Structure and organization has a way of turning chaos into an effective use of resources. Read 1 Corinthians 14:40.

This verse, in a chapter on worship structure, furnishes a valuable glimpse into the public worship of the first-century churches. It stresses that order, structure, form, unity, like mindedness and mutual regard should prevail when believers gather together.

Effective leaders are able to communicate values as well as vision to their team. Read Isaiah 30:1-5.

No leader can guarantee the future but every team member has the right to ask their leader “where are we heading” and “what are the methods we will use to get there.” Every responsible leader should have an answer concerning operational core values and the vision for this month and for the next 3 years.

Effective leaders are not aloof but connect with the people in their sphere of influence. Read John 4:1-26.

Do you have trouble connecting with your team? John Maxwell discusses what he calls “The Law of Connection” from this passage where Jesus connects with a woman from Samaria and changes an entire city.

We don’t even know her name. Other Jews wouldn’t even speak with her. Yet because Jesus was different, He spoke with this Samaritan woman – a snubbed gender within a despised race. Through this personal connection, God reached an entire city. We learn at least eight principles from Jesus’ leadership in John 4:

1. Leaders initiate contact (vv1-7). Jesus spoke first. He didn’t isolate Himself even from “undesirables.”
2. Leaders establish common ground (vv. 7-8). He connected with her about a familiar interest: water.
3.  Leaders listen and allow others to speak (v. 9). He knew people like to hear their own voices most of all.
4. Leaders arouse interest (v10-15). Jesus built a verbal bridge by making her thirsty for something more than water.
5. Leaders take others only so far as they are ready to go (vv. 16-19). Jesus knew He mustn’t go too far. He said enough to make her hungry for more.
6. Leaders accept others where they are (vv17, 18). Jesus knew her lifestyle, but never condemned her for it.
7. Leaders stick with the key issues (vv. 20-24). He didn’t allow her to get distracted. He wouldn’t divert the focus from the real issue.
8. Leaders communicate issues directly and simply (vv. 25-26). Jesus revealed His identity in clear and simple terms.

In your everyday leadership style do you tend to avoid people or connect with people? Jesus, the only perfect leader to ever live, modeled a leader that connected – even with a person others avoided at all costs.

The effective leader finds a number of ways to constantly restate the goals and priorities of their mission. Read Luke 15:1-32.

Jesus was clear about His mission. According to Luke 19:10 He came “…to seek and to save what was lost”; those that were separated from God. Jesus found many ways to communicate that goal to the crowds that followed Him, His team, and the religious and political leaders. In Luke 15 Jesus reinforced His mission through three different stories about different situations; the sheep were lost naturally, the coin got lost accidentally, and the son got lost willfully. No matter what created the lost condition, Jesus came to find and help those who were separated from God.

Leaders’ words can create thoughts that can shape their or a teammates’ destiny. Read Matthew 12:33-37.

Jesus made it very clear when teaching His disciples that words matter. John Maxwell in The Maxwell Leadership Bible says it this way: