John Kelly - Church Leadership Training: Understanding Gods Expectation for Excellence

2019 Deacon John Kelly, Sr. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Print ISBN: 978-1-54396-424-0
eBook ISBN: 978-1-54396-425-7

FOREWORD

I Timothy 3:1-2 New Living Translation says:

This is a trustworthy saying: If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position. So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach.

This could not be a more appropriate statement than that of the author of this enlightening leadership compendium.

Leadership can be challenging. In this writing, Deacon Kelly has captured the essence of a Biblical leader. A true leader understands that The vision is always going to be bigger than what we have so that God can show Himself in us. Penned by Deacon Kelly, this is an accurate view of what God can do through the willingness and obedience of a church leader. It broadens the scope of how called leaders support their Pastor and vision for their appointed house of worship.

Understanding Gods Expectation For Excellence is a Spirit-filled and refreshingly honest training manual that delves into the expectations of a church leader, particularly in the African-American Baptist Church. Albeit, this training guide transcends denominations and church affiliations.

Deacon John Kelly is the embodiment of a Godly leader. I am privileged to have had the opportunity to serve alongside this great servant in Gods Kingdom and am Godly proud to have been a part of this experience.

If you are a Pastor in need of a guide that can assist you in teaching your servant leaders about Biblical leadership, or if you are a servant leader desiring to have a greater knowledge on how to serve your Pastor and church body as an earnest leader, I invite you to turn the page and explore what this guide has to offer. You will not be disappointed.

Bishop Victor T. Curry, D. Min., D. Div.
Founding Senior Pastor
New Birth Baptist Church Cathedral of Faith International, Miami, FL

FOREWORD

In a time of fast-paced change, redefining morals and competing interests, we need to understand what God expects of leaders and their leadership. God expects us to develop a Spirit of leadership through an attitude of excellence. Leaders with the mind-set and the skill-set to transform followers into leaders and the creativity to bring new ideas of ministry and evangelism. Leaders that can communicate within different cultures and are not afraid to collaborate with other leaders to effectuate change.

Deacon John Kelly shares his 30 plus years of leadership as a Servant Leader, Deacon, teaching and training followers to become leaders in various positions in the Church. In this heartfelt work, Deacon Kelly provides a step by step manual for Church leadership modeling the Office of the Pastor and Deacon.

Deacon Kellys foresight of the road ahead, insight of the current conditions, based on his hindsight of experiences, provides for us a human standard for spiritual excellence. Within each chapter of this book you will find information that will challenge the norm and inspire leadership to strive for a Spirit of Excellence.

As a seasoned Deacon and entrepreneur Deacon Kelly has motivated and developed hundreds of young men and women throughout the country. Demonstrating the ability to unleash uses of organizational, managerial and administration skills to fulfill their untapped potential.

For example, Deacon Kellys approach to leadership reminds me of two insightful stories, one of the flea and the lid and the other involving the eagle. The flea being born with the potential to leap heights higher than the height of the jar, however once the lid is placed upon the jar the flea adapts to only reach the ceiling of the lid and teaches generations to only reach the ceiling of the lid. Even after the lid is removed the flea believes its potential is only the height of the previous lid. Though barriers have been removed such as educational, economic and environmental, leaders still pigeon-hole young men and women with potential to only reach the height of their jar.

It is not so with the Eagle ! An eagle (leader) starts preparing its nest before the arrival of the next generation. The nest has built-in comfort (cotton), safety (height) and challenges (thorns) to prepare the baby eaglets to Soar. The eagle (leader) handling of its young is a similarity of a leader with a young protg. Eagles develop their young by modeling (training), monitoring (flight) and motivating (soar) them for preparation of leaving the nest.

Deacon Kelly, whom I describe as the Dean of Deacons leadership book provides the transition from a trapped lid mentality to soaring like an eagle. Understanding Gods Expectation for Excellence is a great tool for use in any local church, large or small to provide training and mentoring.

Dr. A. Anthony Sanders
Pastor/Teacher/Life Coach

Introduction/Prayer

I thank God for this opportunity. I thank Him for giving me this ability to share what I know and what Ive learned about Leadership in the church. I could give Him thanks and praises all day, but right now Im just thanking Him for His goodness, His Mercy, His kindness, and this day that Hes given us. Hes been so good to us and we want to thank Him for that. I thank Him for everyone that reads this book who is trying to gain an understanding of what God would have us to do as leaders.

This book ( leadership training ), is scriptural based. Sometimes it takes a long time for what Im teaching ( the contents of this book ) to come from our pastors because it may seem self-serving. They dont necessarily want to say these things to the leaders. However, I will say it. Everyone that works in a church under a Shepherd should understand exactly what is expected of them as leaders. God has set up the church with a divine order so that the vision of the house can go forth without any delay from the leadership.

Prayer

Gracious God our Father, in the name of Jesus. I come thanking and praising your holy name for everything. This is what you laid on my heart to do. Im asking that you bless us, bless the hearers that will hear this. Bless the leaders. The contents of this book are coming directly from your Word. Were asking that you help the readers write it on their hearts and hang it about their necks to enable them to walk holy and righteous before you, God. I thank you for this opportunity and I thank you for every Pastor that represents you. I thank you for those that will read this book. I ask that you just be you, do what you do, lead us and guide us, have your way in our lives. I say yes to your will, and your way. We were created for your will, and your glory. I ask that you get the glory from our lives. I ask that you help us live holy and righteous before you. So that you will say well done at the end, good and faithful servant. I ask that you illuminate our hearts; and give us the revelation that we need to be able to catch the vision and run with it. With the vision of excellence that you have for us, in the order that you have for us. Oh God we thank you, I ask that you bless this book. We turn it over to you as we stand to Proclaim what you have given us. In Jesuss name we pray. Amen.