Dr. Roger Kingston - Im in This for You: The Truth in Becoming a Great Leader

The Leaders Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for the honor and privilege of serving and leading others this day. Please grant me the wisdom of King Solomon, King Davids courage, and the heart of Jesus Christ as I serve and lead for Your glory.

In Jesuss name, I pray, amen.

Introduction

Show me a great team of individuals or show me a great organization, and you can bet that they are led by a great leader or hierarchy of great leaders. Great leaders who understand the real motive required to maximize peoples abilities and efforts are their desire to serve those they lead. Leading others at any level of leadership requires technical and professional competencies. However, to achieve the status of being a great leader requires a leader motivated by something more significant than their success. Forming a group of random individuals, each with their unique talents, education, cultural backgrounds, beliefs, strengths, weaknesses, biases, and agenda into one cohesive and singularly oriented team or organization, requires a leader with the right motive.

So much is researched, written, and discussed about leadership styles as the answer to becoming an effective or great leader. Meanwhile, the singular motive for becoming a great leader is overlooked. Who are we leading for, ourselves or others? We lead for others. As a leader, our motive must always remain, Im in this for you!

Before retiring from the military, people would ask me what I would like to do after the military. I would tell them that I would love to work again and in a place where I could be the link between the workforce and the organizations leadership. Being in such a position would allow me to make sure the workforces needs were being heard and addressed by the leadership. I would also be able to make sure the workforce responded appropriately to the organizations leadership needs. I want to make peoples lives better and more fulfilling in the workplace. Working for one organization would minimize the number of people affected by leading by the Truth. I sincerely believe every person deserves leaders who lead according to Gods Truth; therefore, this book was written.

I loved being a soldier. There was not one minute in thirty-two years that I ever hated my job. Even during multiple deployments of combat, I never woke up hating my career. I would wake up already tired but loving my profession as a soldier. I use the New Living Translation Version of the Holy Bible in my daily Scripture reading. Second Timothy chapter 2 is titled A Good Soldier for Christ Jesus. This introductory title caught my attention because I loved being a good soldier for this country. I thought to myself, I dont have to stop being a good soldier. I need to change who I am soldiering for in life. And then I read 2 Timothy 2:2, You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.

I pray that God will use this book to place His Truth in leading into the hearts, minds, tongues, and hands of leaders worldwide. If we lead as Gods Word teaches, we will be Gods hands and feet of love in this world and the lives of our fellow brothers and sisters. Life is so hard, and this world is dangerous right now because we have all forgotten how to be here for one another, not just ourselves. We need Gods help and protection. It all starts with Gods Truth. The Truth in becoming a great leader is Gods Word. Apply it and follow it, and greatness will come.

Part 1

Leadership Gods Way

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

2 Timothy 3:1617

WARNING! This book will not introduce some new-fangled or radically secret way to become a great leader. Ecclesiastes 1:910 lets all of us in on the truth, History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Sometimes people say, Here is something new! But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. Sorry if thats what you were expecting. However, this book will spotlight the tested under fire, verified, and validated through years of leadership application, the psychological and sociological leadership perspectives established by God to promote greatness in life and leadership. Everything begins with Gods Truth; His is the standard by which we serve and lead others. Truth is Gods view on any subject matter, including leadership!

The study of leadership may leave a person with more questions than answers when attempting to find an agreed-upon leadership definition. After conducting an extensive search designed to identify the published variances of the definitions of leadership, leadership scholars concluded, We reviewed 160 articles and books that contained a definition, a scale, or a construct of leadership.

This book will present the essential elements of morally good, along with the central and significantly important motives and methods for great leadership. When applied correctly, these motives and methods will metamorphize into great leadership according to Gods Truth. You may be asking yourself, Where did this guy find these not so secret ingredients to becoming a great leader? It all starts with the Seed of Truth! In Revelation 3:14, Jesus says, This is the message from the one who is the Amenthe faithful and true witness, the beginning of Gods new creation. Amen means It is so; so be it . God is the final authority on everything that was, is, and will be.

The Seed is the Word of God. In the Seed is life. A seed by itself sitting in a jar is just a little seed; it can remain only a seed for hundreds of years if left in the jar. But place that single seed into the soil, feed it water, and surround it with a warm temperature. Now, that same single dead-looking seed will burst open and begin creeping up through the dark, moist soil searching for sunlight. That little seemingly dead seed burst into a new and grander creation of life. For an abundant and meaningful experience as a person, Gods Word is our seed. Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 13:12, To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. By studying the Word and applying the Word to our lives, we will burst into more abundant lives. We will burst forth into leading our lives and leading others with the greatness God created us to achieve.

The Seed of God is Truth; in other words, Gods Word is Truthit has always been true, is true, and will always be true. We are to base our lives and how we lead others on Gods Truth. Jesus Christ came to reveal the Truth. In John 18:37, Jesus, when asked if he was a king, answered, saying, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true. Just before Jesus is to be betrayed and crucified, He speaks to the Father about His disciples and those that believe in him in John 17:1617, They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Throughout the Bible, the Truth in Gods Word has been validated time and time again:

Every word of God proves true. (Proverbs 30:5)

This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which Godwho does not liepromised them before the world began. (Titus 1:2)

So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. (Hebrews 6:18)