Raising Leaders

1. Leadership Training

One of the things I’m working on is writing guidelines for training in leadership. One of the interesting findings is: we are all training leaders. Every child is going to be an influence somewhere. With this in mind, please consider these questions:

1) Do you have plans for teaching your child how to respond when treated unfairly? Why would he be treated unfairly and what is his responsibility in that situation?

2) Does your curriculum reflect your goals of training your “leaders”; in how to treat others and how to make decisions that make for success?

3) If your chief goal is to glorify God, how do you train leaders to value both their own ideas and ideas of others?

4) How do you practice Biblical problem solving in the home so that the home becomes a workshop for your future leader?

5) In leadership training, there must be a manual. Do your students know what your manual is and how to use it? Enjoy training your leaders. You will soon reap the benefits of your labor.

2. Championship -- Thinking Skills I want to summarize some thinking skill information. Thinking wisely is a big part of Championship Christian Education.

“Wise” people think before they act; fools don’t - and even brag about their foolishness. (Proverbs 13:16) (NLT) “A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right, but a fool’s heart to the left.” Ecclesiastes 10:2 (ESV) “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” Proverbs 12:15 (ESV)

When I speak of thinking skills, I am primarily referring to the ability to:

- analyze

- evaluate

- connect information

- summarize

- retell

- place information in the big picture

Students can be taught these skills. Some of the main avenues for this teaching

are:

- observation

- communication

- experience

Methods to use for thinking skill training could be:

Asking questions as:

- How do you know that?

- What are you trying to conclude?

- What have you not noticed?

- Why do you think he did that?

- Do you see value of that through history?

Evaluation the evidence you have:

- Who told you that?

- How do they know?

- Have they been dependable before?

Keep in mind that you are teaching these skills for success in college but you are

also teaching them so that your child will live a life of wisdom. Wisdom in decisions like:

- Do I need the organized church?

- Do I need to be honest in my job when it may cost

me?

- Is it important to honor life?

- Must I marry to have a fulfilling family life?

- How much money is enough?

Oh, the value of wise thinking! So very worth the effort today.

3. Government What is happening in the United States of America in our government? Let’s be very careful with our anger or hate. Only God can direct you in actions for your family to take. Please consider:

1) Sincere prayer. With your children pray for freedom and anything else that you hold dear. Also, pray for our president. Pray for those that you disagree with. Pray for

those who are afraid to take a stand for right. Pray as the Lord opens information to you.

2) Using specific rulings or specific quotes from government leaders, ask your children, “What is God doing in this situation? Does God have a plan? Is He able to fulfill it?”

3) By reading biographies or accurate accounts of history, help your child know how to decide what is right or wrong. Train him in drawing conclusions from a firm position of truth. Continue to be encouraged by the everlasting faithfulness of our loving Father.

4. Strength from His Word “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

This verse has become so popular that we could easily read it without any idea of its challenge to us. I would urge you to list the words:

- true

- honorable

- just

- pure

- lovely

- commendable

And think about what each really means. Using illustrations guide students toward understanding. But for today, I want us to think on what the verse is warning by the words:

- excellence

- worthy of praise

Perhaps these words are referring back to the list before them. Perhaps they are referring to any other thought not covered by the previous list. Regardless, let’s use them often and declare them the measuring stick for good thought and conversation.

Love, Becky