The Leader's Decision Making

“What is man, that you make so much of him, and that you set your heart on him, visit him every morning and test him every moment?” (Job 7:17-18)

“So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.” (2 Corinthians 5: 9-11)

I have heard it said many times, that the fastest way to lose credibility as a leader is to make foolish decisions that lead people down a blind alley or off the end of a pier! I think back over almost thirty years of ministry and all the impetuous and ill-considered decisions I have made and realize the lack of prayer and caution displayed by a fallen and perhaps ill-equipped shepherd. I would venture that every shepherd has made them. And, therefore, decision making is a fundamental responsibility of any church shepherd and leader. Every decision impacts hundreds of people. How do we go about making a decision that glorifies God and blesses our church?

Blackaby’s Guidelines For Decision Making:

· Leaders allow the Holy Spirit to guide them.

· Leaders are teachable.

· Leaders know their history.

· Leaders know they are accountable to God.

As you can see, Henry Blackaby emphasizes the importance of bathing each and every decision in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to direct our thoughts. Just this morning, I read to our staff from Proverbs 2 and the aggressive pursuit of a wise, discerning mind. Solomon says if we “treasure God’s commands within us, and incline our heart to understanding, and cry out for discernment”, then we will “discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God.” (Prov. 2:1-5)

So, we must prepare our hearts for God to use, we must allow God to teach us where we need to grow and learn; we must look at the history of our organization, and remember that we will stand before God, who takes note of every word, thought, and deed.

Now, what should we do once a decision has been made? Blackaby says:

· Leaders accept the consequences.

· Leaders admit their mistakes.

· Leaders stand by their decisions.

So, we must trust God to direct and stick with what we know God has burned in our hearts. As a pastor I know that the buck stops on my desk. Therefore, each decision must be biblical and prayerful. I confess that making decisions would be much easier if there were no consequences, but I know that is only found in fairy tales and movies. Real decisions that impact real lives have real consequences, good and bad. So, we must accept the possible consequences as leaders, admit when make mistakes (hopefully those are few and far between), and stand by our decisions once they are made. The best guide for making the right decision is a careful, spirit-filled, Scripture-saturated approach to all things.

Finally, Henry Blackaby says leaders can improve their decision making abilities by:

· Evaluating Constantly. I am blessed to have some godly mentors, accountability partners, and wise staff that provide invaluable insight as I evaluate situations. Their wisdom is, without question, of immense value to me.

· Cultivate my relationship with God. This is critical when I may be struggling with a decision. Where am I in terms of intimacy with God? I have found that abundant time spent with God on the front end of a decision is better than painful regret after a decision has been made.

· Seek God’s vision and God’s wisdom. This is the key to an indecisive heart. God blesses those that seek Him more than precious gems. God’s wisdom on the tongue of man is of more value than “apples of gold in settings of silver.”

God has given us all that we need to make wise decisions. There is too much at stake for us to make quick, knee jerk decisions without prayer and fasting, seeking the Holy Spirit’s guidance, begging God to show up and speak up through His servant. As I have grown older it is more apparent than ever that we, as shepherds and leaders, are the instruments God uses to direct His church, through His word, to the knowledge of His will. Let’s make sure we are actively seeking His face as we move people on to God’s agenda.

Until Next Week,

Dr. Derek