1- The Language of Vision: Casting Your Vision

John Maxwell says, “Vision is everything for a leader. It is utterly indispensable”. People need to be shown the vision, clearly, credibly and continually. This answers the question of where and why God has you going there. Vision strengthens, stretches and satisfies your team when up looks down and down looks up. It takes your platoon of believers out of the fog of life and motivates them to see beyond it.

2- The Language of Credibility: Communicating Competence

This tells people that you know how you will accomplish the vision. It’s the time to edify your mentor, men’s group leader or Pastor who may have cast the vision onto you. It’s your transparency of heart and desire for unity that is first established here. An insecure leader will not edify anything but his plan, where as the secure leader knows God does not bless clever ideas but commands His blessing upon unity. Submission is required before unity will exits, as dying to self is required before submission exits. People believe in people who believe in people. Promote others and watch God grant favor. God will use your gifts here as He works through your weaknesses. Its your chance to show your competence, to increase their faith by doing what God has given you do to while relying on Him for the next step. You may not know every single detail but know the One who does. Credibility comes when your team sees submission first to God then other men in your life.

3- The Language of Character: Christ Centered Leadership

The most talked about subject in men’s ministry is also the barometer in which people measure trust. Are you the type of person they can trust? “Your vision will always take you to a place your character cannot hold”.

How many good leaders have failed in getting their team to the next level because they couldn’t communicate good character to their guys?How do we do this? By learning about the character of God! Gen 1:26 Living in the likeness of God. What does God look like? He looks like Jesus Heb 1:3, Col 1:15. “Leadership is a constant negotiation between the flesh and the spirit, which ever is feed more will determine the quality of that Leadership”. Christ like character is your calling and the level by which all great Christian leaders are measured.

4- The Language of Commitment: Courage that Conquers

The question of your commitment is asked by followers in two fields of play. One is, how sold out are you, to the dream. The other is how committed are you to the people God has put under your care?

Will you give up when valley walking starts? Everybody’s faithful from the mountain view of beginning. Commitment requires perseverance through trials, which ushers in endurance, which produces strong character that answers the commitment question. Like Faith, it can only be shown and grown through focus on vision and by courageous “keep on keeping on” in the tough (want to quit) times. Romans 5:4 James 1:2-4

5- The Language of Care: Consistent Servant Leadership

In what may be the most difficult language of the five (ask our wives), our ability to love and encourage instead of judging and criticizing, answers the fifth question. People want to know that if they follow and work hard that they will be appreciated and cared for with verbal strokes of love. They need to be free to try and fail, not feel “fear of failure” in a sub-culture that uses guilt to motivate, manipulate and exploit. Scripture says: A Good leader motivates, doesn’t mislead, doesn’t exploit. Proverbs 16:10