Understanding Church Leadership 13
By Pastor Raphael Adegoke
16Woe to you, O land whose king is a youth, and whose princes feast in the morning. 17Blessed are you, O land whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes feast at the proper time—for strength and not for drunkenness. (Eccl 10: 16-17)
Thank God it’s another Tuesday. We are not ungrateful to God who has kept our faith strong in the midst of the prevalent situations around us.. I pray that our faith will not fail in the name of Jesus.
Last week, we discussed persuasion as one the attributes of a true servant-leader and the perspective of the same as it differed from secular leadership, but today we shall be considering foresight.
Any leader that really desires to be true indeed must have foresight alongside insight and “faith-sight. Foresight is the ability to see beyond the present situations and circumstances in order to be able to make informed decisions and avoid jeopardy. That is, jeopardy of his own life and the people he leads.
“Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them10And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.” (Acts 27:9-11). Apostle Paul here knew that the voyage would be turbulent, but gave the people in the ship an assurance of a safe landing. The truth was that he did not deny the reality of what was going to happen and did not cease to carry the people around him along even as he assured them of a safe landing.
Faith is never a denial of realities, but it is always our anchor in the midst of storms and assurance of an ending that conforms to the eternal purpose of God. “Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1) “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” (Heb 11:39-40).
Foresight helps leaders to spiritually prepare ahead of time, helps gain a mental balance and helps absorbs pressures ahead of time. Aside these, it helps leaders build confidence ahead of unpalatable situations and circumstances which can easily swallow up.
What makes anyone a leader indeed is staying ahead of the people he leads, and one of the major things that help a leader stay ahead of the ones He leads is foresight. Jesus Christ demonstrated this on several occasions with His disciples. “41Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation.” (Matth.26:41). Failure only comes when the right things are not done. This is not just to avert negativity, it is also a great asset that helps know what is to be done ahead of time that will enhance group performance or productivity. This will as well help a people take the best advantage of their situations and circumstances.
Pastor Raphael Adegoke is a Pastor in Christ Apostolic Church (Nigeria & Overseas) and a Lecturer in Christ Apostolic Church Theological Seminary.
