Kingdom Mindset: Leadership Developing

Hey, this is Tim Pratt Jr. and I want to welcome you to the Student of Life Podcast. Listen, we're going to get into so many transferable truths throughout the content of these episodes that I believe God is going to use to help you apply, because he's going to reveal what's already been there the entire time. Enjoy. Yo, what's up? This is Tim Pratt Jr. I'm your host of the Student of Life Podcast, and we're going to switch gears and get into the kingdom mindset block to probably finish out this season. Because I told you, and to be truthful, I don't know yet. Like I said, we might have a season 7, or I might move to more of an ad hoc approach. God is leading me in a lot of different directions, but I do not want to let this podcast go. It is building. I love doing it. It just gives me a space, you know, being in technology and doing many different things. First and foremost, I I was, you know, just doing what God desires me to do, being a husband, being a father, you know, being an associate pastor, being a senior agile delivery manager, you know, coaching my kids, or my middle son now, and all these type of things and roles. This gives me a space, man, truthfully, to just do ministry different. And I know podcasts are popular. I know I'm not the only one, you know, doing spiritual podcasts, for lack of better terms. But for me, it just gives me a way to be obedient to God and truly still preach and teach the gospel, uh, through the non-traditional format of always thinking that we have to be in a pulpit. So that being said, I'm going to keep it going, you know, unless the Lord say otherwise. I've been blogging and doing this for— switched over to podcast just a few years ago, but been technically blogging and doing kind of like the vlog, vlog, vlog thing for a few years now. I believe I started my blog in 2015, if I'm not mistaken. Uh, so I love it. I love the space, man. I feel like the only reason what— 2022, I'm still able to do it now is because of the dedication. I do believe God has called me to this space. Uh, so that being said, um, we do have some content centered around leadership today. Now, leadership is by far, uh, when I look at the statistics, it's probably the leading candidate for material leading candidate for just downloads. And, you know, with all the leadership space out here, all the leadership experts— and by any means, I don't call myself leadership expert, but I do see myself as a student of it. I love leadership. I've been studying leadership. I'm 32 years old. I've been studying it since I was 22, and probably even a little bit before that. And, you know, in this whole agile space, I truly believe God knew. Like, he, of course, he already knew. I'm saying he— I truly believe God knew. I— what God knew— he knows the beginning from the end. Um, he, he, he's all-knowing. But what I'm meaning in the context of my life is just amazing how God allowed, uh, for things to manifest. What I'm trying to say is basically for me to be able to use this skill set in today's marketplace, uh, like a lot of stuff was hierarchy, man, hierarchical. Um, I did not have any idea that the servant leadership, transformational leadership thinking, uh, and skill set would be translated in today And now you're starting to see people write more content on a mindset shift because we're coming out of like, you know, managing people to more so trying to lead and inspire them. Uh, so that being said, I mean, I'm loving it. I love that I get to use my gifts. I do believe this is a God-given gift and I have a responsibility to cultivate it and develop it and to keep practicing it. Uh, so, uh, that being said, man, like I say, let's jump into it today. Let's jump into the content today. This will be a little bit introduction and then we're going to unpack it. Over the next few episodes. And like I say, just switching to our kingdom mindset. And I really think you're going to enjoy this one, uh, but I am switching to a narrative, man, where I really want to encourage you to really do your homework, really do your due diligence. Because at the end of the day, you know, whether you're a podcast fanatic, you listen to articles, uh, audiobooks, you read physical books, a combination of all, if you sit and get mentored or coached or whatever, you have to find a way that God has graced you to do it. Uh, that simple. Uh, it, it's just that simple. Uh, so simple, uh, and basically stating it, but it is difficult sometimes to practice. And like I say, I am a student to this, man, because we live in a day and age now where people are very smart, they're very intelligent. Uh, we're in the information age. A lot of times the person that you might be even leading, uh, or the team you might be leading, they're smarter than you. And you know, you can see yourself as maybe a proven leader, but you might just be by title only. So you really want to make sure that you're a student of this. And as things change, man, we have to really learn how to get the best out of people. Uh, my approach gets challenged all the time because I wrestle with people that— and I'm— and it is some good that I take from it, but I wrestle with people that still kind of stuck in a traditional mindset. And I'm like, man, if you can get the best out of people and drive forth accountability and collaboration The results will take care of themselves. John C. Maxwell, I never— I remember him saying that, man, I am trying to lead myself out of a job. Now that doesn't mean that I don't have anything to do, but I want to be a leader and not just a manager. In other words, what that spoke to me, the way I interpreted it, is that I don't want to just do a job. I want to lead myself out of that, but I want to work with people and develop and cultivate people. And, and as I do that, yeah, it might be some things I have to do according to the workspace and to fulfill a role, but for the most part, I'm spending more time in core compass because I am trying to help people become better, which is in return helping me become better. And the results, for the most part, will take care of themselves. And that's where I want to transition today and just kind of thinking of a kingdom mindset when it comes to leadership. Uh, so I want to read a verse to you, uh, and I believe— let's see, let me see if I have it pulled up. I believe it's John 14 John 14. I am typing here, uh, I apologize, I should already had this. Yeah, it is John 14:12. John 14:12, um, and it reads, very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father. I'm gonna read that one more time. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes 'Enemy will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father.' Now, in proper context, you know, like, I think I've taught on this before through the power of God. I don't want to isolate Jesus, but I do want to use this verse for the context of this episode. And I do not believe that it's an isolation of Jesus, meaning that we're going to be taught wrong doctrine because I'm isolating the scripture. So I'm not going to really get into a whole lot of the context, like, you know, Jesus, this This was Jesus speaking, um, and he was speaking to the disciples. And, you know, and we as believers have adapted this because we do have the power of the Holy Spirit, uh, indwelling in us, and he is working through us. And just for a little clarity, this does not mean that we're going to do things greater than the cross, meaning that we're not going to do greater things than Jesus in the context that we are going to be better than what he did, because he was God in flesh. This— we cannot do greater things apart from him. The only reason we're able to do greater works— he was talking more so in the context that his time was limited in flesh. I hope that makes sense. So in the work that he did, in the amount of time he spent here, in the 3 and a half years that a lot of people look to, is that we're going to do greater things than that in the context and the works that he was doing, but not anything that supersedes the cross. And a lot of stuff— he was God in flesh. So in other words, we're going to be able to reach more people through the power of the Holy Spirit. How can I do something greater than him if I don't have his spirit? So if I have his spirit, that means he's working with me, in me, through me. So I'll— I, I can definitely unpack that a little bit later, but I just pray to God that that makes sense and God reveals that revelation to you. Uh, so that being said, we are really doing greater things with him because of his spirit, because he is with the Father. He is not He is not necessarily God in flesh on this earth anymore, but his— the Holy Spirit is here working through us. So the reason why I'm saying that, just imagine if we had that mindset as leaders or managers, no matter what, what we lead, whether it's a small group, a team of 1, a team of 2, uh, 3, 4, 5, you know, hundreds, thousands, or whatever. If you're the CEO, if you're the director, if you are a senior-level manager, executive, whatever it is, just imagine if you had that mindset. Uh, and then just to say, because I'm going to be the father, to say, because you're going away to be with your leader, to be developed and poured into your covering, but you have poured into people so much versus you wanting to be the best leader. Instead, you want to have the best team and multiply leaders that would be even be better than you, if that makes sense. So you are so confident then in the time that you have spent developing people, developing people in this context, and that the way you lead, you have helped them discover who they are, discover their unique ability. And then not only that, like I said, you continuously develop them and then release them to do the same while still covering them. What if we all had that mindset, that kingdom mindset, in our leadership? Because this is the art of multiplication. When Jesus took the 12— and I know Judas, you know, betrayed, um, he never— this never just occurred to Jesus. He knew Judas was going to betray. But in the context of him choosing the 12, God still chose him. When God took those disciples and he spent time— he was steadfast, long-suffering with them. Yes, he called out things and addressed— it was tough conversations he had with them, but he was patient. He, he spent time developing them. And then when he left, he left an advocate, the, the power of the Holy Spirit to work through them. And these guys went on to— when I say do numbers, we are a product of that today. We have never technically just met Jesus in the flesh. Truthfully, none of us have. And anybody say they have, they're lying, because he's been gone for a long time in the flesh. Now spiritually, yes, I know we commune with him all the time, but I'm saying in the flesh, we are a product of that discipleship, of that development of those disciples. We are a product of that today. So imagine if you would have that same mindset when it comes— instead of focusing on my leadership, everything that I want to be known for, I want to in terms be a, a hero maker. I want to be a leader maker. I want to take everything that has been poured into me, all the things I have learned, and I want to put that in others. But at the same time, help them discover through the power of God, even if it's in the secular, help them discover how this works in their life and their unique calling and gifts and personality, the context in their life. If everybody applied this to their role, just think about it for pastor or a business leader, uh, on down to the associates, the, the, the, the leadership, the volunteers, the members. If everybody applied this line of thinking to their leadership, imagine if parents applied it with their kids, if coaches applied it with their players, that it's not about me being a good coach or known as the best coach, but it's about me developing the best player so they in return go develop even more, whoever they might touch in their lives. So in, in this context, man, I just want to challenge us. Like I said, this is just the intro. We're going to dive deeper in other areas, but I want to challenge us to have that thinking. Because like I say, this is the art of multiplication, this is the art of discipleship. And, uh, one of the books, I believe, like I said, was Hero Maker. Um, I read— I haven't finished the book, I need to go back. I kind of— it was a book that I bought and I've listened to like the guy that wrote it. I've listened to a lot of his leadership material, and I was just interested. So I had the book for a while, but I need to finish it. But I read kind of like the introduction in the first couple chapters, uh, and that's— it's just certain things that have stuck with me and have validated, you know, how I felt about years, but I just didn't have a way to articulate it the way he did. So it lets me know that, you know, in the context of what I believe God is working, uh, in my life through the power of the Holy Spirit although it's a finished work, but I'm being processed. And I always say the Holy Spirit is all-knowing, but I'm not. So there's things I'm still discovering, that certain things are still being revealed, deeper revelations. And so as I lead and I, and I, you know, study and become and maintain a heart posture of being a student of things, uh, when it comes to leadership or kingdom mindset or whatever, uh, as God reveals these things and he released the timing it just lets me know that like, man, you know, you're really on the right track. Um, to God, thanks be to God. And so I just want to like challenge you to like really examine your leadership. And you know, for one, are you being covered? It doesn't mean that you're going to always agree with your leader. It doesn't mean like— there's times, man, you know how much stuff has been said to me by various leaders that I'm like, okay, I get that, but I don't agree with that, but I still have to be respectful grateful because at the end of the day they are my leader and I am submitted to them. But at the same time, I'm not going to be so submitted to them that I lose myself. And that I've— and, you know, and, and this is a gray area sometimes, you know. Sometimes we, we have to have the intentionality as, as we lead up, across, and I don't like to say down, but lead others. We have to have the understanding, you know, is this really, you know, constructive criticism? Is this, uh, really feedback, you know, constructive feedback to help us grow? Or is this a preference coming from the person that's over me? Because sometimes leaders want you to be just like them, and sometimes that's hard. Sometimes you're like, man, am I, you know, am I refuting what they're saying? But if we just take that, it's like, okay, no matter— like, if we take that, it's okay. At the end of the day, this is someone pouring into me and trying to develop me, and certain things we might have to wrestle with And we have to be cognizant of this as we are leaders to make sure, hey, let me make sure I'm not putting a preference on someone, but I'm trying to help them develop them in, like I say, their local context and the way I believe God is, you know, using me to help develop in them whatever. And you might not even be able to take full responsibility for it. You know, they— you might be assigned to them for a certain season. There are certain leaders that I have met and I'm like, okay, I could have— no, I could have not been under them my whole life, but I needed them in that season. And, and a lot of, like I said, a lot of times, you know, it's not always black and white, it's gray. It's a gray area. And I believe God intentionally allowed it to be this way, you know, so we could rely on the Holy Spirit and come back to him because we don't have all the details, but God does. And so this is an act of faith and trust. So just imagine if we applied this in our leadership, if we took the time as leaders to say, okay, man, I truly, I truly want to go be— spend more time with my leader so I can be developed, or leaders, so I can be developed to have more capacity to pour into the people that I'm responsible for leading. Like, what if we really applied that mindset and we seen the fruit of that labor And you know, this might be a difficult thing because we live in a day and age where, you know, a lot of people want to be known. We all wrestle with that, man. We want to be known for, you know, our, uh, contributions and, you know, the groundbreaking thought leaders and all of that. And it's a time for that, but we have to be comfortable with not being known, especially on this side. But long as God is pleased— listen, I'm in a role and I've been in this role for a long time where I don't really get a lot of kudos, but I do know I show up every day. Now, there are times I don't want to show up, but I do. And I show up every day just trying to keep things on track, trying to get the, the best out of people. There are moments where— there have been moments, like, no joke, and I won't release any names, where, um, in the current job that I'm in now, even in my, my previous job, not necessarily gossip, but I've had to listen to people just vent And I've been it, trust me, I've been it. I have my days too. But I had to listen to people vent almost where I don't want to call myself a therapist, even though I have a, you know, from a, a, um, a theological standpoint, you know, a counseling background, but more so a degree, I should say, um, because counseling is way more harder than what it seems, uh, out of respect to my wife because she, you know, that's her, her field. But, um But with the point that I'm making, in all seriousness, is that I've had to apply a lot of those things. And you know, it sometimes it doesn't even involve work, but I will listen to them, you know, practice and cultivate. You could say a combination of coaching as well, and that's why I'm real big on coaching. But I believe I've had to have this, this style where a lot of people don't do it. It's like, bro, like, go talk to HR, go talk to your culture team, go talk to a counselor, go talk to a therapist. But I'm like, man, okay, if I can help this person, you know, just listen to them, ask some questions, and sometimes not even try to give advice but just be understanding the ministry of presence and help this person engage, even if it's just for today, that's a win. Matter of fact, I had an opportunity to do it today where I feel like, you know, it's someone that I highly respect. I have learned so much from them, but I don't see their light anymore, and I would hope somebody would do it to me. So I set up some time with him. It's like, hey, you know, just don't have to share details. I don't want to gossip about anybody. What's going on? And this person has felt very unappreciated. And so all out of that was intentional with just like asking people, man, what do you think about this person? You know, anytime somebody said, oh man, I love their insights, I love this, I said, man, will you give them a shout out? Or, you know, um, I say, you mind if I screenshot this and send them to them? Oh, no problem. And then by the end of the day, that person hit me up and was like, man, I really needed this. I really needed this. I thank you. Like, this is helping me, you know, finding my light back and my passion in this role. Did I have to do that? No, I didn't. But I believe this is what God has, you know, helped me— not to brag on myself in any means. Everybody's different. Everybody brings, you know, some people are highly technical leaders that I'd be like, man, I wish I could be just as technical savvy as them. And how they, uh, you know, can switch between talking real technical and then everyday terms. Uh, that's not my area, you know. I can do it to a certain degree, but not like them. And we have to be comfortable in the way God called us to do it. That's why all of this thing works together— one body, many members. So I just do it the way God called me, and I believe God has given me an ability, man, to just really connect with people and, and strive to get the best out of them. So understanding this about myself, I also know what I'm not called to do. We have to be aware of that. And, and this is all important when it comes to our kingdom mindset of kingdom leadership. So I truly just want to like challenge you, if you're a leader, how much time are you spending being a student of something and being poured into, and then turn around and pouring out Don't be a conduit. Just, just— I mean, don't be a cul-de-sac. Please forgive me. Be a conduit. Don't be a cul-de-sac just holding on to things. No, be a conduit. Let things flow through you. Let things flow through you in order to basically help people become the best version of themselves so they can turn around and pour into others, helping them become the best version of themselves. So this is the principle of kingdom leadership, or some say multiplication. And like I said, we're going to unpack this even more, but I just wanted to share what was on my heart like always and just kind of give some type of, you know, minimum structure to it. But this is what kingdom mindset and leadership, the introduction of it, is. And like I said, this, this is very broad, very broad, man. This is a broad topic and we aren't even scratching the surface on where we can go. But you can't tell it all. That's one thing I have learned. I'll be talking for 10 hours and still probably won't even scratch the surface. But I really want to challenge— if you take nothing else from this, it's just ask yourself, according to that verse, are you really pouring into— are you being poured into? Are you really pouring into others by helping them become who God called them to be and continuously developing them and then releasing them to do the same with others, all while still maintaining a heart posture to cover them? Covering them does not mean that you always agree with them. It doesn't mean that you won't challenge them, but you are covering them in order to help them become the best version. You're protecting them from things that they don't have to go through. Like I say, like they say, when I take my umbrella outside and I have my wife under it, or my kids sometimes, it's not that it's not raining, it's just I'm providing a cover to them. The rain is still coming down, but they're not being hit by it. Because my covering is there for them. So I want to ask you, is that in your leadership? Because if it's not, I would question why are you a leader, or are you truly a leader? So listen, listen, that's it, that's it, that's, that's all we're going to hit with today. Like, we're going to get into more, and just do your homework, man. Go study that verse. Matter of fact, look at the whole chapter and just start studying some biblical leadership stuff. And as always, as always, feel free to reach out to me, man. Some stuff is better in a conversation going back and forth. You know, I'm launching a coaching thing. I've been piling some things. I've been doing a lot of leadership development, more so focusing on small ministries and, uh, uh, small local churches right now to midsize, uh, but it's expanding. You know, I'm only one person, so I got a lot of things going, but I've been doing some things, getting ready to do a leadership development here in the next week and facilitate some events. And so Uh, with that being said, you know, it's, it's always honing the, the wisdom of the group. You know, I like to facilitate and hear from others and get feedback and then, you know, just go from there. So sometimes, you know, we, we have to have a conversation to really unpack because at the end of the day, this is just general unique stuff that's specific to my life or, you know, experiences I've shared from others. But you have a unique, um, way of doing things in yourself, and, and sometimes that just comes from, like I said, having dialogue and going back and forth. So if these are touching you in any kind of way, or you know someone that they can touch, hey, let's connect. I encourage people, man, let's connect. Because one thing I will say, and I'll end on this, I don't know all the answers, but I am committed. I am committed to helping figure things out. And if I don't know, there is someone that do know. If I don't know, there is someone that do know. But if I can't find that person, trust me, somehow, some way, we are going to get the answer through the grace of God. I just believe that by faith. And so I want to encourage you, man, if you are a leader, and even if you're not leading people or in a traditional position, remember you are leading yourself to some degree. You have to lead yourself to some degree. But even if it's in the context of just you're married, you have kids, you are a leader, even if it's just leading yourself. So I want to encourage you, man, to keep showing up, you know, keep the mindset of pointing to others. Nothing is in vain. No, nothing is in vain. God is going to use it, has used it. He's just working through you. He is— he's going to use it in due time. Like I said, it's a finished work, but the manifestation in our lives, just give it time, um, and trust the timing of God. And I want to just encourage you all, man, to keep showing up, especially in today's age with so much uncertainty and change, uh, and just rapid change in in the marketplace, at ministries, and just life in general. So I love you all, man. Keep showing up. I pray that God keeps blessing you and encouraging you and just giving you a new and new renewed capacity to just help develop others and get the best out of people. So man, I love you all. I pray that God continues to just be with you, which I know he is, but I want to continue that he manifest himself to you, that you dig in even more, and just like I say, keep showing up. Showing up. I know it's redundant, but keep showing up because a lot of people are losing hope. And I talked to so many pastors and leaders that are just walking away from it all. So keep showing up, man, and just rely on the spirit of God. Hey, what's up? I want to thank you for taking the time to listen to this Student Life Podcast today. If this content has impacted you in any kind of way, please take some time to share it on your social media feeds. And also, if you want to connect with me, of course, just learn more about me, go over to www. Timothypratt.org. Once again, thanks.