10 Apr Levels of Leadership in Acts 1-7: Part 2
Part 2: Fathers Developing as Leaders
Going to the next level of fatherhood, involves applying these same leadership steps from Acts 1-7 to fatherhood
Acts 1: Fatherhood is about the Call and Commission
The call is the sober realization that God has a destiny for our life. Commissioning is the specific task put before you. Fathers you are called commissioned to your family—it’s your mantel that you have to wear. A lot of people know they’re called, but aren’t willing to take up the mantel to go forward.
Fathers… bring the word “destiny” into your vocabulary… make kids know God has a special and specific plan for their lives!
John Wesley… saved from a burning house as a young boy, His mother said, “John, surely you are a brand plucked from the fire”, and instilled within him the truth that God must have a special plan for his life.
DL Moody at a prayer meeting in London England… Br. Varney said, “The world has yet to see what God can do through the life of a man fully committed to Him.” Moody responded, “By God’s grace I will be that man!”
Acts 2: Fatherhood is about Modeling and Mentoring
To model and mentor is to stand up and allow yourself to be the example for people around you—and then invest time and energy in order to influence. It demands preparation—Peter knew Scripture, was a man of prayer, and filled with the Spirit. To be a model and mentor we need to prepare ourselves to influence others.
Get connected with God, and then share your story… specifically with your kids!
Acts 3: Fatherhood is about Training and Teaching
To look for “God times” and divine teaching moments that the Lord brings into our everyday lives to teach things we could never adequately convey otherwise. Answers to prayer, obvious divine encounters and divine timing are examples of this. Miraculous provision, answers… all these things become memories in the minds of our kids that they will never forget.
Acts 4: Fatherhood is about Problems and Prayer
Faith increases at this level, so that seemingly insurmountable difficulties are met with confident prayer. There is an unshakeable belief at this level that God is going to intervene, and that the problems will be used to work out His will and demonstrate His power in the practical issues of life.
Fathers see problems as a motivation to pray and connect with God. Believing prayer actually brings great unity in the family between parents and children as they believe together.
Acts 5: Fatherhood is about Problems and Power
At this level, you are living “on the edge”; trust in God has developed to the point where you are convinced that increased problems and challenges will result in God’s power being seen.
Problems will be used to demonstrate power to your wife and kids; they lay the groundwork, provide the backdrop for God’s power being seen.
Many of us have heard of George Mueller, a great man of faith. Among other things he ran an orphanage… one day, his orphans were without milk, and so he gathered them all for breakfast and prayed, thanking God for the milk He would surely provide… when a knock was heard at the door. A milk wagon had a broken wheel just outside the door, and all the milk would spoil if it wasn’t used right away: his prayer was answered!
Acts 6/7: Fatherhood is about Leaders and Legacy
At this level the focus is on raising up and releasing leaders for the next generation. Marked by an increase of both challenge and opportunity, “legacy leaders” think and act in ways that will carry influence and blessing into the next generation:
As fathers, our desire is to see our children have encounters with Christ, so that they in turn can eventually carry the mantle on, and influence their generation and win people to the Lord… in every relay race, the passing of the baton is most often where the race is won or lost!
Fathers, our greatest challenge and our most rewarding opportunity is going to be the passing on of the baton: challenging, inspiring, modeling for our kids the life of Christ, the purposes of God, so that they want to take the baton and run with all their might, and continue the race!
No matter how long we have been leaders and fathers, we all need to know “what is my next step?” Where do I go from here to become a better father, a better leader?