| I recently spoke at the graduation ceremony for a | | | | personally, did not possess. It was the Holy Bible. "Think |
| group called "Leadership Stephenville." As I understand | | | | about that," I asked, "what better thing could a person |
| it, these groups are sponsored by Chambers of | | | | do to ensure that he would function from a |
| Commerce all over the nation as a way of training up | | | | perspective of truth and fairness than to consult the |
| the future leaders of our communities and educating | | | | teachings of the one who created truth and fairness? |
| them regarding how it is that a city actually functions. | | | | Finney got a Bible, read it, and became an evangelist."I |
| More or less. The graduates and others met in the | | | | mentioned a teaching that I had once heard which was |
| meeting room of a local downtown restaurant. Nearly | | | | entitled "The Class the Stars Fell On." The message |
| 70 people attended.I had been told that I could speak | | | | referred to the West Point graduating class of 1915 |
| about anything I wanted, a dangerous thing to say to | | | | which numbered 164. More than one third of that |
| me, as some would agree. The only thing I could even | | | | extraordinary class, which included the likes of |
| think of was this:"Tell them about the greatest leader | | | | Eisenhower and Omar Bradley, won stars, 59 in all - |
| of all time. Tell them the truth."During my speech, I | | | | 24 brigadier generals (one star), 24 major generals |
| asked the group, when it comes to leaders whose | | | | (two stars), 7 lieutenant generals (three stars), two |
| example we can emulate, who can we think of who | | | | generals (four stars), and 2 generals of the army (five |
| was setting an example that was worth following? | | | | stars). The nearest competitor to that graduating class |
| Was it the business leaders of Enron or WorldCom? | | | | was the Class of 1917, which produced 43 generals. |
| No, for these men ultimately fell as a result of their | | | | I challenged the class that they, too, could be the class |
| scandalous behavior. We can read book after book, | | | | the stars fell on or, better yet, be the class that fell |
| attend conference after conference, listen to tape | | | | among the stars. How so? By aspiring to live as Jesus |
| series after tape series, only to hear fallible men try | | | | lived and do that which He taught, that's how. I said a |
| and teach us everything they know about leadership. | | | | bit more but finished with these words, "Now, some |
| The blind leading the blind, in my opinion, for so many | | | | might think that this is the epitome of arrogance to |
| people's experiences are little more than repeated | | | | think that one should aspire to be like Jesus. I disagree |
| mistakes. I mentioned to the graduates how I had | | | | for the book of Ephesians tells us that we SHOULD |
| recently heard that actor/comedian Jim Belushi had | | | | be imitators of Christ. Logically, that means hat we |
| just written a book on relationships; an odd occurrence | | | | CAN be..." I said some more but finished with this: "...in |
| from a man who has been divorced five times.I | | | | closing, shoot for the moon. The worst that will happen |
| commented that every one of us was a leader | | | | is that you'll land among the stars...."Interestingly, the |
| because every one of us was in a position of | | | | evening's keynote speaker was unable to attend |
| influence over others. Somebody is always watching. | | | | making mine the only speech anyone was going to |
| That being said, we must decide if we are going to be | | | | hear that night. Apparently, God was going to share |
| a good leader or a bad leader. I commented that Adolf | | | | the stage with no one.If you, too, would be interested in |
| Hitler was a great leader that an entire nation chose to | | | | learning more about the leadership principals taught and |
| follow in the most horrific ways. He simply was not a | | | | exemplified by Jesus - all of which can be applied to |
| good leader.So who was it that we should follow? I | | | | anyone in a position of influence over anybody else |
| warned those present that what I was about to tell | | | | from those who run a household to those who run a |
| them was either absolute truth or it was a lie. "And I | | | | football team to those who run a nation - please |
| wouldn't lie to you," I added. I told them that, years ago, I | | | | request my booklet "Our Father's Business: A |
| decided to follow a leader who was raised in a poor | | | | Leadership manual for People who Lead People." |
| family and, from an early age, took part in his father's | | | | Simply hit REPLY and type LEAD in the SUBJECT |
| business. I talked about the worldwide organization that | | | | Bar. I'll need those interested to PayPal a nominal fee |
| he started that has lasted some 2,000 years and has | | | | to aid with postage. I'll respond with details. Thank you |
| involved millions. I mentioned how he taught so many | | | | in advance.Every blessing!Michael |
| wonderful leadership principals including when he turned | | | | A servant of God |
| his greatest adversary - a man named Saul from a | | | | t.e.a.m. ministries |
| place called Tarsus - and turned him into his greatest | | | | A Ministry of Discipleship & Encouragement to the |
| asset.It wasn't long before the attendees in this | | | | Body of Christ |
| Bible-Belt crowd realized that I was speaking about | | | | across Planet Earth |
| Jesus Christ and I enjoyed watching the smiles come | | | | P.O. Box 633 |
| to their faces as some were nodding and smiling in | | | | Stephenville, Texas 76401 |
| agreement. One black man, grinning widely and | | | | Your Town For Jesus!Tune-in to "Your Town for |
| nodding, mouthed the word "Amen" at one point. I | | | | Jesus" on KSTV radio 93.1 FM in Stephenville, Texas |
| mentioned to them that Charles Finney, a lawyer in | | | | each Sunday after Church about 12:05. You can |
| America's early years, recognized that there was one | | | | support this radio ministry with just a $5 donation! |
| book on the shelves of all his colleagues that he, | | | | |