70% of the leaders in the Bible did not finish well. Many contemporary leaders don’t finish well either. The question is why?
I begin this podcast by looking at Saul, the first king of Israel. He is charismatic, gifted, and intelligent. He is a leader of tens of thousands. However, his walk with God gradually deteriorates into jealousy, stubbornness, and a hardness of heart. And he finishes very poorly.
People Who Finish Well:
1. Develop a deep, inner life with God over time. Whether they are going through good times or bad, successes or failures, victories or defeats, they remain steady, cultivating a secret history with God in Scripture, community, solitude, worship, prayer, etc.
2. Have 10-15 mentors over their lifetime. They consistently seek out mentors for different areas of their life and ministry. They invest the necessary time, energy, and money required, learning from mentors, coaches, therapists, spiritual directors, or more experienced leaders.
3. Are humble, lifetime learners. They have a profound sense of the limits of their knowledge. And so they are characterized by an insatiable thirst to grow and mature from others at every stage of their lives.
4. Maintain a long-term perspective. They are thinking of the next ten, twenty, thirty, or fifty years – along with a legacy they might leave behind for the next generation. They stay with Jesus, regardless of the difficulties or dark nights that come their way.
Enjoy this short podcast where I explore this important topic:
Warmly,
Pete
@pscazzero