3 crucial words for every Christian leader

Rob Streetman June 10, 2021

my saved content

VIEW AS
A PDF

iStock

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
—Romans 8:28

The storms and chaos of this still young decade have likely challenged your faith (and the faith of those you lead).

So, let me ask you: Do you still believe God works all things to the good?

Of course, for God to work all things to our good, we must participate with Him in the way He desires (Philippians 2:12-13). We have to find and follow His ways for weathering the storms and navigating the chaos. That's what this article is about: three words that will help us find and follow God's ways for this tumultuous decade.

Those three words are love, judgment, and truth.

Applied separately or with poor understanding, love, judgment, and truth can be harmful – particularly when our lives (and the lives of those we lead) feel less like strong houses than boats tossed around on a raging sea in the dark of night. For example, even well-intended love can create codependent and enabling relationships.

Love

I grew up Methodist, so when I heard that God's love (agapaō) is unconditional, I assumed that was the best and most basic descriptor for God's love. It sounded good, and someone in leadership said it. I have described God's love that way many times.

However, within the last year, I have discovered a much better meaning for the love of God (for the record, I am very disappointed it took this long).

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
—John 3:16.

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
—Romans 5:6-8

God's love is best described as sacrificial.

Think for a moment about the difference between unconditional and sacrificial. I can love someone unconditionally by just putting up with them. On the other hand, sacrificing for them is another matter altogether.

Now, here's where things get interesting. The love God has for us is the same love we are to have for Him. The Scriptures bear this out.

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment.
—Mark 12:30

Same word for love: agapaō. Furthermore, six times in the Gospels, Jesus is recorded saying something like this:

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.
—Mark 8:35

Finally, the love God has for us and we are to have for Him is the same sacrificial love we are to have for the brethren (John 13:34), our neighbor (Mark 12:31), and our enemy (Matthew 5:44). So, when the storms come and our brother or sister, neighbor, or enemy lose their house, what will it look like for us to love them sacrificially?

Sacrificial love differentiates us from the world. God will transform us as we obey His commands to love sacrificially in the storms and chaos.

Judgment

Another way God works all things to our good is using storms and chaos to surface our fears, worldly securities, anger, and a host of other sins. And let's face it, most of us have been taught or simply decided that dealing with sin is somebody else's business. Leaders fond of followings are particularly guilty of avoiding the touchier subjects. Quite frankly, that's a big reason the church is in its current state.

If I discover (as I have) that I have a hereditary blood disease (a great metaphor for sin, by the way), is it loving to keep the possibility of the same from my siblings and children? Of course not!

Is the same not true with sin? And does this not go both ways? Would I want my brother or sister in Christ to ignore the sin in my life? Would I consider that love, or something just the opposite?

But, when you hear the word judgment, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Judge not, lest you be judged. Right? Well, let's look at some other passages:

Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye.
—Luke 6:42

Notice Jesus did not say, "Leave the speck in your brother's eye." Loving my brother sacrificially means going through the process God has prescribed, beginning with me dealing with my sin.

Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
—Luke 17:3

How is obedience to this commandment possible without judging the sin of my brother? How can I help him with correction or otherwise forgive him?

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
—Galatians 6:1

Judgment and punishment are not the same. Neither are judgment and condemnation. Let that sink in.

Furthermore, judgment is not antithetical to love. That is what the world would have us believe because they do not understand God's love, and they do not understand the devastation of sin and the death it produces.

Allowing someone to continue living in sin is not loving at all. Yes, it is difficult—even sacrificial—to confront someone about their sin, but that's what love is.

Truth

Four things to quickly share about truth and its relationship to love and judgment:

1. Truth is ineffectual if it is not shared (notice I did not say forced). Leaders are particularly called to share the truth, that those who follow would be made free (John 8:32).
2. The truth—particularly about sin—must be shared in sacrificial love. Indeed, this is Christ's vision for the church (Ephesians 4:15).
3. The truth must be exercised to make us free. Assuming we share the truth in sacrificial love (including that plank thing), we are not responsible for the recipient's response. On the receiving end, leaders must love sacrificially by inviting correction.
4. Our salvation is dependent on our relationship with the truth.

Conclusion

Our houses—both individual and corporate—will stand or fall in the storms and chaos of this decade in accordance with our willingness to sacrificially love the truth and one another enough to share it in love. We cannot walk in truth as a body of believers without judging one another in love.

So, what are we to do with this?

1. Pursue the full meaning and importance of sacrificial love, judgment, and truth.
2. Get the plank(s) out of your eye.
3. Invite others to share the truth in love with you.
4. Receive the love of the truth that God has offered.

God bless you with grace and courage for difficult and sacrificially loving conversations.

my saved content

VIEW AS
A PDF

Rob Streetman serves the body of Christ as President of two parachurch ministries: inLight Consulting (a workplace transformation ministry) and 2:2 Collective (a unity and church growth ministry). He is the author of two books: The Map Maker and A Storm is Coming. Rob’s heart desires is to encourage, edify and equip Christian leaders as disciple-makers and transformation agents—that they would become houses that stand in the storms of this life. He previously worked in various IT industry positions. Learn More »

• When preaching solutions, do these two things first (by Mark MacDonald)
• How smartphones have been used toward a torrent of cyberbullying (by Thom Rainer)
• How to bless before you blame in a conflict at work (by Jordan Raynor)
• How to combine passion and discipline for leadership impact (by Scott Cochrane)

Free eBook

Steps to Launching Your Personal Workplace Ministry

Have you ever felt the pull to full-time ministry work as a missionary or pastor? If not, you can still make a Kingdom impact without quitting your current job. In this eBook, you will learn the four essentials that can change your perspective of work, your workplace, and most importantly, your heart.

Download Now