Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 1 Corinthian 16:13
We are in need of men in leadership to be courageous. It is easy to cower in fear over the troubles and problems that face our world, but we are called to be courageous and not to fear.
Courage "is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. "Physical courage" is courage in the face of physical pain, hardship, death, or threat of death, while "moral courage" is the ability to act rightly in the face of popular opposition, shame, scandal, or discouragement (dictionary)."
How to have courage as a leader:
1. Clarity – We need to be crystal clear on what it means to be a follower of Christ. We need to understand the purpose of knowing why you live your life. Courage knows exactly what truth is and stands firm. It does not mean we are always right, but we desire to live for Christ. Eternity is the focus. Energy is spent towards people coming to know Christ. Energy is exhausted in pouring into other people to help them grow spiritually. A courageous leader realizes that tradition is not as important as God’s Word. Man-made rules do not matter more than God's Word. Clarity leads to wise decisions that build God's church.
2. Confidence in God’s Call - A courageous leader knows their purpose. We trust God despite our circumstances. Although we might disagree with decisions of others, we are obedient to authority. We know that God is working and we desire to fulfill His calling. A courageous leader spends time in the Word. Listening and praying through decisions. A courageous leader will listen to God's call more than what other people say.
3. Character - Courage builds upon character. Small, everyday decisions builds character. Being a courageous leader can be a lonely road. Honesty leads to openness between people and ultimately builds trust. The courageous leader reflects the love of Christ to others in how they act. Are we caring for our wives and children? Do we care more about the church or do we care about our families and our health? If we lose our families and our health, we lose! Character is vitally important in our homes. Character in our homes will pour out in our public lives.
Men, we need to step up and be courageous in clarity, confidence in God's call and character.
One of the ways that men need to be courageous is in how they treat women. Across the globe, pornography and sex-trafficking are on the rise. Recently a team from our church went to Ethiopia to help with rescuing girls out of the sex-trafficking. I recently watched a video from the Resurgence on this issue. Pornography is a huge industry, even more than sports. We need courageous men to be pure in heart. We need men to admit their struggle with it and repent of it. Pornography is Satan's biggest weapon in our time. If men are cowards in their morals, everything else will crumble. But, when men become courageous and stand for Christ, an awakening will occur!
Watch this video:
Jacob's Story from Unearthed on Vimeo.