Do not waste your tests and trials by failing them! Do not squander your temptations by yielding to them! Do not misuse your sufferings and persecutions by stumbling at them! Do not mishandle your afflictions by murmuring and complaining about them! Learn to be obedient through your sufferings. Be made “perfect” – complete and mature – [...]
Malcolm Webber
Every Christian goes through sufferings. This is especially true for leaders. Leaders are targets: …Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered… (Zech. 13:7) The enemies of the Gospel target leaders because of the impact a leader’s breakdown will have on many people. Anticipating the significantly increased stresses of [...]
Malcolm Webber
In our last Letter we looked at the power of pressure in leader development. There are several cautions we must observe as we introduce pressure into the lives of emerging leaders: It is not true that “the more we make them suffer, the more they will grow.” God allows suffering in our lives, but He does so wisely. We should not just [...]
Malcolm Webber
Many biblical leaders such as Joseph, Moses, David and Paul were built in the fire of suffering. You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings – what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the [...]
Malcolm Webber
Leaders are built through fire. Godly leaders know that sufferings can build spiritual maturity, brokenness and genuine faith in God; thus, they do not shy away from the cross in their lives. Accordingly, Jesus showed the way of suffering to the leaders He was building. He personally demonstrated sufferings to them:
Malcolm Webber
Leaders are built through fire – like steel is made hard in the fire, like gold is purified in the furnace, like carbon is formed under pressure into diamonds. Pressure reveals the impurities in one’s life so they can be dealt with. It is far better to put the emerging leader under pressure before he is given significant responsibility [...]
Malcolm Webber