Leading In Love

By Joel Wright

Often, we ask ourselves: What makes a good leader? Or maybe even a great one? 

 

What makes the best leaders in the world become so influential? There are many stories in the Bible that show us what it takes to become valiant, loving, humble, and kind; how to overcome issues in grace; and how to learn to grow and persist in becoming like the one who is love: Jesus!  

 

Love is what will make others want to follow you, and if you are loving just as Jesus did, you will be on your way to becoming an authentic leader. But leadership takes responsibility and a holy lifestyle. To be leading from the front is to be living by example. If we think about kings going into battle, do we see the best kings behind the army or do we see the best and most notable ones at the front leading their troops valiantly into the battle? 

 

 

We will go over the foundational aspects to being in leadership roles, how to first have the right seeds to land on good soil, and having the right heart and motives. You will learn how to lead in sanctification and integrity, to see false doctrines and man-made religious practices, to see a different aspect of helping others and to have the correct and right focus, and that is becoming a disciple of Jesus. Ultimately, we are to become love to show the world His love and be shining in the great end-time harvest of the world. The bride is to make herself ready, spotless and blameless, and it must start with the leadership in the churches.  

 

Have you ever heard of the trickle-down effect? Leadership can have a massive trickle-down effect on Christians' motives, desires, actions, theology, and paths. This book will give a better start for Christians to hit the ground running and be able to discern the truth and to take heed of any rebukes that the Lord spoke about in His Holy Word. This will lead to us being a fruitful church with power, just like in Acts, and not having sin in the camp. We need love, unity, wisdom, and apostolic guidance for the age of grace and the fullness of the gentiles to be completed, ready for Christ's return! 

 

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: joel wright
• Release date: Aug 17, 2021
• ISBN: 9780645029932

Joel Wright

Joel Wright is a Pastor at Prophetic healing ministries Australia and he currently lives in rural Victoria, he enjoys writing books for Jesus Christ and sharing God's love and guidance to the church. He believes that a worldwide revival will take place, and he wants to enjoy laboring in Christ and see God's church become united and to walk in love as Jesus himself walked. He loves his beautiful wife Whitney and his Dog little man (Yes that's his real name). He enjoys cooking anything! He loves nature and loves being outdoors in God's creation, which He made for all, he enjoys playing the guitar and singing songwriting. He also likes city-dwelling and relaxing in coffee shops writing on his laptop or being out in the country with fresh air, the best of both worlds! He is a firm Christian believer in being saved by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:8-9) And his favorite Bible verse is; "1 Corinthians 2:4 not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power," Joel and his wife Whitney are looking forward to sharing the message of the gospel with anyone who is willing to hear the good news and to help disciple people in the church to be fruit-bearers and to see spiritual growth for the edifying of the Body of Christ.

Book preview

PREFACE

‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you’

(Jeremiah 1:5).

God is love, and He has a plan for all of us. He is such an intimate God, He said to Jeremiah that He knew us before we were even in existence! God has a plan for His church to walk in love and to be cultivated into a beautiful vine full of fruit. Often to become fruitful, the vinedresser prunes us to bear more fruit (see John 15:2). He can use His Holy Word and His ministers to expound the word of truth for correction in doctrine so we can walk in the light and expose the darkness. He rebukes who He loves! (See Hebrews 12:6.)

As children of God, it is good to be learning, to become humble, to see where we can improve, and to become disciples who are quick to listen and slow to speak. Often correction can come by revelation from the Holy Spirit, and to heed rebuke is wise. Fast growth always happens when we are listening to the Holy Spirit and being guided by His ways.

I have written this book for correction in love and for those wanting to take responsibility in leadership to know key aspects that I believe will help us grow in the search for the truth in the body of Christ. I believe the Holy Bible has set the foundation for all leaders who want to participate in leading others in and to Christ and that we first must lead by example. To lead is to live by example, for the light to shine with Christ formed in us.

Proverbs 9:8-12 says:

"Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you;

Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.

Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;

Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

"‘The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,

And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

For by me your days will be multiplied,

And years of life will be added to you.

If you are wise, you are wise for yourself,

And if you scoff, you will bear it alone.’"

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface

Introduction

CHAPTER 1: Blameless love, false gospel of money, and knowing our identity.

CHAPTER 2: Cold or Hot

CHAPTER 3: Strength, inadequacy, humility

CHAPTER 4: We are Sanctified

CHAPTER 5: Sanctification and indifference with the world

CHAPTER 6: Sanctification in Leadership

CHAPTER 7: Overlooking shame and looking to the reward!

CHAPTER 8: Wonderfully and uniquely made

CHAPTER 9: Why do people see religion as boring?

CHAPTER 10: Can we have carnal Christians?

CHAPTER 11: Wolves in sheep clothing, a wicked heart, and discernment

CHAPTER 12: Man’s structures, growth for unity, spiritual gifts to be awakened & the devil’s tactics

CHAPTER 13: Leaders are to become servants

CHAPTER 14: Let Christ be formed in you

CHAPTER 15: Be equipped, discerning, persisting & forgiving

INTRODUCTION

In this book, we will dive right into who God has made us to be in the body of Jesus Christ and how we are to walk out our love and sanctification in the word of truth that ultimately guides our way in our Christian journey. I will cover the foundational truths about living a holy lifestyle that puts Jesus first in our lives and how Jesus wants to mould us to be uniquely and wonderfully made in Him, how He has a plan and a destiny for each one of us, and how He wants us to become love just as He is love!

We will go into some issues that cause division in the church, how to see past confusion regarding such divisions, how to seek God first, and how to become a leader and be conformed into Jesus Christ's image.

Jesus is a leader and is a prime example of how to lead, and His character is love.

It comes as a package with becoming a disciple; just as Jesus made disciples, He also told His disciples to make more disciples! To become like our creator is to learn of His ways and to become wise, humble, and loving, the three best traits of leadership. To overcome rejection and hate and to be set free from fear by the Word of God, I will use the apostle Paul's life as a journey into how God can use anyone, sinner or saint, and how God can use all things for good in one's life.

We will go into how God sees the heart, how God uses His servants to achieve His ministry of love, and how God wants first to do work in our own lives so that we can overflow into others around us to make a difference.

We will go into how the Bible teaches Christians to live a set-apart life first before leading others, just as Jesus set examples to His disciples. I will share how to live in the world but not focus on this world’s objects first but instead use our wisdom and biblical knowledge to shine as lights either in our workplace or daily walk with the Lord. I will also discuss how money should be focused on and how the church can achieve a better balance of serving God first rather than our lifestyles.

We will cover why Christianity can seem boring and often misunderstood, how the enemy has tried to tarnish the body of Christ with a false perception in the world, and how we as Christians need to rise and take back people's souls first and foremost rather than being deceived by false doctrines, fighting in between cultures, and different approaches of diversity within the churches. I will also discuss how we should keep focused on the main objective: go and make disciples of all nations (see Matthew 28:19).

We will talk about the human condition and will explain how we are in a war, how to think tactically about who we are fighting against, how our own flesh tries to get in the way because of the fallen nature that we need to crucify each day, and how to have discernment to be able to make the correct decisions.

This book will cover an overall view of foundational leadership qualities of love, how we require sanctified living in the church, and how it needs to start with leadership. I will go over some significant points in the church where some may lack understanding or knowledge of Christ and apply love into our daily walk as believers of Jesus Christ.

We will dive into the Bible and see what we can extract from God's Word to be able to give a different viewpoint from most assumptions and how to deal with unbelievers shaming and mocking Christians for standing up for what we believe and how we can, in love, try to show a better way.

And lastly, I will share how to become a servant of all to ultimately fulfill what Christ formed in us by learning His ways, becoming set apart, and being ourselves, who God has made us to be. We’re so unique as His masterpieces. We are all made differently to be able to shine as lights in a dark world to ultimately lead others in love to the truth of the gospel of peace.

Thank you, and I hope you enjoy it!

Joel W.

CHAPTER 1

Blameless love, false gospel of money, and knowing our identity.

"Yet I show you a more excellent way.

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails

(1 Corinthians 12:31-13:8).

We always hear the word love, but do we apply it to day-to-day living? Do you know what Jesus said to His disciples?

‘This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you

(John 15:12).

How do we show love to one another the way Jesus Himself showed love? Should we be concerned about that? Considering it is a New Testament commandment that we should love like Jesus, I think it is a pretty big deal! But from what I have seen in many large-scale churches and organizations, there is no real true agape selfless love that’s giving direction and guidance to a vast and majority of large Christian communities. To me, that is alarming that the mainstream churches around the world lack such a high-quality form of godliness.

‘Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love’

(Revelation 2:1–4).

Has that happened just as Jesus prophesied to the apostle John on the island of Patmos? I think it has been gradually in progress over the last few hundred years in particular. Jesus has an issue with a lack of love in His church to the point that He said He would remove the church’s lampstand if they didn't return to their first works of labouring with love in Christ.

Now am I saying we are in the end times? I will tell you that I believe we are indeed in the end times, but the end times in Revelation could span hundreds of years! So I wouldn't be bunkering down and waiting it out till the return of Jesus Christ and His glory, but what we should be doing is becoming His disciples and showing love and reaping the end-time harvest! Don't worry about conspiracy theories and end time predictions that may lead some astray and distract from the fundamental mission of the gospel. We are to become like Jesus, and the best way to win against the plan of evil is by letting Jesus rule in our hearts, winning souls, and keeping focused on Jesus!

That He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish

(Ephesians 5:27).

Woah, church, we are to be blameless? And we are to be walking in love!? Why isn't this being preached on mainstream TV? I do not want to confuse the loveless church with some other churches that I will speak about, but it is essential to show the issues on a large scale of what can be wrong with no love in churches. Mostly what I see on mainstream church TV networks is people asking for money and putting blemishes on the robes of the saints or wanting riches and blessing without walking in obedience as Abraham did. Isn't there something startlingly obvious? It’s just like the Pharisees thinking they were holy and righteous because they came from the seed of Abraham.

These preachers teach and base their whole ministries on the blessings of Abraham and tithing without realizing Abraham would be cringing at the very thought of asking for money, just like Abraham did not want anything to do with the spoils from war from the king of Sodom. He rejected the king of Sodom, not taking anything from him, lest man can boast and try to take glory away from God who blesses and exalts alone.

"But Abram said to the king of Sodom, ‘I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that

I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, I have made Abram rich’"

(Genesis 14:22-23).

Is the church guilty of thinking we are entitled to the full blessings of the cross without the form of godliness? Can we be lukewarm and expect the riches of the kingdom? Does Jesus Christ bless those who do not live out their faith and in love? Can He bless sin? No. He blesses those who love Him, and those who love Him obey Him (see John 14:15).

We are to be a holy church, and blessings follow walking in obedience and not by how much money we tithe or what we try to achieve in our efforts. It’s about doing the will of the Lord! God loves a cheerful giver

(2 Corinthians 9:6-7).

The reason why I bring money into this is quite simple: money can degrade morals and motives, and ultimately, that can lead to our actions being changed for the sake of greed, and that can shipwreck our path in ministry and stop the spiritual blessings God intends for His church.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows

(1 Timothy 6:10).

In leadership, it’s essential to take notice of money and how crucial it can be, but for us to steward it correctly so we can help others. Often, the wrong motive for money can hurt people and lead people down the wrong path that I will cover below.

So, this is why I am mentioning money and love in the same chapter. Because that's what has happened; many have strayed from the faith! They don't realize they are naked and wretched before God (see Revelation 3:17). If we look at Jesus and His ministry, we see He was not wealthy. He did not even desire the things of