Minister with 'Last-Days Leadership'

Many people are pointing to the "signs of the times" and concluding that Christians will soon meet their savior, Jesus, in the air (in the rapture of the Church). Whether that day is almost here, or many years away, we definitely are going to face troubling days ahead. In light of that, we need strong leaders. It's what I like to call "Last-Days Leadership." In this Leadership UPGRADE, I'll share five qualities that can help us lead well in tough times.

Jesus exemplified leadership as the perfect servant-leader. He trained a small team while drawing countless others to follow His message of light and life, forgiveness and freedom. (A good study might be to read the scriptures with this thought: "How can I lead like Jesus?")

There are as many kinds of leadership as there are roles in ministry. Also, as we lead, it's wise to be be a good follower / learner ourselves, asking, "How can I grow in my leadership skills?"

Here are five qualities that can help us lead well in tough times.

The Five C's of Last-Days Leadership

1. CONFIDENCE: Trust God in a Shaky World.

People are frazzled, fearful, and frustrated by the scary things happening in the world:

• the constant threat of nuclear disaster,
• the devaluating dollar,
• new diseases,
• unstable weather,
• strained and broken relationships,
• and stress like never before.

Christian leaders know that the only true source for the security and peace the world craves is God. Everything and everyone else can be taken from us or lost.

Have you heard this statement? "You just need to believe in yourself!" That and many other catchphrases from pop psychology and the culture-at-large can mislead Christians. It's okay to believe you have the ability to do this or that—when you actually DO have the ability—and we all need a measure of confidence to make choices or try new things.

But self-confidence is limited, and when our confidence is accompanied by hurtful pride and independence from God, it's sinful.

More than confidence in ourselves, we need God confidence!

When we need clear direction in a shaky world, the Lord of heaven is our help and resource. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to trust in Him and not lean on our own understanding. Other scriptures also caution about human confidence (like Proverbs 28:26 and Jeremiah 9:23).

It is wise to acknowledge God's right to control our lives.

Rather than trying to drum up more confidence, act in faith every day, and teach others the wisdom and value of confidence in God too. 

2. COMPASSION: Love People in a Needy World.

Effective ministry flows from personal interaction.

Leadership without genuine love and compassion will not help and change people; it will only keep “programs” going.

Jesus often met people’s physical needs before He dealt with their spiritual needs. Servant-leaders are wise to look at others through eyes of compassion and understanding. Offer your hands and heart to God.

If there are any problems in leadership, they usually come from the leader’s failure to connect with people in the group, so:

• take time to understand people’s needs and wishes,
• connect to needs by developing relationships,
• ask questions,
• and show sincere concern.

Compassion means “to suffer with”—sincere love that comes alongside others, as Jesus did (Matthew 9:36; 14:14).

If there are people in your group that you don’t know how to encourage or lead, take another look. See them through Jesus’ eyes!

Be aware of teachable moments that arise out of sacrificial ministry.

3. CONVICTION: Embrace Truth in a Confusing World.

Do you know what you believe, and why? Can you explain it to others?

As a Christian leader, you are responsible to guide others to the truth of God’s Word, and help them understand how His truth applies to their personal lives.

The Apostle Paul said, “I know whom [not just what] I have believed” (2 Timothy 1:12). That should be the confession of every child of God, especially Christian leaders. 

Know God’s Word to know Him!  

The world would like us to compromise what we believe—to water it down and tolerate lies—but it is only the truth that sets people free (John 8:32; 17:17).

The scriptures are profitable and powerful (2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12). Embrace the Word, and seek the will of God daily. Your leadership will be rooted and fruitful (Psalm 1:1-3).

There is no substitute for the pure Word of God.

4. CHARACTER: Reflect Christ to a Watching World.

God chose each of us “to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last” (John 15:16). Ambassadors for Christ will serve Him with integrity and good character (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Leaders should model behavior they want co-laborers and followers to emulate, but even more is at stake: the world is watching to see if our walk lines up with our talk.

Reflect Christ. Bring glory to His name, not shame.

We want:

• to be holy because God is holy (I Peter 1:16),
• to discipline our lives  in righteousness (I Corinthians 9:27),
• and to love others sincerely (without hypocrisy) so the world can see God in us (I Corinthians 13:4-8; Romans 12:9; I John 4:12). 

People are watching—guard your heart and mind!

5. COURAGE: Stand for God in an Unbelieving World.

As our culture plunges deeper into sin, the light of holy Christians will shine brighter and brighter and people should see the difference (Matthew 5:16). 

But that's not all that will happen.

• The world despises those who follow Christ with a whole heart and believe in the authority of the unchanging Word of God (John 15:18-19), so expect tension between good and evil.
• You may even be called to suffer for His sake as you stand for truth (Romans 8:17-18; 2 Timothy 3:12; I Peter 4:15-16). 

How can you move forward in courage?

• Find strength in the joy of the Holy Spirit's presence (John 14:16-17). Jesus sent Him to be our helper and, especially when times get tough, He gives direction based in the truth.
• Cast a biblical vision of holiness in the fear of God, sacrificial service, and joyful ministry. Where there is no vision—no long-term plan based in the Word and will of God—people will either be destroyed or wander aimlessly. So help them see what God is doing (Proverbs 29:18 MSG).
• This is not a time to be fuzzy about our role as leaders! Stand alone, if necessary, for what is right. Be bold for God!

No matter where we are on the timetable of God, we still want to minister well. God can help us do that with confidence, compassion, conviction, character, and courage.

We don't need to worry about "success"—we only need to be faithful to what our Father in heaven has called us to do; and if he has called us to lead, let us do it to honor Him.

Are you a leader in some way? Are you practicing the five C's? If not, what can you do to improve?

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Today, is a speaker and author, and the creator the blog, Upgrade with Dawn. She is a contracted researcher/reviewer for women's teacher and revivalist, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth at Revive Our Hearts, and is a regular columnist at Crosswalk.com. She and her husband Bob live in sunny Southern California, and Dawn has traveled with Him in Pacesetter Global Outreach. They have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Christina at Wocintechchat.com for Unsplash.

Upgrade Your Ministry: Continue Learning

Morgan Farr is a wise and practical teacher, distilling the truth of God's Word and applying it to everyday living. In this Ministry UPGRADE, she encourages us to keep on learning, for our benefit but also for the sake of better ministry.

"Learning shouldn’t end in a classroom," Morgan says. "It should be a forever part of the Christian woman’s life."

I (Dawn) agree with Morgan. We should always be lifelong learners, and nowhere is this more important than in our walk with God and ministry for Him.

Morgan continues . . .

In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to let the pursuit of knowledge take a back seat. However, for Christian women, the call to learning should be a continual and integral part of our lives.

Our commitment to growing in wisdom, knowledge, and faith should stay in the forefront of our minds.

Let’s explore why every Christian woman should continue learning and what she should do with that knowledge. 

1. Get Wisdom

Even though history has not always been kind to women’s education, we see in scripture that learning and growing is a crucial part of life.

Proverbs 4:7 states,

"The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding."

This verse reminds us that wisdom and understanding are precious treasures worth pursuing at any cost. This means that wisdom and understanding are not one-time acquisitions but ongoing pursuits.

Learning isn't just about acquiring academic knowledge; it's also about deepening our spiritual understanding.

Ephesians 4:23-24 urges us to:

"be made new in the attitude of your minds"

and to "put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

Spiritual growth is a lifelong journey, and learning plays a pivotal role in our development as followers of Christ.

Consider joining a Bible study group, attending seminars, or dedicating time to daily reading and reflection. 

2. Give to Others

Learning isn't just for personal enrichment; it's also a means to serve others effectively.

Proverbs 31:26 (NIV) describes a woman who

"speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue."

When we continually upgrade our knowledge and wisdom, we become valuable sources of guidance and support for our families, friends, and communities.

God has given us unique talents and gifts, and we can use these gifts to bless others.

By investing in our growth, we can better equip ourselves to serve those around us.

This might look like using your skills as a bookkeeper to help a college student build a budget, or using your wisdom as a grandmother to minister in a children’s church. God gave you unique skills and experiences. Use them to give knowledge to others.

Let me share a real-life example.   

A YouTube star, Rob Kenney, created the channel “Dad, How Do I?” where he took his real-life experience and started making videos to help people walk through things they may not have learned from their parents.

I accidentally stumbled across his videos two years ago when I was trying to figure out how to replace a toilet seat. I was struggling and super frustrated, so I googled, “How do I replace a toilet seat?”

His video gave me the help I needed.

Now, that may not seem like a big deal, but when you realize that I had four kids ages six and under and my soldier husband was away—let me just say that there were a lot of tears when I finally fixed this silly thing that was creating so much frustration in my home.

Kenney's skills and willingness to share them helped me and my family, even though we have never met! 

3. Grapple with Relevance 

It is easy to feel irrelevant after hitting age twenty-nine. But that doesn’t have to be the case.

Just because you don’t know the latest TikTok dance doesn’t mean that you don’t have knowledge to share.

Find what you are good at and let your church or community leadership know you want to give in this area.

I guarantee you there is a place where you are needed!

For example, being able to sew my husband’s name tape and patches on his Army uniform has saved us a fair amount of money during his military career.

• I could ask my chapel about putting up a flyer letting other military wives know I have this skill.
• I can either offer it to them as a free/low-cost service, or I can teach them how to do it themselves.

We are told in Titus chapter two how older people should mentor younger people, yet this doesn’t happen often in church.

I see a divide between the older generations and the ones coming behind them because we don’t know how to communicate our willingness to learn and teach.

As Christian women, our commitment to learning should be an ongoing journey guided by the Word of God. Through this, we enrich our lives and fulfill God's purpose for us, becoming the women He designed us to be.

So, upgrade your commitment to learning today and let it be a continual part of your life for God's glory

What skill can you share with your community? 

Morgan Farr is a succulent-cultivating, book nerd, aspiring author. She spends her days homeschooling her four young children and training her working dogs. As an Army wife, Morgan has learned to lean heavily on Jesus as she walks out military life. She is the Director fo Publishing at Planting Roots, a minitry for military women and wives. You can connect with Morgan on all major social media channels using her handle: morgandfarr.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Pexels at Pixabay.

How to Champion Your Missionaries

Sally Ferguson helps people see the wonder in the simple moments of life when they are yielded to God and based in the truth of God's Word. In this Ministry UPGRADE, she gives us insight into missionaries' needs, and how we can help in practical ways.

"The young widow burst into happy shouts," Sally said.  

"Our team stared speechless as she showed us her empty jar. There was no food for her table tonight, but our bag of provisions became her sustenance."

As a missionary wife, I (Dawn) so appreciate Sally's heart for missions. I agree with her about the many ways Christians can bolster missionaries and their work for the Kingdom of God.

Sally continues . . .

I had the privilege of seeing an Elijah moment (1 Kings 17:7-16) in person. Not only did God answer her prayer for food, but He answered ours, "to be the hands and feet of Jesus."

This wasn’t my first trip to Uganda, but it was the first to see something like this—and we were in awe of what God had done.

Missionaries are often put into tough spots as they seek to balance the needs they see before them, and their own need for healthy boundaries.

How do they juggle a desire to help everyone they see, with the limited resources they manage?

Tim Stevenson* says,

"You can’t fix everything, but you can help someone. Focus on that which you can do and leave the rest."

Tim and Colleen* have certainly helped many in over thirty years of serving in Uganda, through construction, establishing schools, developing sponsorship programs, and training pastors. Their leadership is known and respected throughout the country.

Maybe you’re thinking you can’t be a missionary like Tim and Colleen? Did you know missionaries depend on folks back home to be their emotional support as well as for prayer backing?

Here are three ways we can partner with our missionaries from afar.

1. Go

Many missionaries welcome work teams to join in the work. The partnership enables a bigger return for the time investment, and, in linking arms together, lightens their load.

Visiting teams benefit from the experience of seeing the endeavor firsthand and leave more blessed because of the opportunity to serve.

Over the last twelve years, our church has sent work teams to Uganda and Alaska, and eye clinics, pastoral training, and grief counseling to Uganda. Each person returns home with a keen appreciation for the amenities we take for granted and for people who serve long-term in other cultures.

The trip enables people to take ownership in the calling of missions and puts a personal bent on what mission assignments look like.

The Holy Spriit equips us to go as God’s ambassadors (Acts 1:8).

2. Greet

When missionaries take a furlough, it is not a vacation.

The furlough usually involves extensive traveling to home base churches to stay in contact with financial and emotional support. Many times, these stops include speaking and recruiting new supporters.

It is an exhausting life and a place where you can step in to provide a reprieve.

Do you have . . .

• an extra car in the driveway?
• a spare bedroom where they can relax away from itineration?
• extra seats at your dining room table?

Missionaries need time away with their family, as well as time with your family.

Could you take them to see . . .

• a baseball game?
• a state park in your neck of the woods?
• a local wonder?

Hospitality is more than opening your home. It is opening your heart to welcome another in. Even a picnic can be the best medicine when the conversation is sweet.

Practice hospitality (Romans 12:13).

3. Give

All missionaries feel the sting of financial restrictions. They yearn to meet the needs they encounter every day and yet not have the resources to match their desire to help.

That’s where we come in.

We can give out of our excess, or we can give sacrificially, depending on our ability.

2 Corinthians 9:7 says God loves a cheerful giver, but what it doesn’t say is giving makes you cheerful.

The act of generosity is contagious and heart lifting.

Yes, a need is met, but your needs get met, too, because we’re all wired to serve. It’s like a release of endorphins that creates a party in your heart!

Ask your missionaries about their projects.

Ours have ministries to families of AIDS victims, sewing programs, shoe apprenticeships, hair dressing, and catering training, school construction, well drilling, health facilities, child sponsorships and widow visitation. Yours may have that or a myriad of other outlets.

Let your dollars and cents add up to treasures for the Kingdom.

Paul said, Your gifts are pleasing to God. (Philippians 4:18).

Most of all, missionaries, like all people, need to be reminded they are cherished for who they are, and not for how much they can burn out. 

Encourage them in sickness and health, in poverty and wealth, and in their full pursuit of God. You will be blessed by their gift of friendship and have a front row seat to many more Elijah moments!

How will you bolster your missionaries?

Sally Ferguson loves to dive into God’s Word and splash His refreshing water onto others. She speaks and writes with a look at snapshots of life in the sunshine and in the storms. Sally plans women’s retreats and she’s working on a Bible study for caregivers. She lives in the beautiful countryside of Jamestown, New York, with her husband and her dad. Visit Sally at her website.

* Learn more about the ministry of missionaries Tim & Colleen Stevenson — https://heartofourafrica.blogspot.com/p/about-us.html.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Antoni Shkraba at Pexels.

Women Helping Women during the Panedmic

Julie Sanders has the most amazing, compassionate heart. In this Ministry UPGRADE, she encourages women to reach out to those suffering from the consequences of COVID-19. She shares examples of women who are already sharing hope in Christ. "After ten days of isolation, my world felt small," Julie says. "A positive diagnosis sequestered me until my fever passed and I emerged to catch up on national and global news."

I (Dawn) sometimes wonder if we should watch the news with more of an eye to how God might want us to be His heart and hands reaching out to help. I think Julie has captured this idea perfectly.

Julie continues . . .

The steady stream of conflict tempts us to turn away. Do you want to hunker down until the storm passes?

Travel limitations keep us inside our borders, but this year we opened our eyes and hearts to something we can’t un-know:  the needs of the world.

This awareness turns our hearts to women a lot like us, with trials a lot like ours. God has a purpose in connecting women around the globe.

What might we learn about these women and God's purposes for them?

1. Women are weeping

In my work with women globally, I hear reports from women grieving impacts of the coronavirus.

Women like Esther in Southeast Asia who are wired to be nurturers and caregivers. It prompted Esther to get creative teaching under a tree.

For those with sick family, this season of supporting medical needs has taken a toll. In poor and wealthy countries alike, efforts to keep children learning while isolating at home led to higher rates of stress and domestic violence. Families supported by day workers in under-developed nations have suffered financially, resulting in rising poverty levels.

This increases risks leading to child trafficking and exploitation.

The worldwide pandemic has crushed the spirits of many women fighting for the health, well-being, and lives of loved ones.

The same God who commissioned Eve as “the mother of all the living,” (Genesis 3:20) understands the pain of the women of the world.

As our example of caring for the hurting,

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted  and saves the crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18).

Whether a woman calls a hut, a yurt, a condo, or cabin her home, the global sisterhood of women weeps under similar burdens, and God hears them.

2. God is using women

As He has throughout history when hardship shakes the world, God is using women to care for others in His name.

Women like Luba and Holly keep pregnancy centers open to serve mothers facing unexpected pregnancies in the confusion of COVID-19. While they could be tempted to give in to fear and care only for their own families, they’re rising up to care for others.

Grandmothers, mothers, and young women are serving the sick, making tea for immigrants, preparing relief packages, and taking blankets to the elderly.

God is using girlfriends globally to bring help where the hardships of this year have snuffed out hope.

In organizations like The Apple of God’s Eye, women once rescued from exploitation have faithfully worked to restore wounded children every day of the pandemic.

Around the world in a kaleidoscope of languages and cultures, Proverbs 31-style women are staying up late, getting up early, making resources stretch, making sure household needs are met. They open their hands to the poor and reach out [their] hands to the needy (Prov. 31:20).

In countless nations and tribes in this time of disease, it can be said of God’s daughters,

Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come (Prov. 31:25).

The world may be bending beneath the burden of the Pandemic, but women are rising up in God’s name.

3, Women are finding hope

Not every woman has the hope of Christ for her future in this world. For the first time, some women are crying out and learning God loves them as they receive gospel truth with gifts of food, medical care, and kindness.

Disheartened students, worried mothers, and lonely grandmas are open to spiritual truths because of the coronavirus we share. Through common troubles around the globe, God is moving in the hearts of women.

In one region where females are viewed with little worth, eight courageous women took a risk during this time to be trained to serve others with hope in desperate times.

In hospitals and homes where women weep for the isolation and illness of the Pandemic, The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth (Psalm 145:18).

God is moving through women who have hope to reach those who have none.

Every woman experiences her own reasons to weep during COVID-19.

It’s tempting to hunker down at home. But rise up. God is using women who love Him and love other women to reach women waiting for hope.  

4 Steps to Take from Home

• Learn about the needs of women locally.
• Explore the needs of women globally.
• Pray for the needs of women cross-culturally.
• Help in the gospel work women are doing.

What are you experiencing that connects you to women in other cultures? How has God blessed you with hope to help women who have yet to have that hope?

Julie Sanders loves uplifting leaders globally. She finds joy in helping women listen and learn cross-culturally from one another and, most of all, from God’s truth for life in every land. She’s the author of The ABCs of Praying for Students. Julie calls the Northwest home and writes from her online base at juliesanders.org.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Engin Akyurt at Pixabay.

Rx for Caregivers

Sally Ferguson always laces her writing with scripture truth. In this Caregiving UPGRADE, she helps us see how we can minister to caregivers who pour out their lives in service to others.

"Caregiving has come in multiple seasons for me," Sally said, "so it was an epiphany for me to realize the Good Samaritan was also a caregiver."

I (Dawn) had never thought of it that way. Sally is right. Also, the Lord told this story about the Good Samaritan some time after He sent out His followers to prepare the way for His arrival.

Jesus is the greatest Caregiver of all, and He wants us to follow His example of selfless service.

Sally continues…

Luke 10:30-35 tells the Good Samaritan’s story.

He acted as medic, transport and financier.

Parents can relate to this multitasker when we doctor up scrapes, become a taxi driver to endless sports and school activities, and provide for those events from the bank of Mom and Dad.

I’ve also been a caregiver when:

• My Mom-in-love had double knee replacement.
• I served as a Chemo Buddy through multiple friends' cancer treatments.
• My Dad came to live with us.

Doctor appointments, physical therapy sessions, drug store runs, and sleepless nights all take a toll on the caregiver.

We serve out of compassion, but Xochitl Dixon says in Waiting for God, “Compassion can become exhausting when we try to do God’s job.”

At some point, the caregiver has to administer self-care.

We have to refill our cups in the Lord’s presence, so that out of the overflow we can again refresh others.

He invites us in Matthew 11:28 to come to Him for rest.

Psalm 68:19, 1 Peter 5:7 and Psalm 55:22 invite us to cast our cares on the Lord.

This practice is more than a “one and done” prayer; it is the process of releasing our burdens to be carried by another.

This act of letting go can look different from one person to the next.

• Maybe worship music helps you?
• Maybe taking your charge for a ride in the car?
• Kneeling and stretching are postures of prayer, as are journaling, swimming, and doing dishes.

Find a way to gather your thoughts and hand them to the Lord.

What Would I like to Know as a Caregiver?

1. God cares.

In exhaustion, desperation and sorrow, it’s easy to think you’re alone in the battle. We start to entertain the “Why?” questions, and slide down the slippery slope of despair.

Years ago, my pastor said, “God knows and He cares” (Matthew 6:8). That assurance has given me strength to carry on through difficulty.

It reminds me I am not expected to do life in my own strength, and I have a heavenly Father who is invested in the details of my day-to-day experience.

2. Other people care.

Isolation is quite often the hallmark of a caregiver’s lifestyle. A mom with an infant yearns for adult conversation. Someone caring for a member of the family with dementia wishes for a day of recognition. A nurse is overwhelmed by suffering.

It’s hard to give and give without receiving care too.

Galatians 6:2 reminds us to share each other’s burdens.

Could you connect with a support group for your circumstance? From Alzheimer’s to MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) to zany viruses and everything in-between, there’s a support group to be found. Check online and in your community for reputable organizations.

A listening ear can lighten the load.

And, combat isolation by taking your charge for a walk, sitting on the patio in the sunshine, or going for an ice cream run. Look for something to celebrate, every day.

3. What I’m doing WILL make a difference.

Investing in a life is noteworthy, but often thankless.

The attention drawn to the sanctity of life is not only for the pre-born, but also affects how we treat our elderly and disabled. When we care for others, Jesus says we are showing Him how we care for Him (Matthew 25:34-40).

Whether you’re changing diapers and wiping drool for a 13 year old with special needs, or driving someone to chemo appointments, you need to know it matters.

You are needed, and no one can give the same level of care as you, because you are connected. You notice their smiles and celebrate their laughter. You administer grace in various forms.

Purpose changes perspective when we take our eyes off of ourselves.

Cain was wrong when he said, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” We’re ALL called to be caregivers (John 21:16; 1 Peter 5:2).

The way we live out that role is important: we show our love for Jesus—by caring for His people (John 21:15-17).

Do you know a caregiver who needs a friend? What can you do this week to lift that caregiver's load or model the love of Jesus?

Sally Ferguson is a caregiver for her dad and her grands. She lives in western New York with her hubby of 33 years. Look for her words at EzineArticles, AlmostAnAuthor, on Amazon and at sallyferguson.net.  sallyferguson.net.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Sabine Van Erp at Pixabay.