Leadership Issues: Accountability Part 1
Gehazi Got from Elisha – 2 Kings 5:15-17
Elisha refused Naaman’s Gifts so that he would understand that it was God who had healed him of his leprosy. However, his servant Gehazi followed after Naaman and took gifts from him. Then he lied to Elisha about recieving the gifts, and the leprosy that was taken from Naaman, would cling to Gehazi’s family forever. We like Gehazi posses a boundless ability to decieve ourselves. We need others to ask us the difficult questions. We must welcome accountability partners.
God Holds People Accountable – Amos 3:1, 2
God will punish the whole family of Israel for their iniquities. He brought all of them out of Egypt, so all of them are accountable for the iniquties of the nation. They failed to realize that God held them to a higher standard than the nations that surrounded them. God was to be their leader, making them a nation of leaders, who would be the model to the world. God’s jugement fell because the failed to lead the world to Him.
Team Accountable to Church – Acts 14:26-28
Paul and Barnabas returned from they missionary work and reported what happened to the church at Antioch. The church there sent them on this journey, so they where acountable to them for what they did on the journey. Leaders do not require a formal position to make a difference, however, God rarely calls them alone. He usually calls them to be a part of a team. Some leaders send; other go. Both are to support the other.
Servants with Sacred Trust – 1 Corinthians 4:1-5
We are all servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. As stewards we are to be trustworthy. We should not judge each other because the Lord is the one who judges. The Lord will bring everything into judgement when He comes. Paul viewed himself as a servant-leader with a sacred trust. to whch he needed to stay faithful. Neither the opinions of others or his own would sway him. Leaders are to serve people, obey God, proving faithful to their sacred trust.
Join me next time for Leadership Issues: Accountability part 2.