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Leadership, Jesus Style

Leadership, Jesus Style
by Michael Tummillo, Workplace Chaplain, t.e.a.m. ministries

When I was the Marketing Director for the award-winning Stephenville
Chamber of Commerce, I was asked to speak at the graduation ceremony
of a group called “Leadership Stephenville.” As I understand it, these
groups are sponsored by Chambers of Commerce all over the nation as
a way of training up the future leaders of our communities and educating
them regarding how it is that a city actually functions. More or less. The
graduates, friends, famaily members and other supporters met in the
conference room of a local downtown restaurant.I had been told that I could speak about anything I wanted, a dangerous
thing to say to me, as some would agree. The only thing I could even
think of was this: “Tell them about the greatest leader of all time. Tell
them the truth.”

During my speech, I asked the group, when it comes to business leaders
whose example we can emulate, who can we think of who was setting an
example that was worth following? Was it the fallen chieftans of Enron
or WorldCom? We can read book after book, attend conference after
conference, listen to tape series after tape series, only to hear fallible
men try and teach us everything they know about leadership. The blind
leading the blind, in essence, for so many people’s experiences are
little more than repeated mistakes. I mentioned to the graduates how I
had recently heard that actor/comedian Jim Belushi had just written a
book on relationships; an odd occurrence from a man who has been
divorced five times.

We must understand that every one of us is a leader because every
one of us is in a position of influence over others. Somebody is always
watching. That being said, we must decide if we are going to be a
good leader or a bad leader. Adolf Hitler was a great leader that an
entire nation chose to follow in the most horrific ways. He simply was
not a GOOD leader.

So who was it that we should follow? I warned those present that
what I was about to tell them was either absolute truth or it was a
lie. “And I wouldn’t lie to you,” I added. Years ago, I decided to
follow a leader who was raised in a poor family and, from an early
age, took part in his father’s business. He launched an international
organization that has lasted some 2,000 years and has involved millions.
He taught many wonderful leadership principals, including when he
turned one of his greatest adversaries - a man named Saul from a place
called Tarsus - into one of his greatest assets.

It wasn’t long before the attendees in this Bible-Belt crowd realized
that I was speaking about Jesus Christ, of course, and I enjoyed watching
the smiles come to their faces as some were nodding and smiling in
agreement. I recall one man, grinning widely and nodding, mouthed the
word “Amen” at one point. Among the things I shared was the story of
Charles Finney, a lawyer in America’s early years, who recognized that
there was one book on the shelves of all his colleagues that he, personally,
did not possess. It was the Holy Bible. Think about that. What better thing
could a lawyer do to ensure that he would function from a perspective of
truth and fairness than to consult the teachings of the one who authored both
truth and fairness? Finney got a Bible, read it, left the law firm and became
an evangelist.

I also shared a story I’d heard that was entitled “The Class the Stars Fell On.”
The message referred to the West Point graduating class of 1915 which
numbered 164. More than one third of that extraordinary class, which
included the likes of Eisenhower and Omar Bradley, won stars, 59 in all -
24 brigadier generals (one star), 24 major generals (two stars), 7 lieutenant
generals (three stars), two generals (four stars), and 2 generals of the army
(five stars). The nearest competitor to that graduating class was the West
Point Class of 1917, which produced a distant total of 43 generals.

My challenge to the class was that they, too, could be a class the
stars fall on or, better yet, be a class that falls among the stars. How so?
By aspiring to live as Jesus lived and do that which He taught,
that’s how. “Now, some might think that this is the epitome of
arrogance to think that one should aspire to be like Jesus. I disagree
for the book of Ephesians tells us that we SHOULD be imitators of
Christ. Logically, that means that we CAN be…” After all, the same
Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells within us. We ARE the
temple of the Holy Spirit, the Ark of the New Covenant, if you will.

I wrapped up the presentation with a favorite phrase that I’d heard once:
“…shoot for the moon. The worst that will happen is that you’ll land
among the stars….”

Interestingly, the evening’s keynote speaker was unable to attend
at the last minute, making mine the only speech anyone was going
to hear that night. Though a bit embrassing for the group organizers,
apparently, God was going to share the stage with no one.

If you, too, would be interested in learning more about the
leadership principals taught and exemplified by Jesus, all of
which can be applied to anyone in a position of influence over
anybody else - from those who run a household to those who run
a football team to those who run a nation - please request my
booklet “Our Father’s Business: A Leadership Manual for People
who Lead People.” A love offering of any amount to help with
postage would be greatly appreciated. I suggest PayPal from this
ministry’s website.

ATTENTION, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS!
I’ll be speaking at the August 14th luncheon of the Christian Business
Chamber of Commerce and would LOVE to meet you there
(Community Bible Church, Room C134, noon sharp until 1PM)!
Contact Kevin Bain for details, 210.326.2246

Every blessing!
Michael Tummillo
Workplace Chaplain
t.e.a.m. ministries
A Ministry of Discipleship & Encouragement to the Body of Christ across Planet Earth
P.O. Box 633
Stephenville, Texas 76401
www.YourTown4Jesus.com