speaker and I are going to bring to the
situation (since being privy means that both of us must be part of
the solution).
I have learned when it is useless to reprove someone (Prov. 9:8).
I value the rebukes of others (Psalm 141:5; Ecc. 7:5).
I give true praise rather than flattery (Ps. 12:3) and I understand
the difference between the two.
I am not overly harsh with others, but seek to be gentle (Prov.
12:18; Eph. 4:2,5; 2Tim. 2:24).
I do not trouble my house (Prov. 11:29) with constant nagging (Prov.
19:13; 21:9,19).
I donât always speak my mind, but instead seek to be short on words
(Prov. 10:19; 12:13; 13:3; 18:7; 21:23; Ecc. 5:3).
I do not take the name of the Lord in vain, even with euphemisms
(such as Golly, Gosh, Cripes, Jeesh, etc.)
I do not needlessly denigrate a person with name-calling (Matt.
5:22).
I immediately repent of my lies and confess them to others (Prov.
12:22; Eph. 4:25).
I do not cover my lies by saying, âI was only jokingâ (Prov. 26:19).
I frequently turn away anger with a soft answer (Prov. 15:1).
The Spirit prompts me to speak a word of blessing that was just
right, or is in the right timing (Prov. 15:23; 25:11).
My words are constructive rather than tearing down (Prov. 12:18;
15:4). And even when they are words that do hurt, they are a loving
hurt designed to promote health (Prov. 27:6).
I am known as a person with âsweetness of lipsâ (Prov. 16:21,24).
People tend to appreciate me because of the way I say things (Prov.
22:11).
I do not tear down government (whether civil, church or family), but
rather seek to constructively promote righteousness (Prov. 11:11;
Acts 23:5; Ex. 22:28; Jude 8).
Average for Communication:
Do not be discouraged if you have done poorly on this part of the
survey. And do not allow pride to keep you from a time of real growth.
Instead, be encouraged that you have a mentor who values character
development just as much as theological development. God is bringing
these issues before you so you can learn and grow.
Joy
God made families as a training ground for character. If your brothers
and sisters (and parents) were always easy to get along with, there
would be no tests of character that would be opportunities for growth.
If your family robs you of your joy, you are not yet ready to go out
into the world. Anyone who reaches out to the hurting and disadvantaged
(as godly leaders should â see James 1:27), will begin to see the
seamier side of life. You will find that your work is rarely
appreciated; you will receive opposition, slander and have hurt
feelings. But it is possible to have great joy in your ministry despite
these things. Satan will attempt to rob you of your joy in ministry, and
it is important that you learn how to rejoice in the midst of adverse
circumstances. âThe joy of the Lord is your strength.â (Neh. 8:10) Godâs
Spirit-given joy is quite different from natural joy.
Natural joy
Joking, clowning around and humor can make people feel better, but
if it is natural joy, it will lead to emptiness and not fully
satisfy (Ecc. 2:2; 7:6; Prov. 14:13).
Aesthetic joy over beauty, music, social galas, orations, poetry has
sustained people during times of grief and pain, but though
spiritual joy can involved these things, it goes far beyond them.
Joy over spiritual things is possible for the unregenerate, but it
is temporary (Ezekiel 33:30-33; Is. 58:1-2; Matt. 13:20-21).
While natural joy is OK, none of this is the âfullness of joyâ that
Scripture speaks of (John 15:11; 16:24; 1John 1:4; 2John 12; 1Pet.
1:8)
Spiritual joy
Compatible with tribulation (âI am exceedingly joyful in all our
tribulationâ 2Cor. 6:4)
Compatible with sorrow (âas sorrowful, yet always rejoicingâ 2Cor.
6:10).
The following questions will help you to discern whether you need to
grow in this supernatural joy of the Lord.
Measuring your fellowship with God by your joy
Do you delight in private prayer and gain deep satisfaction from
your devotions?
Do you gain deep satisfaction throughout the day by the knowledge of
Godâs presence with you?
Measuring your knowledge by your joy
Are you a biblical realist who sees things from Godâs perspective?
(2Chron. 20)
Are you known to have a positive outlook on life? (Can you see the
silver lining on the storm clouds?)
Do you avoid being overcome by tragedy or discouraging events; are
you sustained by a knowledge of Godâs provisions?
Does the thought of forgiveness, peace with God, assurance of
salvation, and victory over temptation give you a deep satisfaction?
Measuring your worship by your joy
Do you find great joy in worship? (Is. 56:7; 2:2-3) Does this joy
depend upon aesthetics (music, oratory, etc.), or is it also present
if your church is like a dungeon (cf. Acts 16:25)?
Are your âAmenâsâ and âPraise the Lordâsâ an expression to God of
a heart that is burning (as opposed to being a mere social loyalty)?
Are you known as a singing Christian because of your joy in singing?
Is singing merely a convention to you, or do you find yourself
meaning the words and singing them to the Lord?
Measuring your Spirit infilling by your joy
Do you engage in service with joy rather than merely as a duty? (Dt.
28:47; Ps. 100:2) Does this joy give you enthusiasm and perseverance
in your labors (Neh. 8:10)?
Do you have a deep joy in the midst of suffering (as opposed to
being conquered by adversity?)? (Acts 5:41; Matt. 5:11-12; 2Cor.
6:4,10; 1Thes. 1:6).
Does your joy give you boldness in witness? (Acts 5:41-42; 4:29-33)
Average for Joy:
Faith
Scripture says, "without faith it is impossible to please God." This is
obviously a critical area of concern. Families and ministries rise or
fall based on the faith of the leaders. Hebrews 11 says that everything
is to be done through faith. However, faith is not static. It is not a
situation where you either have it or you don't. The Bible says that we
can grow in faith (2Thes. 1:3), and so the disciples ask Christ,
"Increase our faith" (Luke 17:5). Rom. 12:3 speaks of the measure of
faith that God gives. 1Tim. 4:6 speaks of nourishing us in the words of
faith. Thus the Bible speaks of no faith, dead faith, little faith
(Matt. 6:30; 8:26; 14:31; 16:8; Luke 12:28), weak faith (Rom. 4:19;
14:1), and futile faith. It also speaks of sincere faith (1Tim. 1:5),
great faith (Matt. 8:10), full of faith (Acts 6:5), rich in faith (James
2:5), increasing faith (2Cor. 10:15), growing faith (2Thes. 1:3), strong
in faith (Rom. 4:20), firm faith (Col. 2:5 NIV), strengthened faith
(Col. 2:7 NIV), and mature faith (James 2:22). In Hebrews 12:2 it says
that Christ is the author and perfecter of our faith.
Faith is important. We are not only justified by faith (Eph. 2:8), but
have access to God by faith (Rom. 5:1-2), are purified by faith (Acts
15:9), sanctified by faith (Acts 26:18) and live by faith (Gal. 3:11).
Christ dwells in our hearts by faith (Eph. 3:17) and we approach God
with freedom and confidence by faith (Eph. 3:12). Through faith we
inherit the promises (Heb. 6:12) and understand God's power, workings,
and will (Heb. 11:3). Faith produces obedience (Rom. 1:5), protects from
Satan's attacks like a shield (Eph. 6:16) and as a breastplate (1Thes.
5:8). Faith is the victory that overcomes the world (1John 5:4). Twice
the Bible tells us to pursue faith (1Tim. 6:11; 2Tim. 2:22). Again,
Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith it is impossible to please God. It
was weakness of faith that most disappointed Christ in His ministry.
Five times He said, "O you of little faith!" Three times He spoke of
their lack of faith. He asked, "Do you still have no faith?" (Mark
4:40). "Where is your faith?" (Luke 8:25) Twice He praised the faith of
Gentiles and said that He hadn't found such faith in all Israel. He
mentioned His disappointment over His disciples little or no faith ten
times. Is Jesus satisfied with your faith? Are you growing in faith?
Have you asked God to increase your faith? And if He has increased your
faith, how would you know? Is there an objective standard of
measurement?
Faith is probably the most difficult aspect of our spiritual life to
measure for three reasons:
It is unseen except as evident in prayer, attitude and actions. We
can think we have faith and yet be deceived. James tells us to show him
our faith by our works.
Faith may be accepted by God long before the results are seen on
earth. Daniel's prayers are a good example (Dan. 10:12-13)
God makes us wait at times to bring about greater results (Is.
30:18).
Measure your faith by your response to circumstances
Are you able to trust God when the going gets tough?
Is Romans 8:28 a firm conviction of yours even when circumstances
are tough?
Measure your faith by your attitudes toward God
I can honestly say with Job, âThough He slay me, yet will I trust
Himâ (Job 13:15)
Measure your faith by your assurance that God is too good to forget
you, too wise to make a mistake, too loving to let you be ultimately
hurt or be the loser, and too mighty to ever be defeated.
Measure your faith by your response to Scripture
Do the promises of Scripture buoy your spirits?
Do you believe the Scriptures even when it is not politically
correct to do so, or even when it bucks peer pressure?
Do you experience God speaking to you through the Bible?
When you meditate on Scripture do you find it changing your
attitudes?
Measure your faith by your obedience and action
Paul speaks of the âobedience of faithâ (Romans 1:5; 16:26) and
every example of faith in Hebrews 11 is of some aspect of tough
obedience. Measure your faith by the consistency with which you do
the right thing even though it scares you to death or is
uncomfortable.
Do you believe in action (such as pro-life action, evangelism, etc)
but rarely do the action, or are your actions consistent with your
theology?
Do you tithe even when it seems like you wonât be able to make ends
meet?
Measure your faith by your vision
Do you believe that the Great Commission can be and will be
accomplished?
Do you really believe God can change tough hearts (or do you tend to
give up on them)?
Do you consciously think of laying up treasures in heaven?
Do you believe that God sends angelic protection (2 Kings 6:17)?
Do you believe Godâs promise that âI can do all things through
Christ who strengthens meâ (Phil. 4:13) or do you give up on things
God has convicted you to do?
Measure your faith by your outflowing streams
John 7:38-39 promises that those who believe in Christ will have
rivers of living water flowing out of their innermost being. What
kind of rivers flow out of you? Rivers of love or rivers of
bitterness; rivers of joy or of dreariness and despair; rivers of
life or of death?
I regularly minister to my siblings through kind deeds, actions and
words.
God has brought me to the place where I find joy in serving my
parents.
Measure your faith by your initiative
I take risks in advancing Godâs cause, just as Abraham left his home
to follow Godâs call.
I donât have to see all the way to the end before I am will to
tackle a project that is Biblical.
I anticipate the desires of my parents and do them without being
told.
Measure your faith by your perseverance
I believe Galatians 6:9 (that we will reap if we do not lose heart)
and therefore I do not easily get discouraged.
I do not give up on Biblical projects even when they are boring and
hard. I am confident that I will be able to finish everything God
has given to me.
Do others see you as reliable?
Measure your faith by your ability to praise God
Praise is a regular part of my life.
I find myself praising God even when I have just gotten a flat tire,
or a leaking roof, or a sprained ankle or opposition of the
neighbors (2Chron. 20:20-22; cf. Paul & Silas)
Faith causes me not to despair, even though I am perplexed (2Cor.
4:8)
Average for Faith:
Prayer
If it is true that without Jesus we can do nothing (John 15:5), then we
should continue âsteadfastly in prayerâ (Rom. 12:12) and âpray without
ceasingâ (1Thes. 5:17). According to the apostles, the two most
important parts of ministry are ministering the Word and prayer (Acts
6:4). When you grow up you will likely be the pastor of your home, and
must be engaged in prayer. Prayer will make or break a ministry. Yet
prayer is one of the things that Christians struggle with the most.
Measure your prayer life by your sense of communion with God
Do you look forward to spending time with God?
Do you commune with God in worship service?
Is your heart drawn out to God in the Lordâs Supper?
Do you have a constant awareness of Godâs presence/power/ love, etc.
like Enoch did?
Do you have any special times when you are aware of Godâs
overwhelming presence?
Do you long to bring holy satisfaction to God?
Is the intimacy of Romans 8:15 an experienced reality? (âFor you did
not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received
the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out âAbba, Father.ââ)
Measure the breadth of your intercessory life
Is your intercession wide enough to include your whole community?
local officials by name? other churches? pastors?
Are you a spiritual watchman for your church? for your city? for
your nation?
Do you pray for *all* who are in authority? (1Tim. 2:1-2) other
nations? world leaders? world problems?
Do you have a list that you pray from (or do you just go from
memory)?
Measure your prayers by the depth of your life
Do you ever weep or groan over those for whom you are interceding?
(Rom. 8:26)
Are your intercessions merely born as a duty, or do you carry a
great spiritual burden?
Is the phrase âpray without ceasingâ (1Thes. 5:17) a reality for
you, even though no words may come to your mind. In other words, is
Godâs presence and communion a continual reality throughout the day?
Measure your prayers by the height of your life
Do you ever sense that you have reached the throne of grace? Has God
given you assurance of an answer?
How many answered prayers have you received? Have you recorded them?
Are you bold in asking for answers that are worthy of a King? or are
your requests smaller than God?
Are there times when you are so caught up in prayer that you lose
track of time?
Measure your prayers by the length of your life
How would you answer Christâs question: âCould you not keep watch
with me for one hour?â
How many times has the Holy Spirit given you a special prayer
burden?
What is the length of your prayer list?
How long have you persevered in praying for one person?
Do you find an hour of prayer quite common?
Has God ever given you such a burden for prayer that it has
stretched out longer?
Average for Prayer:
Disciplines of Thought
Usually my thoughts are about praiseworthy things (Phil. 4:8).
I donât tend to focus on the faults, failures, and sins of others,
or at least I do not let those faults blind me to what God has
accomplished of good in anotherâs life.
For the most part, I have gained purity of mind, and do not dwell
upon impure thoughts.
I can teach others how to gain purity of thought and freedom from
pornographic images.
My mind is not always preoccupied with material things, though I see
all of this material life as a good gift from God.
Godâs peace usually rules in my heart (Col. 3:15).
I do not hunger for the praise of men, nor am I disappointed when I
fail to receive such praise.
I memorize Scripture every week.
I meditate on Scripture regularly.
My thoughts do not wander during worship.
Average for Disciplines of Thought:
Humility
I focus more on my own need than I do on the failures of others.
I esteem others better than myself and do not tend to look down on
others.
I recognize my need of God and of the body and do not tend to have a
self-sufficient or independent spirit.
I am more likely to yield rights rather than demanding rights.
I am more motivated to serve others than to be served.
I love letting others get the credit even when I have done much of
the work.
I keep being more amazed by how much I still have to learn, rather
than having the attitude that I know it all.
I am more concerned with being real than with being respectable.
I am more concerned with what God thinks of me than with what others
think.
I am quick to admit failure and to ask for forgiveness.
I am able to acknowledge specifics when I confess my sin.
I take the initiative to get reconciled (even when I am not in the
wrong) rather than waiting for the other person to come and ask
forgiveness.
I tend to see myself as being far less holy than God rather than
comparing myself to others and thinking of myself as being pretty
good.
I want the Scriptures to uncover unknown sins. Psalm 141:5 is true
of me: âLet the righteous strike me; it shall be a kindness. And let
him rebuke me; it shall be an excellent oil; let my head not refuse
it.â
I receive criticism with an open spirit of wanting to grow in grace.
I find it just as easy to pray in private as to pray when others
notice me.
After I have done a great job, I can agree with the statement, âI am
an unworthy servant of the Lord; I am only doing what is my duty to
doâ (Luke 17:10).
I daily pray to God because I sense my total dependence upon Him
(Phil. 1:21).
I recognize that all my competencies come from God (2Cor. 3:5-6).
I regularly give God all the glory.
I thank God when I do something embarrassing, because it is one more
opportunity to crucify my fleshly pride.
It is my desire that I might decrease and Christ increase (John
3:30).
I am able to bless others when they curse me (Rom. 12:14)
I tend to yield my rights more than I claim rights. I donât have a
demanding spirit.
I am quick to forgive others who have hurt me, knowing how much I
have sinned against God (Eph. 4:32).
Average for Humility:
Developing a Sonship Relationship vs. an Orphan Heart
View of God:
I see God as a loving father, dependable and consistent. Not as a harsh master.
Dependency:
I have full trust in God and am dependent on him. I am not self-reliant.
Approval:
I am secure in justification and the love of God. I am not seking the approval of man.
Motive for service:
I serve out of gratitude for God's acceptance, as an expression of love for God, motivated by God's love for us. Not personal achievement, trying to impress others.
Ethics:
God's acceptance gives me a secure framework for enjoying the law, liberty. I don't look to rules as a framework for gaining acceptance.
Security:
I feel rest, security, peace.
Disciplines:
I find the disciplines to be a means of enjoying God, not a duty or for brownie points.
Holiness:
I want to be holy, I delight in holy intimacy with God.
Self-image:
I am humble, confident, joyful in acceptance, I feel sorrow when God is displeased, but no loss in acceptance.
Comfort:
I find comfort in solitude with God, and enjoy my relationship with God. I do not seek comfort in addictions, compulsions, escapism, busyness, hyper-activity.
Peers:
I am able to rejoice over others people's blessings. I do not feel rivalry or jealousy.
Handling faults of others:
My love covers other people's faults, I am gentle and patient. I do not accuse or expose others to make them look bad and make myself look good by comparison.
View of authority:
I respect authority, seeing it as God's gift. I do not distrust authority or view it as a source of pain.
View of admonition:
I view admonishment as a blessing, I want my sins exposed and put to death. I do not resist admonition out of insecurity or because I must be right.
Expression of love:
I am open, patient, laying down my own agendas to meet the needs of others. I am not guarded, conditional, expressing love based on the performance of others.
Sense of God's presence:
I see God as close and intimate, not conditional and distant.
Condition:
I feel libertated, not in bondage.
Position:
I feel like a child of God, not like an unappreciated servant.
Vision:
I have a vision to experience more of God's grace, power, and presence in service, and to see His cause and kingdom advanced. I do not have a vision for seeking recognition.
Future:
I enjoy the fact that God's future is perfect and ushers me into more of my inheritance.
Average for Sonship Relationship:
Self-Denial/Mortification of Sin/Crucifixion
I fast more than once a year.
I get up when the alarm goes off.
I am self-disciplined in my schedule.
At the end of the day, I evaluate how I have done spiritually.
When trying to overcome my sins, I do homework that crucifies the
underlying motivation for the sin. (See Adamâs put offs and put
ons.)
I have developed a daily discipline of memorization of Scripture and
meditation on those Scriptures.
I typically do the responsible thing rather than the easy thing.
I am quick to repent.
I do not give up in despair when I fall into sin. Instead, I find
cleansing and hope in the cross of Jesus Christ and get back up to
engage myself once again in the battle. (âYou have not yet resisted
to bloodshed, striving against sinâ in Heb. 12:4 is basically
saying, âWhere are your war wounds? How serious are you in your
spiritual battle? You seem to flee before you are even engaged in
battle.â)
I do not view grace as an excuse for sin, but rather can say with
Paul âthrough Him \[Jesus\] we have received grace⌠for obedienceâŚâ
(Rom. 1:5).
I do not have any addictions (pornography, alcohol, caffeine,
prescription drugs, non-prescription products, etc.).
I have a highly developed âsales resistance.â
Average for Self-Denial:
Future Orientation/Investment Mentality
I have at least a ten year plan
I have at least a general outline of a 100-year plan.
I plan my week, and I do so every week.
I have aspirations of what I can pass on to my grandchildren.
I am already making positive decisions that will benefit my children
and grandchildren.
The Seven Laws of Harvest
These seven laws from Galatians 6 can be summarized as follows
(rate yourself on your overall understanding of how to apply these
in concrete ways):
We Reap Only When There Has Been Sowing (v. 7,8 âwhatever a man
sows, that he will also reap⌠he who sowsâŚwillâŚreapâ; cf.
2Cor. 9:6; Prov. 19:17; 1Tim. 6:17-19)
We Reap The Same Kind As We Sow (vs. 7,8 âwhateverâŚthatâ
âfleshâŚSpiritâ; cf. John 3:6-7; Gal. 6:7-8; Job. 4:8; Prov.
26:27; Psalm 7:15-16; James 3:18; Phil. 4:14-19; Mark 10:29-30;
Luke 6:38; Prov 19:17; 2Cor. 9:6-11; etc.)
We Reap A Multiplied Increase Of What We Sow (v. 8
âcorruptionâŚeverlasting lifeâ; Gen. 26:12; Mark 4:20; Hos 8:7;
Heb 12:15; cf. Prov. 4:18; 22:8; Hos. 8:7; 2 Sam. 11; 2 Sam.
12:5-6 with Ex. 22:1; Lev. 26:18,21 [discipline gets worse and
worse 1x7x7x7x7-; Luke 6:38; Matt. 19:29; Eph. 3:20; 2Cor. 9:6;
Prov. 19:17; 1Tim. 6:17-19; etc.)
We Reap In A Different Season Than We Sow (v. 9 âin due seasonâ;
James 5:7; Eccl. 11:1; Gal. 6:9; Prov. 11:18; Eccl. 8:11)
We Reap The Full Harvest Of The Good Only If We Persevere: The Evil
Comes To Harvest On Its Own (vs. 6,9,10; cf. Gal. 6:9; 2John 1:8;
Heb. 12:1-3; Rom. 5:3-4; Ps. 37:7; Heb. 10:32-36)
We Reap In Proportion to our Diligence (vv. 6,10; 2 Cor 9:6; Prov
12:27; Ecc. 9:10; Gal. 4:18; Prov. 10:4; 21:5; 12:24; 17:2; Matt
25:21; Deut. 4:29; Heb 11:6; Jer. 29:13; Deut. 6:5; 13:3ff; Rom.
12:11; Prov 8:17; Deut. 6:7; Prov. 3:5-6; 2 Cor 9:6-8; Ex. 15:26;
etc.)
We Reap From the Sowing of Others (vv. 6,10; John 4:35-38)
We Cannot Do Anything About Last Yearâs Bad Harvest, But We Can Do
Something About This Yearâs Harvest (âdo not grow wearyâŚlose
heartâ; cf. Phil. 3:13-14; Heb 6:1)
I understand the seven laws of harvest and am highly motivated by
them.
I do not easily get discouraged and give up (Gal. 6:9).
I frequently think about how my actions will make a long-term
difference.
I think from an eternal perspective, and I rejoice in being able to
lay up treasures in heaven.
I have a retirement fund that I regularly put money into.
I invest my money to gain better returns.
I practice deferred gratification (denying myself pleasures now so
that I can have more in the future).
Proverbs 22:3 (and 27:12) describes me as a prudent man: âA prudent
man foresees evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and
are punished.â
Just as a good chess player can see several plays ahead, I can
usually discern the long-term ramifications of theological decisions
and personal decisions.
When I vote, influence legislators and get involved culturally, I
think about the long-term effects, not just short term gains.
Average for Future Orientation:
Love
I love God with my heart and delight in communion with Him.
I love God with my mind and delight in studying about Him and about
His good creation.
I love God with my strength (my actions).
I express my love to God every day.
I have a great hunger for Godâs Word. I diligently search for wisdom
âas for hidden treasureâ (Prov. 2:4)
I can measure my love for God by the number of things in my life
that I adjust because I want to please Him.
I can measure my love for God by the number of things I do for
others in Jesusâ name and for Jesusâ sake.
I can measure my love by the degree of joy I have in seeing other
believers walking in the truth (3John 4)
I can measure my love by my willingness to overlook the failures,
mistakes, weaknesses and shortcomings of other fellow believers.
I can measure my love for the unsaved by the fact that I pray for
them.
I can measure my love for the unsaved by the fact that I evangelize
them.
Average for Love:
Mission/Vision
I do not launch initiatives before thinking through questions of
cost and resources (Luke 14:28-32)
I am a âbig pictureâ leader never losing sight of the greater
vision.
I find it easy to communicate my vision to others.
I believe that I have an eternal perspective on the mundane things
that I do day by day.
I am driven by the Greatness of the Great Commission as articulated
in the four âallâs: all authority, all nations, all things Jesus
commanded, & all the days. (see the Biblical Blueprints website;
search for âFour Allsâ)
I have clearly defined core values.
I am able to clearly articulate a specific philosophy of ministry.
My mission/vision has been translated into prioritization of the
things that I do, and is reflected in my schedule (i.e., high
priority items are not neglected in the schedule).
Average for Mission/Vision:
Spiritual Warfare
I have total confidence that Satan was âboundâ at the cross (Mark.
3:27; Luke 11:20; Rev. 20), and that his power is restricted and
restrained (2Thes. 2:6f), that he has been rendered âpowerless over
believersâ (Heb. 2:14), has been defeated, disarmed and spoiled
(Col. 2:15; Rev. 12:7ff), that he has no authority over believers
(Col. 1:13), that his works have been destroyed (1John 3:8) and that
he must flee when he is resisted (James 4:7). This confidence has
made me lose my fear of Satan.
On the other hand, I recognize that this very defeat of Satan has
made him enraged and that he does inflict pain and suffering upon
the church through persecution (Rev. 12:11-17).
I regularly take into account the demonic warfare that goes on
behind the scenes (Eph. 6:12). I see Satan as the ruler over the
world system (1John 5:19; John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; Rev. 12:9; Matt.
4:8-11; Luke 4:5-8; 2Cor. 4:4) and thus the world stands in
opposition to believers (1John 2:15-17; John 17:14).
I recognize that Satan seeks to infiltrate the church through both
teachers (2Cor. 11:13-15; 2 Pet. 2:1-19; cf. use of demons in 1Tim.
4:1-5) and false disciples (Matt. 13:38-39).
I am competent in the âweapons of our warfareâ that are used for
âpulling down strongholdsâ (2Cor. 10:3-6) and do not âwar according
to the fleshâ (v. 3).
I know how to clothe myself in the armor of God and I regularly do
so through prayer.
I know how to take Satan to the courtroom of heaven and seek justice
against Satan from God.
I know the weak chinks in my armor that Satan takes advantage of.
I can instantly recognize demonic attack in my life.
I know how to dedicate a house to God and cleanse it of demons.
I can sense when demonic activity has entered our house.
I know which things and which compromises can easily give Satan
legal grounds for afflicting me, and I know how to guard myself so
that the wicked one cannot touch me (1John 5:18).
I know how to cast out a demon.
I have had success in praying warfare prayers against Satanâs
kingdom.
I have gone with others in prayer walking, invading Satanâs
territory and claiming it for King Jesus.
I know how to use the imprecatory prayers effectively against Godâs
enemies.
Average for Spiritual Warfare:
Spiritual Vitality
I presently have a rich and growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
I have a daily time of prayer and Bible study.
I memorize Scripture every day
I meditate on Scripture daily.
I come away from sermons and devotions with an action list.
I regularly grow by implementing the action list.
I think I can effectively lead the family in devotions.
God is a normal part of every aspect of my discussions.
I have no sacred/secular dichotomy in my life. All of life is
service to God.
I have a constant awareness of Godâs presence and power in my life.
I know what it means to âwalk in the Spiritâ (Gal. 5:16), âsing in
the Spiritâ (1Cor. 14:15), to âworshipâŚin the Spiritâ (Phil. 3:3),
to ârejoice in the Holy Spiritâ (1Thes. 1:6; Rom. 14:17), to âpray
in the Spiritâ (Jude 20; Eph. 6:18), âlove in the Spiritâ (Col.
1:18), be âled by the Spiritâ (Matt. 4:1; Rom. 8:14; Gal. 5:18), be
âmoved by the Spiritâ (Luke 2:27), be âcompelled by the Spiritâ
(Acts 20:22 NIV) and to have my âmind controlled by the Spiritâ
(Rom. 8:6). I know what it means to have every part of me be
controlled by the Spirit (Rom. 8:6,9) so that I might âlive in the
Spiritâ (Gal. 5:25; Rom. 8:13). I want to be taught by the Holy
Spirit (1Cor. 2:13), to speak by the Spirit since âno one can say
that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spiritâ (1Cor. 12:3).
I know what it means to walk by faith.
I have learned how to have a pure thought life.
Average for Spiritual Vitality:
Worship
I understand the Regulative Principle of
Worship and could defend it from Scripture.
I understand the degrees of flexibility that God allows within the
regulative principle of worship.
I understand both the need for awe (Heb. 12:28-29; Lev. 19:30; Eccl.
5:1; Mal. 1:6) and joy (Deut. 12:7,12,18; 14:26; Neh. 8:10) in
worship.
I can articulate the difference between formal worship and informal
worship.
I understand what it means to sing âwith grace in your heartsâ (Col.
3:16).
My mind is always in gear when I sing (1Cor. 14:15) so that I am
consciously worshipping and dwelling on wisdom, teaching and/or
admonishment (Col. 3:16).
The worship songs I sing are so filled with Scripture or Scriptural
teaching that it causes âthe word of Christ [to] dwell in you
richlyâ (Col. 3:16).
I know how to read parts in music.
I practice for worship (Ps. 33:3; 1Chron. 25:7-8).
I am skilled at knowing which Psalms to turn to for any given
subject.
I have learned how to base every aspect of my prayer life on the
Word of God.
I donât preach at people in my prayers, but God is my object (Matt.
6:5).
I seek to pray from the heart (Ezek. 33:31; Rom. 8:27), depending
upon the Spirit to give a âspirit of supplicationâ and can honestly
say that the Spirit stirs me up so that I am âpraying in the Holy
Spiritâ (Jude 20).
I use Saturday as a day of preparation for the Sunday Sabbath.
I come to worship with my sins confessed and spiritually prepared
(Is. 1:13; Amos 5:23; Psalm 50:16; Prov. 21:27).
I understand the Reformed doctrine of the spiritual presence in the
Lordâs Table.
I am able to express emotions in a worship service.
When I lead in family worship, I am able to personally worship
without inhibition.
I am not showy in worship, nor do I have any desire to entertain
(Ezek. 33:30-32; 1Thes. 2:3-4; Gal. 1:10-11)
I see worship as a sacrificial giving to
the Lord of my best (Mal. 1:8,11,13,14; Heb. 13:15; Phil. 2:17;
Psalm 33:3; 1Chron. 25:7-8). Therefore, I do not stay up late on
Saturday night because this would make me dull for Sunday worship.
Average for Worship:
Bible Study
I have a strong sense of my utter dependence upon God when I read
the Scriptures and I echo Davidâs cry, âOpen my eyes that I may
behold wonderful things out of Your law.â
I know the rules for understanding the different literary styles
found in the Bible.
I have been following a systematic reading of the whole Bible.
I have read through the entire Bible at least once every two years.
I know how to do a word study.
I know how to use a concordance to find things in the Bible.
I know how to quickly find Biblical sites on a map.
I can give the basic gist of each book of the Bible.
I memorize verses every week.
I have done topical studies of Proverbs (finding every verse in
Proverbs that speaks to a given issue).
I read a Psalm or a chapter of Proverbs every day.
I have read at least one systematic theology textbook.
I can give at least some Scripture to prove every major doctrine:
the Trinity, Godâs attributes, the deity and humanity of Jesus, the
nature of man, the doctrine of salvation (calling, regeneration,
repentance, faith, justification, adoption, sanctification,
glorification), prayer, seven principles of church government,
doctrine of Scripture, doctrine of angels, Satan and spiritual
warfare, eschatology.
I regularly read books that apply the Bible to life.
I am consistent in applying what the Spirit teaches me from the
Bible.
Average for Bible Study:
Evangelism
I am presently sharing my faith with nonbelievers.
I pray for the lost regularly.
I know how to share the basics of the Gospel in less than five
minutes.
I know how to share the Gospel in more detail over a period of an
hour.
I pray that God would give me the privilege of leading an unbeliever
to Christ.
I understand both the theology behind oikos evangelism as well as
the statistics that show it to be Godâs usual method.
I understand both the theology of heads of households being the key
to reaching households by the Gospel as well as the statistics that
show it to be Godâs usual method.
God and His Word relate to everything in life, and therefore every
part of my conversation tends to natural lead to talking about Him
or His Word.
I understand what it means to disciple one into the faith and the
contrast between this and decisionalism.
Average for Evangelism:
Personal Integrity and Accountability (Moral Purity)
My life is consistent with my values.
I have friends to whom I have given the freedom to point out my
blind spots.
I have an accountability partner who truly challenges me to grow.
I never view pornography
I use Covenant Eyes or some other form of accountability to help me
avoid pornography and have two good accountability partners who see
what websites I get onto.
I do not abuse the Christian liberty of food. I am not overweight.
I do not use alcohol to âtake the edge offâ.
I am not involved in gambling.
I am not involved in inappropriate relationships with the opposite
sex.
I am not lazy or undisciplined.
I am not a workaholic.
Average for Personal Integrity and Accountability:
Community Development
I am seeking to obey all the âone-anotherâ passages in scripture by
developing meaningful relationships with other saints.
I not only believe that every member should be involved in ministry,
but I try to promote an every-member ministry.
I regularly engage in hospitality.
I participate in a small group.
I am quick to greet new visitors at church and to dialogue with
them.
I do not dominate small group discussions.
I seek to draw people into conversation with the use of good
questions.
I create an atmosphere of acceptance and forgiveness for past sins
and failures.
Average for Community Development:
Stewardship (Personal and Church Finances)
I presently tithe.
I give above and beyond the tithe.
I give the first fruits of my time & talent to the ministry.
I am a good steward of personal finances.
I am a good steward of the clothing, books and assets that I have.
I am generous with my money.
I save money for emergencies, large future purchases and for
retirement rather than borrowing money.
I know the principles of wise investment.
I buy my vehicles in cash (by saving up over several years) rather
than going into debt.
I do not have any debts other than house and business.
I would not be embarrassed if someone were to look at my check
register.
I know how to counsel others out of debt. I can also teach them how
to make a budget.
Average for Stewardship:
Life Planning and Management (Time Management, Stress Management)
I adapt quickly, flexibly and creatively to the unexpected
I use my time very efficiently.
I am able to do two things at once.
I do not regularly operate in crisis mode
I am regarded as someone who can bounce back after failure.
I have a good mixture of seriousness and joy.
I do not tend to blow in the wind of othersâ opinions or get
overwhelmed by peopleâs demands and agendas.
I exemplify confidence in the sovereign control of God.
I do not have a difficult time saying ânoâ simply because I fear the
disapproval of people. Instead, I judge each request for help in
view of Godâs calling.
I do not make commitments without considering time demands.
Rather than trying to âinvent the futureâ in my planning, I try to
discern what God is doing and seek to align my plans to His
providence.
I demonstrate a flexible spirit out of confidence in Godâs control
over all things, Godâs authority over me and Godâs presence with me.
I try to stay in good health through exercise, good sleep habits,
and good eating habits.
I have a daily five minute PEP and a weekly longer PEP. PEP = Prayer
(for guidance), Evaluation of past and Planning for the future.
I operate with a schedule and with a written to-do list.
I am good at time management principles.
Average for Life Planning:
Networking/Gathering
I find great satisfaction in networking with other leaders and
ministries.
I am comfortable in working with people from varied socio/economic
backgrounds.
I can work well with people from varied evangelical backgrounds
without compromising my theological convictions, without keeping
quiet about the differences and without being obnoxious about those
differences.
I am a pioneer as I enjoy beginning projects from scratch.
I am a gatherer as people are naturally drawn to follow me.
I rejoice in the success of Kingdom minded churches in my community.
I feel adequately trained to lead a team of innovative thinkers.
I encourage cooperation / communication when I am put in charge of a
project.
I am not intimidated by more successful or wealthier people.
I am aware of the spiritual challenges in my community.
I value groups and encourage them to take on significant
responsibilities.
I am a team player.
Average for Networking/Gathering:
Leadership Skills (Decision Making, Problem Solving, Motivation, Leading through change)
I can see the need for change before others do.
I am not simply a problem solver. I can see opportunities that can
be exploited where others see only problems that need to be solved.
I have a God-given desire to mobilize others even when there is
strong resistance or inertia.
I can quickly and simply explain the 5Cs and 4Ds of Christâs
leadership development to others.
For an excellent discussion of the 5Cs and 4Ds of leadership
development, see books 2 and 4 of Malcolm Webberâs Spirit Led
Leadership series. These can be purchased at
www.sgai.org. The 5Cs are Christ, Community,
Character, Calling and Competencies. The 4Ds are Spiritual,
Relational, Experiential and Instructional.
I have the 5Câs of Christ, Community, Character, Calling and
Competencies strongly anchored in my life.
I am constantly seeking to improve this world and myself. I donât
accept the idea that âif it ainât broke, donât fix it.â
I am able to focus on the three time horizons of leadership
simultaneously: 1) maintaining core ministries, 2) building emerging
ideas, strategies and processes and 3) planting seeds of innovation
for the future.
I know how to compensate for my own weaknesses through collaboration
with others.
I am good at helping others to succeed without needing credit for
myself.
I am great at delegation, empowering and inspiring, and follow up.
I am quick to admit when I donât know or when I have made a mistake,
and I am just as quick to learn from my mistakes.
I am able to make my conceptual visionary plans concrete enough that
others want to buy into them. I know how to share the vision with
stories, illustrations and word-pictures.
I seek to clarify my vision by 1) seeking Godâs will, 2) evaluating
the past (weakness, strengths, patterns, etc), 3) testing my
assumptions to see if I am being blinded to something that others
can see.
When I seek to motivate others I avoid the extremes of setting
aspirations so high that it sounds like âbig talk,â or of failing to
capture peopleâs hearts because the vision is mediocre and easily
achieved.
I benefit from even âoff the wallâ criticism, and do not become
bitter through unfair words. I try to see the kernel of truth in all
criticism.
I fit the following definition of leadership by Malcolm Webber: âA
leader helps someone move from where he is now to somewhere elseâ
and has a âcapacity to influence others to move.â (See three parts
of this in next three questions.)
I am able to establish direction in a group.
I am able to align people in that direction.
I am able to motivate them to keep moving in that direction.
I have servant leadership. I am truly interested in the welfare of
others. I am not bossy when I lead.
I am a good listener, and can get to the bottom of an issue by
asking good questions.
When leading people through change, I am able to help people
understand why change is being made.
I am skilled at aligning time, resources, and other people who share
my vision in order to achieve biblical goals.
Others recognize my leadership skills.
I am a strategic critical thinker.
I make decisions easily with confidence.
When I lead a meeting, I do not allow meetings to get bogged down in
unnecessary discussions and tangents. I can keep them on track.
I am an effective problem solver.
I do not have a difficult time following through on commitments.
I am comfortable with other people receiving the credit for my
efforts.
I can clarify lines of authority with authority and grace.
Prayer saturates my life.
I have a strong sense of my calling and can describe that to others.
Average for Leadership Skills:
Leadership Development (Raising up the Next Generation of Leaders)
I am firmly convinced that God is the ultimate leader builder, and I
can see Him at work in the lives of my siblings, parents and
associates. If I were mentoring them in leadership, I would know
many providential issues that I could capitalize on to help them
grow.
I regularly pray for the leadership growth of others.
I am not just a book person, but I highly value the role that all
the communities play in leadership development (family, church,
business, small group, neighborhood, etc).
I am convinced that people learn best by doing and through
engagement.
I know the principle by which Christ taught His disciples to grow
through challenging assignments, and I know how to avoid giving
assignments too high that they discourage or assignments too low
that they are boring.
I donât put everyone into the same mould or expect everyone to do
things my way. I value the diversity of gifts and personalities that
God has given to the church.
I understand the value of both team and individual learning
assignments and would know how to use both in raising up another
generation of leaders.
I donât try to protect people from Godâs fires and pressures.
Instead, I try to help them through the fire and to capitalize on
the learning experience in light of Romans 8:28.
I have a mentor to whom I turn for guidance and counsel.
I am committed to raising up the next generation of leadership in my
congregation.
I am committed to raising up the next generation of leadership in my
city.
I can encourage an atmosphere of freedom that encourages people to
find their own ministry.
I am skilled at building lasting relationships.
I regularly inspire confidence in others.
I delegate effectively and try to delegate according to skills and
giftings.
I encourage people who have been through trials to minister to those
facing similar difficulties.
I encourage others to commit to support the work of the church by
employing their God given talents.
I am not threatened by other leaders who possess greater gifts than
me.
Average for Leadership Development:
Ministry Management, Teams, Infrastructure
I have the ability to motivate others.
I demonstrate a flexible spirit out of confidence in Godâs control
over all things, Godâs authority over me and Godâs presence with me.
I am not vague and/or negative when telling team members about
inadequate performance.
Since I will likely be the father/shepherd of my home, I am learning
how to equip others for the work of the ministry rather than doing
the entire ministry myself.
I work well on a team, cooperating and communicating effectively
with others.
I am able to administrate work groups in an efficient way.
I do not despise administration.
I return calls promptly and I regularly meet appointments.
I do not allow jobs to expand to the amount of allotted time.
Instead, I always seek to be more efficient.
I have a system for effective follow-up and care.
I find great satisfaction in giving others positions of significant
responsibility.
Average for Ministry Management:
Conflict Management/Peacemaking
I do not know of any people who have hurt me in the past that I
still feel deeply wounded by.
I have read The Peacemaker by Ken Sande and know how to apply the
principles in that book.
I regularly teach principles of biblical peacemaking.
I do not take the philosophy âlet a sleeping dog lieâ.
I am able to confront others winsomely and gracefully.
There is no one who has hurt me whom I have not forgiven.
I courageously stand against those who would seek to divide the
local body of believers.
I understand and am personally committed to Biblical peacemaking.
I am personally at peace with other members of the church.
There are no outstanding offenses for which I need to ask
forgiveness.
I am skilled in bringing conflict out into the open in a
constructive way.
I am willing to enter into constructive conflict out of biblical
love for others.
Average for Peacemaking:
Theological Soundness
I can give a Biblical proof for the main doctrines of Christendom,
and am prepared to teach my children the doctrines below:
Doctrine of the Trinity
Doctrine of the person and work of Christ (including atonement,
pre-incarnate work, mediatorial work, prophet, priest and king, etc)
Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
Doctrine of the Bible, including its inspiration, inerrancy,
sufficiency, power, nature, uses, etc.
Doctrine of church government
Doctrine of baptism
Doctrine of salvation (including issues such as predestination,
total depravity, calling, regeneration, justification,
sanctification, glorification).
Doctrine of angels and demons
Doctrine of Creation
A Biblical philosophy of history
Biblical apologetics.
Doctrine of eschatology
I regularly search the Scriptures for answers to current issues,
rather than simply taking someone elseâs word for it.
I understand the difference between orthodoxy and liberalism.
I do not tend to discuss certain âpetâ theological topics to the
point of boredom and irritation.
I am not combative, critical or defensive in my applications of
Scripture, but rather, have a trust in Godâs Spirit to open peopleâs
eyes to the truths of the Bible.
I have clear, definite and thought-out biblical positions on the
issues of life and am ready to teach my children how to think
Biblically in the areas below:
Youth groups versus parental discipleship.
The value of a good reputation
Reverence/Respect for authority
Chivalry
Heroism
The proper use of self-defense and weapons ownership.
Why God is non-partisan and politicians must be partisan to God.
Raising children, including discipline, instruction, and family
worship.
Building hedges to protect you from sinful lusts, how to flee from
youthful lusts, how to gain purity of mind.
Fervent prayer
Fasting
Biblical Economics versus socialism.
Principles of stewardship
Self-discipline
Peer-pressure
Cultural idolatry
Environmentalism
Medical ethics including problems with current definitions of death
(âbrain death,â âsocial death,â etc), government regulation,
cloning, in vitro fertilization, etc.
Biblical Counseling versus psychology
Public education controversy.
Honesty
How to deal with envy
How to fight for joy
How to detect humanistic optimism and pessimism versus Biblical
realism.
Ways in which modern evangelicalism has compromised the five solas
of the Reformation: Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Solus Christus,
Sola Fide, Sole Deo Gloria.
Biblical Worship
Self-sacrifice
Biblical grounds for divorce and remarriage.
How to deal with anger
Fighting temptation
Why God gave us the genealogies
Biblical work ethic
Heaven
Spiritual warfare
Feminism
Patriarchy
Miracles
Faithfulness
Generosity
Family
Fertility
Jealousy
Fear of God
The value of Wisdom
Immaturity
Biblical immigration
Privacy
The need for a new reformation
Open Theism
Mormonism
Jehovahâs Witnesses
Islam
Shepherding/Discipleship
Answering supposed contradictions in the Bible
Modesty and proper attire for various occasions
Courtship versus dating
How to listen to a sermon
Devotional time
Meeting God is the âsecret placeâ
Confidence vs. Cowardice
Exercise
Memorization
Our heritage of great heroes
Success
Hell
Conflict resolution
How to start a Bible study/prayer meeting
Biblical principles of good communication and conversation skills
How to read a newspaper
How to inspire others
A Biblical theology of persecution/suffering
The Sabbath
I can explain to another person how to gain control of impure
thoughts through Biblical disciplines.
I can articulate a thoroughly Biblical view of politics (such as a
defense of the three branches of government, separation of powers,
limited powers, delegated powers, Biblical penology, Biblical
principles of court jurisprudence, etc.).
I can defend the Bibleâs position on parental involvement in
education.
I can defend from the Bible the regulative principle of government
(that the family retains to itself all power, rights and ministries
that are not explicitly given by the Bible to church government or
state government).
I can relate Biblical teaching to current events, issues, and human
needs that appear in the newspaper.
I can explain complex issues clearly and fairly to all sides.
My theological convictions are not simply abstract, theoretical and
scholastic. Every doctrine has practical applications to life.
I build unity and mutual respect among different parts of the body
of Christ.
I understand the difference between Biblical leadership methods and
worldly ones.
I understand the dynamics of working with a team.
I have a deep burden to see people made mature in Christ.
Seeing Godâs people suffer from their own sins or the sins of others
grieves me.
I do not tend to become overly absorbed in people, caring too much
because of 1) a desire to be liked, 2) nor having a savior-complex
or 3) nor having a fear of failure.
I am not naively optimistic about people, nor overly cynical.
I am able to develop relationships of honesty and trust through
which I comfort and challenge my church.
I demonstrate and communicate care for people in ways they can
sense.
In funerals I can be winsomely joyful yet exhibit that I enter into
the family's grief.
I respond graciously when called upon for help at an inconvenient
time.
People who know me well describe me as a good listener.
I am able to share my beliefs and suggestions without forcing them
on people.
I am faithful and eager to visit and spend time with individuals.
I do not tend to create in others a fear of failure and a fear of
being found wrong. Instead, I create a love for ongoing growth in
the Lord and love for ever-deepening truth.
Average for Servant Leadership:
Theology of Missions/Awareness of Issues Confronting the Global Church
I understand in practical terms what Christ meant when He said, âall
authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earthâ (Matt.
28:18), and that makes a huge difference in my practice and
training.
I believe that the command to disciple all nations involves more
than simply winning a few individuals out of all nations, and I
believe this is an achievable goal.
I understand what a nation would look like when it becomes
discipled.
I do not see Christâs Second Coming as imminent because the mandate
for missions given in Matthew 28:16-20 has not even remotely been
finished.
I understand what it means to baptize a nation (Matt 28:19).
I believe that baptism replaces circumcision as the sign of the
covenant, and that there is coming a day when it will be as
extensive in every nation as circumcision was in Israel.
In light of Christâs command to teach the nations âall thingsâ that
He had commanded, and in light of Matthew 5:17-19, I am qualified to
disciple nations in the case laws of the Old Testament.
I have taught people âthe least of these commandmentsâ (Matt 5:19),
which is found in Deuteronomy 22:6, just as Christ said that I
should.
Recognizing the huge danger of antinomians, I am still able to
fulfill the admonition in 2 Timothy 2:24: âAnd a servant of the Lord
must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in
humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will
grant them repentance, so that they may know the truthâ (2Tim.
2:24-25)?
I have read quite widely on books that show how to disciple nations.
I am very encouraged by Christâs promise to be with us always, even
to the end of the age (Matt. 28:20), and I have seen His power in my
life.
I have engaged in nation discipling in our own country.
I believe that a healthy portion of the church budget should go
toward nation discipling missions.
I have an awareness of the global church, and read missions books
regularly.
I regularly pray for the persecuted church around the world.
I have an awareness of issues confronting Global Church.
I understand (and communicate to others) that missionaries are real
people with real problems, just like every other follower of Jesus
Average for Theology of Missions:
Mercy and Justice
I have a clear understanding of George Grantâs books on Mercy
Ministries.
I am involved in mercy ministries fairly regularly.
I can articulate the difference between a socialistic approach to
poverty and a Biblical approach.
I understand racial issues confronting the church, and can clearly
articulate a Biblical theology against racism. I also understand how
this differs from the dominant humanistic approaches to racism
current in our nation.
I know the social problems in my community, and could easily list at
least 50 areas of need in our community that call for mercy
ministries.
I understand prison ministries, and am familiar with the
opportunities at our local jail/prison.
I regular fight for social justice (as Biblically defined).
I am involved in the pro-life movement.
I am skilled in applying the resources of the church to the social
needs of my community.
I personally value diaconal work and the mercy gifts.
I believe that the gospel addresses the whole man.
I am not fixated on one particular social issue.
Average for Mercy and Justice:
Understanding of Suffering, Personal Limitations, Acceptance of Cross
I possess a willingness to admit my limits, mistakes, sins and
weaknesses.
I have suffering in my life that has come about as a direct result
of following Jesus Christ.
As a result of viewing my ministry, others have grown in their love
for Christ.
In my life, I demonstrate that the Christian life is a work in
process rather than a completed product.
I deal honestly and forthrightly with the common temptations I face
such as anger, anxiety, love of pleasure, self-love, materialism,
perfectionism, and the like.
I try to avoid wearing my heart on my sleeve, indulging and
wallowing in my limits, mistakes, sins and weaknesses.
I speak of weaknesses in such a way that (1) points to my confidence
in Christ; (2) demonstrates my confidence in the grace of God; (3)
edifies others.
I do not overreact to criticism so as to become more discouraged
than the critic intended.
Through the lens of Godâs grace, I can see the best even in
cantankerous people.
I can name at least 20 purposes that God has given for suffering.
I understand my personal limitations / weaknesses.
I would understand if God sought to bring persecution in America, as
I believe suffering could create a stronger more committed church.
Average for Suffering/Personal Limitations:
Personal Life
I demonstrate quiet joy and confidence that comes from a sense of
acceptance by the Father.
I have developed a mission statement for my life, and this has been
translated into priorities and into my schedule.
I am not an anxious or fearful person.
I am not easily aroused to anger, and when I do get angry, I resolve
it quickly.
I take full responsibility for my life and do not blame shift.
I have no bitterness.
I have learned with Paul to have âa conscience without offense
toward God and menâ (Acts 24:16).
I know how to show others who to avoid a weak conscience, overly
sensitive conscience, hardened conscience or a legalistic
conscience.
I am a peacemaker.
I know how to overcome depression in myself.
I understand the pitfalls of forgiveness and the lack of
forgiveness.
I know the Biblical principles of friendship.
I know what my gifts are and how to use them to Godâs glory.
I know how to seek the Lord in guidance.
I have gained mastery over the lusts of my flesh.
I am trustworthy and void of deceit.
I am ready for marriage.
I use Biblical motivations to keep me going when I want to quit.
I have no prejudice against minorities or other groups that are
different than me.
I have learned how to overcome procrastination.
I am not lazy.
I regularly give my ârightsâ to God and treat them as
responsibilities of a steward instead. I am OK when God takes my
ârightsâ away for a time.
I have learned self-confrontation and rarely need to be confronted
by others.
I understand what makes me tick sexually and know how to guard
myself so that I can enter marriage with purity.
I have mastered the art of Scriptural meditation to the point that
my thought life is for the most part controlled and under the
discipline of the Spirit.
I personally know how to engage in spiritual warfare.
I know what vocation I want to pursue.
My family is my primary ministry.
I rarely experience serious domestic troubles, and when I do, they
are quickly brought to peaceful resolution through Biblical means.
I make an effort to have daily devotions.
I am competent to lead my future family in family devotions/worship.
I daily take time for my family.
I spend time learning from Dad every week.
I have a close group of friends who love me without condition.
I have a male friend whom I would consider to be my best friend.
I would not consider myself to be lonely.
People who work closely with me would describe me as leading with
integrity.
I do not make demands of myself and others that God does NOT make.
Average for Personal Life:
Likeability/Sense of Humor
I possess a healthy sense of humor.
If I were to get married and have children, I would be able to
instruct my children in what kind of humor is unbiblical and what
kind is Biblical. I would also be able to give tips on how to inject
humor into life.
My visible life and behavior are disciplined, consistent and
attractive to others.
I am not easily caught up in aggressions and fears produced by a
drive to ensure control.
In public forums I rarely express impatience or irritation with
people.
I do not find that I need to have the final say.
I am not abrupt and impatient in my mannerisms.
I am able to confront the failures of others in a way that in not
punitive or irritable but is gracious.
If someone were to tag along with me for a week, they would want to
be my friend.
I have not been told that I have socially offensive or irritating
habits and mannerisms.
I can laugh easily at myself.
I am not overly subjective, nor do I gauge the Christian life by
emotions and sentiment.
Average for Likeability:
Summary of scores
Communication
Joy
Faith
Prayer
Disciplines of Thought
Humility
Developing a Sonship Relationship vs. an Orphan Heart
Self-Denial/Mortification of Sin/Crucifixion
Future Orientation/Investment Mentality
Love
Mission/Vision
Spiritual Warfare
Spiritual Vitality
Worship
Bible Study
Evangelism
Personal Integrity and Accountability (Moral Purity)
Community Development
Stewardship (Personal and Church Finances)
Life Planning and Management (Time Management, Stress Management)
Networking/Gathering
Leadership Skills (Decision Making, Problem Solving, Motivation, Leading through change)
Leadership Development (Raising up the Next Generation of Leaders)