A leader is someone who is trying to get people to follow him. It seems to me that leaders sometimes forget that they are supposed to have followers. If you are a leader, you must make sure that you have people following you. Otherwise, you are not a leader. You must realize that your “type” of person is a limited species upon this earth. You are not likely to find many people in your age group, with your background, colour or accent. If you want to succeed as a leader you must realize very early that you need to be able to relate with all kinds of people, especially people who are not like you.
And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
Acts 10:28
Peter was so rigid in his understanding of leadership that he restricted his ministry to a small group of Jews. But God had a bigger plan for him. God wanted him to reach many other people. As you read this book, I sense that God wants to give you a wider scope of ministry. Do not be myopic. There are more people different from you than there are like you.
My father is from Ghana and my mother is from Switzerland. I was born in England but I have lived in Ghana all my life. My colour is neither black nor white. When I was growing up, most of my friends had European parents or a mixture of white and black. This was because my mother is Swiss and therefore had many European friends.
My father was an unusual man. He loved classical music and played bridge and owned racehorses. Because of this, many of his friends were not Ghanaian. Many of his friends were British, Indians or Lebanese. As I grew up, my hobbies were table tennis, squash, horse riding and swimming. I can assure you that there are very few people in the world who have the same background that I have. Not because I am special, but because this is an unusual combination of culture and circumstances.
If I have been raised up to be a leader, you tell me how many people will have a similar background to what I have just shared with you? Not many! To become a leader of many people I must relate with people who do not have my background. Many of my friends have had a very different background. But I relate with them naturally and easily.
If you are a pastor and you have a poor educational background, rise up and relate with all kinds of people, including rich people. You will definitely need some rich people in your church. Do not drive away all the educated people because of your lack of education. You can educate yourself!
Do you consider yourself to be a leader? Ask yourself, “What type of person am I? What type of person am I not? Make a decision to relate with every type of person.
To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
1 Corinthians 9:22,23
by Dag Heward-Mills
May 21st, 2019