Winning Ways: Inspiration Leads to Perspiration

The books and seminars on leadership like to distinguish between “leaders” and “managers.” It’s a false distinction.

We are told that “leaders” are visionary, big-picture people who have little inclination to deal with the details of implementing their ideas. By contrast, we are told that “managers” are those who focus on the nuts-and-bolts of a project, making sure that the whole operation runs smoothly. Leaders launch bold new ideas and managers implement them.

As I said, it’s a false distinction. “Leaders” who can’t execute their ideas are as useless as “managers” who can’t inspire people to adopt their ideas. We need to know how to launch and follow through.

And this is especially important to know if you want to be a person of influence.

Each Sunday in November we’ve been in a series called “Leave Your Mark.” It’s for parents and coaches and teachers and managers and civic leaders and anyone else who knows the importance of influence. You can catch up with the series on our website.

This Sunday we’ll discover that after inspiration comes perspiration. In other words, after casting a compelling vision for those we lead, we have to help them implement it.

In this sermon series, we’ve walked with Paul on his first missionary journey as recorded in Acts 13-14. When Paul wrapped up that journey, it’s interesting to see what he decided to do. If all he wanted to do was return to Antioch, there was a much shorter route than the one he chose. Take a look at a map and you’ll see it. He could have headed west through the Cilician route to Paul’s boyhood home of Tarsus, and then south to Antioch. Instead, Paul and Barnabas retraced their steps back through the towns where they had preached, “strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith” (14:22). It’s all the more remarkable that Paul chose this route home when you recall all the hardships he faced in these towns in the past.

But Paul knew that he had to do more than just get people to sign up for the Christian life. He had to reinforce their commitment. So he returned to the towns where he had preached and he strengthened them, appointed elders for them, and prayed for them.

This has been a helpful series for me personally, and I hope it’s been useful to you, too. Join us this Sunday @ 10 for our last look at how to “leave your mark” as an influencer.

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