All Christians believe Jesus is the Son of God; God who became a man. He is the way, the truth, and the life. But even from a purely human perspective, Jesus was the greatest leader in the history of the world.
Business experts say it takes 3-5 years to establish a new business. Jesus began his ministry with no start-up funding, no political or business power connections, no team, coming from the backwoods of Palestine (regarded as backwards by the Jerusalem elite), the son of a blue collar laborer, in an occupied country started a movement that has lasted and grown for over 2,000 years.
He did this in JUST 3 & 1/2 years! Of all the billions of people who have ever lived in all of history, no one else has done anything close to this. It is the greatest example of “human” leadership ever. We can learn a lot about entrepreneurial leadership from Jesus, but here are three steps He took, that we can take as well, to build something great for God and good.
#1 Step into and Live in Your Authentic Authority Zone (AAZ)
Jesus knew who He was. He knew God’s big purposes and His role in those purposes. He realized not everyone would like Him or receive His message, so He did not freak out when some chose not to follow Him. He was comfortable in His own skin and did His work in a way that worked best for Him. Jesus stood out for His unique leadership authority for those reasons.
You too have a Zone of Authentic Authority. When you align your unique strengths and passions with God’s big purposes, you have taken an important step in finding your AAZ. When you get clear on who it is you are called to reach and realize not everyone will want to connect with you or follow you, and you’re good with it, you have taken another big step.
When you discover your best work and communication style that will help you live in your AAZ. When you take these steps, you are well on your way to becoming an Authentic Authority that the right people will want to connect with and follow.
#2 Build a Team to Serve a Tribe
Jesus, as do many entrepreneurial leaders, started alone, but He did not leave it that way very long. He knew that to serve a larger number and to leave a lasting legacy He would need to build a strong team. So, as Jesus was traveling and speaking, sowing kingdom seed and plowing the soil for the growth that would come, He was also building a strong team.
It has been rightly said that any group or organization that exists just for itself will eventually die. Businesses and ministries exist to help people; they have a clear outwardly focused mission and vision which they are dedicated to fulfilling. But to serve that tribe well, the senior leader (entrepreneur) needs to invest strongly in the team. If the team feels loved, supported, and valued they are much more likely to treat their customers and clients the same way.
As an entrepreneurial leader: build a strong team that will serve your tribe with joy and excellence.
#3 Change that Counts
There are many definitions of leadership but all of them have at least one idea in common. Leadership changes things. Jesus came to change the world. He saw the needs of the world and came to do something about it. How did He do that? It was much more deliberate and intentional than most Christians realize. Jesus used the same pattern the Father did when He created the world and has continued to use while working out His will on earth. It goes like this:
- Clear Purpose, vision, mission. (Dream)
- A well thought-out plan (Design)
- Intentional, committed Action (Do)
When you study how God created the earth, you’ll see those three steps. When you study the life and ministry of Jesus you’ll see He took those three steps. He knew what He was called to do, developed an inspired plan, and took intentional, committed action. What worked for Him will work for you too as you seek God and draw on His strength.
Keep these 3 things in mind, follow through, and you will see great impact through your life, business, and ministry.
The author of this article is Mark Furlong. He is a missionary, pastor, coach, and trainer. He is the co-founder of TruVine Mission, an organization that empowers men and women to maximize their impact in the world by fulfilling their unique God-given purposes.
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