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# STATEMENT MUCH SOME LITTLE NOT AT (3) (2) (1) ALL (0) I have felt an unusual presence of God and personal 84 confidence when important decisions needed to be made. 85 I have the ability to discover new truths for myself through reading or observing situations firsthand. 86 I have urged others to seek a Biblical solution to their affliction or suffering. 87 I can tell whether a person speaking in tongues is genuine. 88 I have been willing to maintain a lower standard of living in order to benefit God’s work. 89 When I serve the Lord, I really don’t care who gets the credit. 90 I would enjoy spending time with a lonely, shut-in person or someone in prison. 91 I am attracted to non-believers because of my desire to win them to Christ. 92 I have desired to make my home available to those in the Lord’s service whenever needed. 93 Others have told me that I am a person of unusual vision and I agree. 94 When I am in charge, things seem to run smoothly. 95 I have enjoyed bearing the responsibility for the success of a particular task within my church. 96 In the name of the Lord, I have been able to recover sight to the blind. 97 When I pray forthe sick, eitherI orthey feel sensations of tingling or warmth. 98 When I speak in tongues, I believe it is edifying to the Lord’s body. 99 I have interpreted tongues in such a way that the message appeared to be directly from God. 100 I respond cheerfully when asked to do a job, even if it seems menial. E 237 SPIRITUAL GIFTS WORKSHOP

STEP 2: Scoring In the grid below, enter the numerical value for each of your responses next to the number of the corresponding statement from STEP 1. MUCH = 3 SOME = 2 LITTLE = 1 NOT AT ALL = 0 Then add up the five numbers that you have recorded in each row and place the sum in the “Total” column. Q Value Q Value Q Value Q Value Q Value Total Gifts 1 21 41 61 81 Prophecy 2 22 42 62 82 Pastor 3 23 43 63 83 Teaching 4 24 44 64 84 Wisdom 5 25 45 65 85 Knowledge 6 26 46 66 86 Exhortation 7 27 47 67 87 Discerning Spirits 8 28 48 68 88 Giving 9 29 49 69 89 Helps 10 30 50 70 90 Mercy 11 31 51 71 91 Evangelist 12 32 52 72 92 Hospitality 13 33 53 73 93 Faith 14 34 54 74 94 Leadership 15 35 55 75 95 Administration 16 36 56 76 96 Miracles 17 37 57 77 97 Healing 18 38 58 78 98 Tongues 19 39 59 79 99 Interpretation 20 40 60 80 100 Service SPIRITUAL GIFTS WORKSHOP 238 E

STEP 3: Identify Your Unique Gift Mix Write down the six most significant gifts you have been entrusted. Read about each of them in the appendix below. My Dominant Spiritual Gifts are: My Secondary Spiritual Gifts are: E 239 SPIRITUAL GIFTS WORKSHOP

APPENDIX: DEFINITIONS FOR SPIRITUAL GIFTS (Modified from www.buildingchurch.net – Gifted2Serve) 1. ADMINISTRATION: “The ability to understand clearly the immediate and long-range goals of a particular unit of the body of Christ and to devise and execute effective plans for the accomplishment of those goals.” This gift is a leadership gift and is often characterized by people who lead the Body by steering others to remain on task. These people generally are concerned with the details of how to accomplish tasks and tend to be masters at delegating specific tasks to other people according to their gifts and talents. Scriptures: Luke 14:28-30; Acts 6:1- 7; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Titus 1:5. 2. APOSTLE: “The ability which enables them to assume and exercise helpful leadership over a number of churches in spiritual matters which is spontaneously recognized and appreciated by those churches.” The Bible calls many others, beyond the Twelve and Paul, apostles: James (Gal 1:19), Barnabas (Acts 14:4, 14), Epaphroditus (Phil 2:25), Silas and Timothy (1 Thes 1:1, 2:6), Andronicas and Junia (Rom 16:7), and others (1 Cor 15:5, 7; 2 Cor 8:23; 11:13). This is a leadership gift and is in continuing need today for the strengthening of churches and the establishment of new churches. This gift should be looked for in regional directors, church planters, and denominational leaders. Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 2:20; 4:11. 3. DISCERNING OF SPIRITS: “The ability to know with assurance whether certain behavior purported to be of God is in reality divine, human, or Satanic.” This gift is a resourcing gift. Christians with this gift can recognize the true motives of people and also recognize when a person is distorting the truth or communicating error. This person often can recognize when Satan or other evil spirits are at work in a given person or situation. Scriptures: Matthew 16:21-23; Acts 5:1-11; 16:16-18; 17:11-16; 1 Corinthians 12:10; Hebrews 5:14; 1 John 4:1-6. 4. EVANGELISM: “The ability to readily share the Gospel with unbelievers in such a way that men and women often become Jesus’ disciples and responsible members of the Body of Christ.” This is a communication gift. While the task of evangelism is an important spiritual exercise that all Christians should be involved with, God gifts certain members with an ability to have unusual sensitivity when someone is ready to accept Christ, and to have greater success in leading people to Christ than other Christians. Scriptures: Acts 8:5-6, 26-40; Ephesians 4:11-14; 2 Timothy 4:5. 5. EXHORTATION: “The ability to minister words of comfort, consolation, encouragement, and counsel to other members of the Body in such a way that they feel helped and healed.” This gift is a communication gift. This gift is often called “encouragement,” but exhortation is used here because the gift is not limited to the connotations that the name “encouragement” implies. Those who use this gift within a teaching or ministry situation are often driven to give practical application to their insights. Often, those gifted in this area desire step-by-step plans of action to help others mature in Christ. SPIRITUAL GIFTS WORKSHOP 240 E

Exhorters often find it natural to discover insights from personal experience when validated and amplified in Scripture. Scripture: Luke 3:16-18; Acts 11:23; 14:22; Romans 12:8; 1 Timothy 4:12; 5:1; Hebrews 10:25. 6. FAITH: “The ability to discern with extraordinary confidence the will and purposes of God for His work.” This gift is a resourcing gift. All Christians are called to have faith, but some Christians seem to find it especially easy to trust God in difficult situations, or when He has given particularly spectacular promises. Those with this gift often scare other people with their confidence. People with this gift are often very irritated by criticism, as they consider it to be criticism against God and His will. Probably the biggest danger for those with this gift is that they often try to project their gift onto other people. Scriptures: Acts 11:22- 24; 27:21-25; Romans 4:18-21; 1 Corinthians 12:9; Hebrews 11. 7. GIVING: “The ability to contribute material resources to the work of the Lord with liberality and cheerfulness.” This gift is a practical gift. While all Christians should practice the discipline of giving through the minimum of 10% (tithe), God gifts certain members of the body to give remarkably greater amounts of their income with liberality and great joy. These people have an acute awareness that all they have belongs to the Lord and they are merely stewards, therefore they know that God will supply their needs and richly bless them in their giving. Scriptures: Matthew 6:2-4; Mark 12:41-44; Romans 12:8; 1 Corinthians 13:3; 2 Corinthians 8:1-7; 9:2-8; Philippians 4:14-19. 8. HEALING: “The ability to serve as human intermediaries through whom God cures illness and restores health apart from the use of natural means.” This gift is a sign gift. Many attribute the occurrence of supernatural healing to a certain level of faith. Those who have this gift must use it knowing that the healing only occurs within the limits of God’s will, and therefore miraculous healing will not always occur. Those with this gift must also recognize that God does often choose to use medical science to bring about healing in a person, therefore doctors and medicine are not obsolete. Scripture: Acts 3:1-10; 5:12-16; 9:32-35; 28:7-10; 1 Corinthians 12:9, 28. 9. HELPS: “The ability to invest the talents a person has in the life and ministry of other members of the Body, thus enabling those others to increase the effectiveness of their own spiritual gifts.” This gift is a practical gift. People with this gift often enjoy doing routine tasks in order to free others to do the ministry God has called them to do. People with this gift are often not looking for recognition for the work they do. Scriptures: Mark 15:40-41; Luke 8:2-3; Acts 9:36; Romans 16:1-2; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 2 Timothy 1:16-18. 10. HOSPITALITY: “The ability to provide an open house and a warm welcome to those in need of food and lodging.” This gift is a practical gift. Those with this gift have an acute awareness of visitors and have a desire to make all people feel welcome. People with this gift enjoy visitors in their home, and are usually not bothered if someone stops by and their home is not spotless. Those with this gift are a key to helping new people become a part of the group. Scriptures: Acts 16:14-15; Romans 12:9-13; 16:23; Hebrews 13:1-2; 1 Peter 4:9. 11. INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES: “The ability to make known in the vernacular the message of one who speaks in tongues.” This gift is a sign gift. Those with this gift are used to bring the personal edification of E 241 SPIRITUAL GIFTS WORKSHOP

tongues to a position where the message edifies the group in which the tongue was spoken. Those with this gift gain a sense of what God is trying to say when they hear a person speak in tongues. Should a person with this gift fail to interpret the tongue when it is spoken and they receive the interpretation through the Holy Spirit, they have done a great disservice to the person who spoke in tongues and to the group as the edification that God desires has not taken place. Often, the interpreter is also the person who has spoken in tongues. The interpretation of tongues is often closely related to the message given by an exhorter or a prophet. Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 12:10-30; 14:13-17, 26-28. 12. KNOWLEDGE: “The ability to discover, accumulate, analyze, and clarify information and ideas which are pertinent to the well-being of the Body.” This gift is a resourcing gift. Those with the gift of knowledge are at home in a book or studying. Those with this gift will often spend countless hours researching information. These people are interested in ideas and problem solving through gathering information and studying. Often, those with this gift have a low need for people. On rare occasions, people with this gift will gather vast amounts of information through studying and analyzing personal experience, but the primary method of learning with this gift is reading and studying books and other written materials. Scriptures: Luke 1:1-4; Acts 5:1-11; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 12:8; 2 Corinthians 11:6; Colossians 1:10; 2:2-3; 1 Timothy 2:15. 13. LEADERSHIP: “The ability to set goals in accordance with God’s purpose for the future and to communicate these goals to others in such a way that they voluntarily and harmoniously work together to accomplish those goals for the glory of God.” This gift is a leadership gift. People with this gift are often focused on the greater goal of the group and are not overly concerned with the details. Leaders delegate tasks and details to others to accomplish the greater goal. Leaders are visionaries. Leaders have followers—a visionary without followers is not a leader. Scriptures: Luke 9:51; Acts 6:1- 7; 15:7-11; Romans 12:8; 1 Timothy 5:17; Hebrews 13:17. 14. MERCY: “The ability to feel genuine empathy and compassion for individuals (both Christian and non-Christian) who suffer from distressing physical, mental, or emotional problems, and to translate that compassion into cheerfully done deeds which reflect Christ’s love and alleviate the suffering.” This gift is a practical gift. Those with this gift find themselves visiting and assisting those in need, and often feel the pain of the person they are helping within themselves. People with this gift find it extremely difficult not to help those who seem less fortunate than themselves. Those with this gift generally enjoy helping those with physical or mental problems and do well in ministries involving visiting hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, and shut-ins. Scriptures: Matthew 20:29-34; 25:24-40; Mark 9:41; Luke 10:33- 35; Acts 11:28-30; 16:33-34; Romans 12:8; Jude 22-23. 15. MIRACLES: “The ability to serve as human intermediaries through whom God performs powerful acts that are perceived by observers to have altered the ordinary course of nature.” This gift is a sign gift. This gift is manifested through the supernatural intervention by God into specific circumstances in order to change the perceived natural outcome. Those with this gift must recognize that God only causes miracles to happen in order to bring the greatest glory to Himself. Scriptures: Acts 9:36-42; 19:11-20; 20:7-12; Romans 15:17-19; 1 Corinthians 1:22-25; 12:10, 28; 2 Corinthians 12:12. SPIRITUAL GIFTS WORKSHOP 242 E

16. PROPHECY: “The ability to receive and communicate an immediate message of God to His people with authority and urgency perceived by the hearers.” This gift is a communication gift. Those with the gift of prophecy will often feel as though they have a direct word from God that will comfort, encourage, guide, warn, or rebuke the Body of Christ. Prophets are concerned about evangelism and will have a desire to speak strongly against evil in society or in the Church. Prophets have a great sense of urgency to their message. Unless paired with the gifts of exhortation or teaching, prophets will often not feel the need to explain their message, but will expect immediate response. The message of a prophet must always be tested in line with Scripture. Scripture: Luke 7:26; Acts 15:32; 21:9-11; Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28; 14:3, 24-25, 29, 36-38; Ephesians 4:11-14. 17. SERVICE: “The ability to identify the unmet needs involved in a task related to God’s work, and to make use of available resources to meet those needs and help accomplish the desired results.” This gift is a practical gift. Those with the gift of service enjoy doing routine tasks around the Church regardless of how they affect others. Those with this gift enjoy menial tasks and do them cheerfully. Service-oriented people would rather take orders than give them. Scripture: John 12:26; Acts 6:1-7; Romans 12:6-7; Galatians 6:2, 9-10; 2 Timothy 1:16-18; Titus 3:14. 18. SHEPHERD: “The ability to assume a long-term personal responsibility for the welfare of a group of believers.” This gift is a leadership gift. This gift is often called “pastor,” however, that name has connotations of a specific position in the Church. In actuality, when pastors have this gift, their ability to continue sustained growth in their churches is greatly diminished, as they tend to require a certain level of interaction with every member of their congregation. Those with the gift of shepherd have a great need for long-term relationships Shepherds will sacrificially give themselves to other people in such a way that they are built-up in their faith. Shepherds take personal responsibility for the successes and failures of those in the group that they invest themselves in. Scriptures: John 10:1-18; Ephesians 4:11-14; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; 1 Peter 5:1-4. 19. TEACHING: “The ability to communicate information relevant to the health and ministry of the Body and its members in such a way that others will learn.” This gift is a communication gift. People with the gift of teaching enjoy studying the Bible and related materials in order to communicate what they have learned to other Christians. Those with this gift find it easy to organize vast amounts of information in such a way as to make it easy to communicate, understand, and remember. Scriptures: Matthew 7:28-29; 28:19-20; Acts 15:32; Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28; Ephesians 4:11-14. 20. TONGUES: “The ability (a) to speak to God in a language that they have never learned and/or (b) to receive and communicate a message of God to his people through a divinely anointed utterance in a language they never learned.” This gift is a sign gift. Tongues is often associated with intercession and/or faith, but must be recognized as not necessarily being the sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit or even as evidence of the filling of the Holy Spirit. E 243 SPIRITUAL GIFTS WORKSHOP

1 Corinthians 13:1 suggests that there are two forms of the gift of tongues: tongues of men and tongues of angels. This would mean that the speaker could be speaking in an earthly language, or in a language beyond normal human understanding. Scriptures: Mark 16:17; Acts 2:1-13; 10:44-46; 19:1-7; Romans 8:26-27; 1 Corinthians 12:10,28; 13:1; 14:13-19, 26-28, 39. 21. WISDOM: The ability to know how given knowledge may best be applied to specific needs arising in the Body of Christ. This gift is a resourcing gift. Those with this gift have an excellent ability to apply spiritual truth to everyday life. Often, people in the church naturally seek out people with this gift when they are facing complicated spiritual problems. When a person with this gift considers past experience, they realize that they often make good and correct decisions and judgements. Scriptures: Proverbs 4:5-8; Acts 6:3, 10; 15:13-20; 20:20-21; Romans 12:17; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11-14; Colossians 1:28. SPIRITUAL GIFTS WORKSHOP 244 E

HISTORY MAKERS INTEGRITY A Life that is Whole CORE VALUE God looks for men and women of integrity who live holy lives and who are accountable to God and to the Body of Christ. Integrity glorifies God, protects leaders from stumbling, and encourages growth. TEACHING OBJECTIVE The purpose of this session is to seal in the heart of a Christian leader a commitment to integrity in all circumstances. INTRODUCTION The greatest challenge of leadership is to maintain integrity. Even in the world of business, education, and politics, character is recognized as a major issue for leaders. Christians are called to be holy and live a life of purity. When leaders fail to maintain integrity, their families and ministries, and even the work of the Church, suffer the consequences. An essential goal for any spiritual leader is to gain people’s trust through genuine integrity. Trust is hard to earn and easy to lose. AL VOMSTEEG 245 INTEGRITY: A LIFE THAT IS WHOLE

WORKSHOP Discuss the following questions in small groups, and then share insights with the entire group. What are the greatest challenges to integrity in your nation? Where in your life do you find the greatest challenges to maintaining integrity? The word “sincere” comes from the Latin word for “without wax.” In the ancient world, dishonest potters would disguise cracks in low quality clay pots by covering them with wax. The pots looked perfect, but when exposed to heat, the wax would melt, exposing the cracks (and the potter’s dishonesty), rendering the pots useless. BIBLICAL FOUNDATION In the Scripture below, the Psalmist shows us that integrity has inward and outward aspects. Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in His holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god. They will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God their Savior. -Psalm 24:3–5 INWARD. Integrity begins from within and is based on holiness and sincerity (a pure heart). OUTWARD. Integrity includes our behavior, which is to be blameless. We should do nothing to cause others to stumble (clean hands and a truthful mouth). INTEGRITY: A LIFE THAT IS WHOLE 246

WHAT IS INTEGRITY? Put in simple terms, integrity is being the same in heart, mind, and actions. Integrity is about who you are as a person, the commitments that you stand on, and the actions consistent with the first two elements. WHAT I AM: WHOLE God desires that you be whole or complete in Christ. Integrity means beliefs, attitudes, words, and actions that are consistent with God’s nature. Jesus models integrity by living a whole and integrated life in which His inner life (intimate relationship with the Father) and outer life (the life the world saw) were consistent. “Teacher, we know You are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others because You pay no attention to who they are; but You teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.” -Mark 12:14 Integrity is the quality or condition of being whole or undivided; completeness. Integrity comes from the word “integer,” which means “whole or complete.” It is the opposite of hypocrisy.1 -John MacArthur WHAT I STAND ON: A COMMITMENT TO MY PROMISES Integrity means you are faithful to the words you speak and the promises you make. “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” -Matthew 5:37 Integrity in its simplest terms is keeping promises. The person of integrity is one who when he or she says something, can be trusted. When he or she gives their word, you can count on it.2 -Bill McCartney WHAT I DO: ACTIONS CONSISTENT WITH MY PROMISES Our beliefs must be reflected in our words and actions. It is critical that our actions be consistent with God’s command for integrity. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.” -Matthew 7:21 The Christian life is to be an uninterrupted continuity between all beliefs and practices and relationships. It is to be an integrated life as opposed to a segregated life.3 -Leith Anderson ACCOUNTABILITY: ENCOURAGEMENT TO LIVE A LIFE OF INTEGRITY A personal commitment to integrity is a good start, but it is not enough. The secret to living a life of integrity is to live in active fellowship, receiving the encouragement and accountability that you need from others who are running the same race and share the same goal. God is aware of the challenges and struggles you encounter as you seek to grow from the desire to live in integrity to the reality of being a person of integrity. 247 INTEGRITY: A LIFE THAT IS WHOLE

Paul’s words are as true for us as they were for the Romans he addressed in his letter. Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re- mold your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all His demands and moves toward the goal of true maturity. -Romans 12:2 PHILLIPS True maturity reflects a life of integrity. God wants to mold us to His standards. Accountability is the bridge that spans the gap between wanting to live with integrity and being a person of integrity. There are four levels of accountability. ACCOUNTABILITY TO GOD Our most intimate fellowship will always be with the Lord through His Spirit. He meets with us in the intimate and secret places of our hearts. For that reason, it is no surprise that Romans 14:12 PHILLIPS states, “It is to God alone that we have to answer for our actions.” Do you have a personal retreat time at least once a year, in which you focus on God’s kindness to you and your faithfulness to Him? ACCOUNTABILITY TO OURSELVES We can be our own worst critics, but as we respond to God’s grace, He restores our conscience and allows us to look at ourselves through His loving eyes. In 1 Timothy 4:16, Paul writes to Timothy, “Watch your life and doctrine closely.” Go back to the sessions on multiplication by discipleship, particularly the “hanger” graphic and the three basic spiritual disciplines illustrated there. Are you consistent in your personal prayer, study of the Bible, and obedience? ACCOUNTABILITY TO AN INTIMATE FEW The “intimate few” are our closest friends, the trusted few who know our story and share our dreams. These intimate few grow with us. We willingly submit ourselves to them and trust their advice because they have our best interests at heart. Proverbs 27:17 states, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Accountability to an intimate few sharpens our integrity and protects us from falling. Are you part of a small covenant group made up of people who are growing spiritually, who have your best interests at heart, and who are committed to mutual accountability? INTEGRITY: A LIFE THAT IS WHOLE 248

ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH We are part of the community of faith that is the Church, the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27). In the midst of this broader fellowship, we give and receive spiritual nurture and guidance. In the Church, God makes accountability possible through an environment of grace, a place to find wise men and women willing to give their counsel and encouragement. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them. -Acts 15:4 Can you recall the vows you made when you became a Christian, joined the church you are in, or when you were consecrated to the ministry or leadership position that you currently hold? How can you create an environment of grace and facilitate the practice of accountability in your life? WORKSHOP In small groups, discuss the following question: What are practical actions that we could take to increase the level of accountability in our lives and protect our integrity? Each group will take notes and choose a spokesperson to briefly share the group’s conclusion with the rest of the participants. NOTES: 249 INTEGRITY: A LIFE THAT IS WHOLE

CONCLUSION The challenge of integrity is great for all of us. Let us seek God together and take the necessary actions to remain faithful leaders. Like many infectious diseases, the best approach to guarding our integrity is prevention. Making these three commitments below will help you maintain your integrity, glorify God, protect yourself from stumbling, and encourage your leadership growth. 1 INTEGRITY The first step to guard our integrity is an awareness of the absolute necessity of integrity in our lives and a personal commitment to live it. Integrity is as simple as keeping your promises and being a person who can be trusted. It means to be whole, complete, integrated. 2 ACCOUNTABILITY To be held accountable means to be responsible for our attitudes, decisions, and actions (1 Tim. 4:16). Accountability is the practical weapon in the integrity war, without which we are unlikey to win. 3 FOCUS Focus is an intentional act. As the author of Hebrews exhorts us, let us commit to live a focused life, following the example of Jesus. “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” —Hebrews 12:1–2 INTEGRITY: A LIFE THAT IS WHOLE 250

HISTORY MAKERS FINISHING WELL The Finish Line CORE VALUE God looks for men and women of integrity who live holy lives and who are accountable to God and to the Body of Christ. Integrity glorifies God, protects leaders from stumbling, and encourages growth. TEACHING OBJECTIVE The purpose of this session is for each leader to evaluate God’s call on his or her life and to commit to finishing well in life and leadership. INTRODUCTION John Stephen Akhwari is an Olympic legend. Representing his country, Tanzania, he was a favorite to win the marathon at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. In the middle, of the race he suffered a fall, slicing open his knee and dislocating the joint. He finally entered the stadium to complete the race, one hour after the winner crossed the finish line and the medalists received their awards. The last few spectators who were preparing to leave the stadium were witnesses to the historic event. Bloodied and bandaged, Akhwari hobbled around the stadium track and finished the race. When asked why he continued to race when he had no chance of a medal, his answer was: “My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race; they sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race.” GOD’S PLAN AND THE REALITY OF LIFE There is no question in our minds that God’s plan for us is that we finish well. Paul is our example. STARTED RIGHT FINISHED WELL Acts 9:20–22 2 Timothy 4:7 251 FINISHING WELL

God’s purpose for us has never been that we quit or give up. Solomon is the example of a leader who did not finish well. STARTED RIGHT FINISHED POORLY 1 Kings 3:3 1 Kings 11:4-6 YET, the FACT IS… DO YOU BELIEVE THIS IS THE WILL 70% of all leaders will not finish well. OF GOD? -J. Robert Clinton Scholar and writer J. Robert Clinton researched Christian leaders and affirms that seven out of ten leaders will not finish well. Clinton’s conclusion was gleaned from leaders’ personal assessment, peer and follower evaluation, or the teaching of their professed religion.1 WHERE DID THEY GO? DROPPED OUT. 2 Timothy 4:10—“Demas . . . has deserted me.” PLATEAUED. Philippians 3:19b—“Their mind is on earthly things.” DISQUALIFIED. 2 Corinthians 7:10—Worldly sorrow with no repentance. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? . . . ASK KING SOLOMON King Solomon is a tragic, biblical example of someone who started right but did not finish well. He began as a “man of wisdom” who wrote, The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. -Proverbs 1:7 Later in his life, Solomon became a cynic and a fool who wrote, “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” -Ecclesiastes 1:2 HOW DO WE LOSE INTEGRITY? — ONE STEP AT A TIME Seldom does just one factor or influence cause one to not finish well; rather, it is often just one step that starts us in a direction that, if not checked, would cause us not to finish well in life. FINISHING WELL 252

THE BIG FOUR MONEY, SEX, POWER, AND PRIDE These first four factors are the most obvious and common reasons so many Christian leaders do not finish well. They are described in 1 John 2:15–16, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.” MONEY Money is not inherently evil. It can be a blessing, but it is also a great source of temptation. 11 Timothy 6:10—“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” 2 Timothy 3:2—“Lovers of money, boastful, proud . . .” GOD’S ANSWER Seek first the Kingdom of God. (See Matthew 6:33) PRACTICAL APPLICATION If possible, do not handle your church, organization, or ministry’s money. If you have to do this, make sure to always have three witnesses present and take every precaution to avoid even the appearance of evil. Even on a personal level, make sure there is transparency in all financial dealings. SEX Sex is a precious gift from God to be enjoyed between a man and woman in marriage. Deviation from God’s purpose results in disaster. 2 Proverbs 2:18—“Surely her house [adulterous woman] leads down to death.” Ephesians 5:3—“But among you, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality.“ GOD’S ANSWER Approach the throne of grace and find help. (See Hebrews 4:14–16) PRACTICAL APPLICATION Take proactive steps to prevent risk of temptation. Avoid being alone with persons to whom you might become physically attracted. If you are married, discuss with your spouse what boundaries would be most helpful and appropriate. Install pornography filters in your internet devices. 253 FINISHING WELL

POWER Power can be a great temptation for the leader. Leadership is influence and with it comes power. However, the abuse of power has serious consequences for the leader. 3 Acts 8:9–23— Simon, the Sorcerer, tried to use God’s power for personal benefit. GOD’S ANSWER Jesus never used power for His own benefit. (See Matthew 26:53) PRACTICAL APPLICATION Be a Christ-centered servant leader who focuses on building God’s Kingdom by helping others achieve their potential in Christ. PRIDE Pride can be the result of success. Leaders who enjoy great success in ministry are 4 prone to temptation in this area. However, the warning is clear: Proverbs 16:18— “Pride goes before a fall.” Never say, what I have done. GOD’S ANSWER “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” — Philippians 2:3 PRACTICAL APPLICATION Recognize often and publicly acknowledge the source of your success. At every opportunity, lift up the contribution of others as instrumental to any success. Follow a servant leadership model. FINISHING WELL 254

FOUR MORE The four sins above are fairly obvious, although very dangerous. However, there are “four more.” These additional sins of the leader are like cancer and can be just as dangerous as the first four. These can be slow growing in influence in your life until it is almost too late to change. This condition is described in Mark 4:13–19: “Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.” MENTAL STAGNATION Solomon stopped listening to God and learning from God. Because of Solomon’s sin, he came to the point that he wrote the following words, 1“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” — Ecclesiastes 1:9 GOD’S ANSWER “If you stop learning Keep learning. today, you’ll stop Luke 2:52—Jesus grew in wisdom, stature, and grace. growing tomorrow.”2 Matthew 11:29—Jesus said, “Learn from Me”. - Bob Buford Proverbs 1:5 — “Let the wise listen and add to their learning.” DO YOU HAVE PLANS FOR PERSONAL INTELLECTUAL GROWTH? CHARACTER AND CONVICTION WEAKENING As his kingdom prospered and Solomon made alliances with other nations, he began to put aside his convictions and his character faded. In the end, he was counted with the kings who did wrong in the eyes of the Lord. 2 As Solomon grew old . . . his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD . . . So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the LORD; he did not follow the LORD completely. -1 Kings 11:4–6 GOD’S ANSWER Affirm your convictions and examine your character regularly. Psalm 139:23–24—“Search me, O God, and know my heart.” Acts 4:20—“We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Daniel 3:16-18—“We [three Hebrew young men] will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” DO YOU INTERACT WITH AT LEAST ONE PERSON WHO WILL CONFRONT YOU ABOUT YOUR LIFE AND WITNESS? 255 FINISHING WELL

INFLUENCE AND LEGACY NEGLECT Later in his life, Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes, which is rather pessimistic about human life lived “under the sun.” In that book, Solomon cynically penned the following words: “No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them.” —Ecclesiastes 1:11 Solomon actually neglected his legacy and his negative influence extended to his 3 descendants. After his death, the kingdom was divided. His son and grandson who reigned after him were corrupt. GOD’S ANSWER Renew your commitments and realize your influence on future generations. John 17:19—“For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.” Make God’s ultimate your ultimate—Transformed people who reliably reproduce the Christian life (2 Tim. 2:1–2). ARE YOU INVESTING YOUR TIME IN A “TIMOTHY” TO HELP THAT PERSON BECOME A FAITHFUL DISCIPLE CAPABLE OF REPRODUCING HIM OR HERSELF IN OTHERS? LOSS OF INTIMACY WITH GOD 4 Although he had powerful personal experiences with God in the beginning of his reign, towards the end of his life, Solomon abandoned Jehovah and followed other gods. “The LORD became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice.” —1 Kings 11:9 GOD’S ANSWER Become more intentional about your personal and intimate relationship with God. Psalm 27:4—“One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek.” Psalm 51:12—“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation.” DO YOU HAVE A CONSISTENT DEVOTIONAL AND INTERCESSORY PRAYER TIME? FINISHING WELL 256

WORKSHOP This is to be a time of personal reflection and self-examination. Prayerfully answer the questions below. You may want to set a personal (SMART) goal for your integrity. Is there an area of the “big four” that you need to deal with before God? Are any of the “four more” a danger in your life and leadership? YOUR GOAL IS THE FINISH LINE Paul and many others have crossed it, and we can too. At the end of his life, Paul wrote the following powerful words to Timothy: I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. —2 Timothy 4:7 HOW DO WE FINISH WELL? ONE STEP AT A TIME Like Paul and many others, we shall finish well if we make the following three simple commitments in our lives. They are the same commitments we saw in the Integrity session, but they are worth repeating and reinforcing in our lives. INTEGRITY 1 The first step to finishing well is an awareness of the absolute necessity of integrity in our lives and a personal commitment to live it. Integrity is as simple as keeping your promises and being a person who can be trusted. It means to be whole, complete, integrated. Practical Application: Make a commitment today to live the values of Christianity with consistency in every area of your life, regardless of the circumstances. ACCOUNTABILITY 2 To be held accountable means to be responsible for our attitudes, decisions, and actions (1 Tim. 4:16). Accountability is the practical weapon in the integrity war, without which we are unlikely to win. As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. —Proverbs 27:17 Practical Application: Watch your life and doctrine closely. Select two or three persons whom you trust and who love and respect you, and share your commitment to integrity with them. Allow them to hold you accountable for your goal of finishing well, and have them help you honor that commitment. 257 FINISHING WELL

3 FOCUS Focus is an intentional act. Those who finish well like Paul have one focus in life, as the writer of Hebrews states, Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. —Hebrews 12:1–2 Practical Application: Imagine the end of your life years from now. Set the goal of finishing with more passion for God and His Kingdom than you have today. You may want to write down that goal and post it in a visible place. CONCLUSION: THE PRAYER OF THE FINISHER In Acts 20, the apostle Paul addressed the elders of the Church at Ephesus that being “compelled by the Spirit,” he was on his way to Jerusalem. He confessed he did not know what his future would hold for him, except that “the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me” in every city (verse 23). Paul then makes a profound statement that is also the prayer of every Christian who desires to finish well the race of the Christian life. “I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” —Acts 20:24 FINISHING WELL 258

ENDNOTES INTIMACY WITH GOD 1. Wirt, Sherwood E. The Inner Life of the Believer. Here’s Life, 1989. 2. Foster, Richard J. Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth. Harper & Row, 1978. 3. Ibid. PASSION FOR THE HARVEST 1. Duewel, Wesley L. Ablaze for God. Zondervan, 1989, 101, 103. 2. McClung, Floyd. “Apostolic Passion.” Perspectives on the World Christian Movement: A Reader. By Ralph D. Winter et al., William Carey Library, 2009. 3. Duewel, Wesley L. Ablaze for God. Zondervan, 107–108. 4. “Statistical Information.” World Methodist Council. Nov. 21, 2017, http:// worldmethodistcouncil.org/about/member-churches/statistical-information/. (Accessed May 27, 2014). 5. Tucker, Ruth. From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya: A Biographical History of Christian Missions. Zondervan, 2004, 301. 6. Parker, Rebecca. Sadhu Sundar Singh: Called of God. 6th ed., Zondervan, 2004. 7. Tucker, Ruth. From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya: A Biographical History of Christian Missions. Zondervan, 2004, 462. 8. Johnstone, Patrick. Operation World. O.M. Publishing, 2000. 9. Earls, Aaron. “7 Encouraging Trends in Global Christianity.” Lifeway Research, 2015. https://lifewayresearch.com/2015/03/11/7-encouraging-trends-in-global- christianity. 10. “Frontier Unreached Peoples”. Joshua Project, https://joshuaproject.net/frontier. (Accessed September 2021). 11. “World hunger is still not going down after three years and obesity is still growing- UN report”. World Health Organization, ©15 July 2019, https://www.who.int/news/ item/15-07-2019-world-hunger-is-still-not-going-down-after-three-years-and- obesity-is-still-growing-un-report. 12. “Why Water?” https://www.charitywater.org/global-water-crisis. (Accessed August 2021). 13. “Poverty headcount ratio at $1.90 a day (2011 PPP) (% of population).” The World Bank, Approximately 700 million people, 10% of the world population live below the extreme poverty line, (as determined by the World Bank) having to survive on less than USD 1.90 a day. (Accessed August 2021). 14. “9 World Poverty Statistics that Everyone Should Know”. Lifewater, https://lifewater. org/blog/9-world-poverty-statistics-to-know-today. (Accessed August 2021). 15. “Malaria”. World Health Organization, © 1 April 2021, https://www.who.int/news- room/fact-sheets/detail/malaria. a259

16. “More than 10.35 Million People Are in Prison around the World, New Report Shows.” More than 10.35 Million People Are in Prison around the World, New Report Shows. | World Prison Brief, 2016, www.prisonstudies.org/news/more-1035-million-people- are-prison-around-world-new-report-shows. 17. “Refugee Data Finder.” UNHCR, The UN Refugee Agency, https://www.unhcr.org/ refugee-statistics. (Accessed August 2021) 18. “Forced Labour, Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking (Forced Labour, Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking).” International Labour Organization, © 1996-2018 International Labour Organization (ILO), www.ilo.org/global/topics/forced-labour/ lang--en/index.html. 19. Lowry, Lindy. “215 Million Believers Face Persuction for Their Faith in Christ.” Open Doors, 10 January 2018. https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/ stories/215-million-believers-persecution-for-their-faith-in-christ. 20. Duewel, Wesley L. Ablaze for God. Zondervan. 112. 21. Chambers, Oswald. My Utmost for His Highest: Daily Devotionals. Mead & Company, 1935, November 3 devotional. SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP 1. Maxwell, John. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Nelson, 1998. 2. Dr. Isaac Lim is former president of the Trinity Annual Conference of the Singapore Methodist Church and pastor of one of Singapore’s largest Christian churches. He is one of the authors of the Biblical Leadership Series. 3. Sanders, J. Oswald. Spiritual Leadership: Principles of Excellence for Every Believer. Moody, 1994. 4. Ibid. Sander’s work was originally published in the 1950s, when the “Command and Control” model of leadership was the prevalent norm. This comparison chart has been modified from its original version to reflect the less autocratic perceptions of leadership that are prevalent in the twenty-first century. SERVANT LEADERSHIP 1. Greenleaf, Robert K. Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness. Paulist, 1977. 2. Amaral, Anselmo. A Servant Leadership Model for the Church of Brazil (Doctoral Dissertation. Asbury Theological Seminary, 2007. 3. Hunter, James C. The Servant: A Simple Story about the True Essence of Leadership. Prima, 1998. 4. Information from the company’s website (www.chick-fil-a.com) and internal company literature. TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP 1. Rogers, Everett M. Diffusion of Innovation. London: Free, 1982. 2. Avolio, Bruce J., and Bernard M Bass. Developing Potential across a Full Range of Leadership: Cases on Transactional and Transformational Leadership. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2002. a260

THE POWER OF VISION 1. Hovey, E. Paul. The Treasury of Inspirational Anecdotes, Quotations, and Illustrations. Revell, 1959. 2. Barna, George. The Power of Vision: Discover and Apply God’s Plan for Your Life and Ministry. Regal, 2009, 26–27. 3. Outline based on a seminar by Wilkinson, Bruce. The Vision of the Leader. VISION AND MISSION WORKSHOP 1 1. Barna, George. The Power of Vision: Discover and Apply God’s Plan for Your Life and Ministry. Regal, 2009, 26. GOALSETTING 1. The SMART goals acronym was developed by Paul J. Meyer and was introduced in his booklet “Attitude Is Everything,” available from www.pauljmeyer.com and www. amazon. com. Many writers and speakers have added their own insights to this widely respected approach. 2. The phrase “actionable” was adopted by ILI from Michael Hyatt from his online course “Five Days to our Best Year Ever.” (http://michaelhyatt.com/get-clear-in-2014. html). OVERCOMING OBSTACLES 1. Boa, Kenneth. Conformed to His Image: Biblical and Practical Approaches to Spiritual Formation. Zondervan, 2001, 224–225. 2. Peterson, Eugene H. Run with the Horses: The Quest for Life at Its Best. 5th ed., InterVarsity, 2009, 41. 3. Lyall, Leslie T. A Passion for the Impossible: The Continuing Story of the Mission Hudson Taylor Began. OMF, 1976, 5. PRACTICE OF EVANGELISM 1. The Lausanne Covenant is a document written and signed by the participants at the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization in 1974. It is the result of a cooperation between evangelical Christians from diverse backgrounds and nationalities. According to the organizers of the congress, “The Covenant was a statement intended to define the necessity, responsibilities, and goals of spreading the Gospel.” For more on the history and content of the Lausanne Covenant, go to www. lausanne.org/covenant. 2. This section is adapted from Evangelism Explosion’s training materials on sharing your personal testimony. RELEVANT EVANGELISM 1. Nida, Eugene A. Customs and Cultures: Anthropology for Christian Missions. William Carey Library, 1979, 28. 2. Martins, Ronaldo. How Many Colors Should Be in the Rainbow? Representing Color Names in Knowledge Bases. United Nations Library, 2013, www.unl.fi.upm.es/consorcio/ archivos/publicaciones/ alejandria/alej_031-23.pdf. (Accessed February 2013). a261

MULTIPLICATION BY DISCIPLESHIP 1. “Discipline.” The American Heritage Dictionary. www.ahdictionary.com/word/search. html?q=discipline. (Accessed February 11, 2013). MULTIPLICATION BY COACHING 1. Adapted from Paul D. Stanley and J. Robert Clinton. Connecting: The Mentoring Relationships You Need to Succeed in Life. NavPress, 1992, 76. 2. D’Souza, Anthony. Developing the Leader within You: Strategies for Effective Leadership. Haggai Centre for Advanced Leadership Studies,1994. MULTIPLICATION BY MENTORING 1. The content of this session has been adapted from Bobb Biehl. Mentoring: Confidence in Finding a Mentor and Becoming One. Broadman and Holman, 1996. 2. Clinton, J. Robert and Richard W. Clinton. The Mentor Handbook: Detailed Guidelines and Helps for Christian Mentors and Mentorees. Barnabas, 1991. FAMILY PRIORITY 1. Based on pioneering and much-quoted research by Nick Stinnett and John DeFrain. Secrets of Strong Families. Little, Brown & Co., 1986. FAMILY PRIORITY WORKSHOP 1. Rainey, Dennis. The Tribute and the Promise. Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1994. Taken from www.familylife.com and adapted with permission. FAITHFUL STEWARDSHIP 1. “Steward.” Merriam-Webster. http://www. merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ steward. (Accessed June 2012). STEWARDSHIP OF TIME 1. Myron Rush. Management: A Biblical Approach. Victor, 1983. 2. Ibid., 149. 3. Maxwell, John C. Talent Is Never Enough: Discover the Choices That Will Take You Beyond Your Talent. Thomas Nelson, 2007, 63. 4. Stephen R. Covey. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: Restoring the Character Ethic. Simon and Schuster, 1989. INTEGRITY 1. MacArthur, John F. The Power of Integrity: Building a Life without Compromise. Crossway, 1997. 2. McCartney, Bill in a chapter by Gary Smalley and John Trent. What Makes a Man?: Twelve Promises That Will Change Your Life. NavPress, 1992. 3. Anderson, Leith. Winning the Values War in a Changing Culture: Thirteen Distinct Values That Mark a Follower of Jesus Christ. Bethany House, 1994. a262

FINISHING WELL 1. Thrall, Bill, Bruce McNicol, and Ken McElrath. The Ascent of a Leader: How Ordinary Relationships Develop Extraordinary Character and Influence. Jossey-Bass, 1999. 2. Buford, Bob. Finishing Well: What People Who Really Live Do Differently! Integrity, 2004, 124. a263