Leadership Tips & Training What Would Jesus Do?

As much as I would like to just say, “Stop it!” to some of my First Place members, I don’t think I would win many friends or influence people with such tactics. As I think about how to best communicate with my members, I use Jesus as my model communicator. My Bible computer software has a wonderful concordance that I use often when tackling the monthly newsletter article. This month I searched for all the verses that had the word “stop” included in their text. Then, I narrowed my search to just the times Jesus asked someone to stop doing something. I found that Jesus had four “stop it” statements. As a leader, we have the responsibility to call our members to start keeping certain commitments and to be accountable for stopping some unhealthy behaviors. What would Jesus do if He were a First Place leader and had to communicate a hard truth to his members? With Jesus as our model communicator let’s take a look at His “stop it” statements and how they relate to First Place leadership:

Stop Sinning!
John 5:14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you."

Jesus had seen the man lying on his mat near the pool where people would go in to be healed. Jesus asked him if he wanted to be well and the man said yes, but that he had no one to help him get into the pool. Jesus immediately healed him and told him to pick up his mat and walk. Later on, Jesus found this man in the temple and gave him a “stop it” command. It looks like Jesus sought this man out to give him this advice, because it was so crucial to his future. The motivation behind Jesus’ “stop it” was love and concern for the one he had led to wholeness. Jesus warned the man to stop sinning or worse things than being crippled would befall him. As a leader, we keep directing our members to Jesus and His Word, so that they will find healing mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically. Once they experience victory, we must remind them not to get complacent and comfortable, but to continue to seek God in Bible study, to search out more information to help them in every area of life, and to never stop growing. We have all experienced gaining back weight we have lost, only to find it harder to lose the next time around. Do as Jesus and lovingly seek out those members who may have wandered from the commitments. Lovingly encourage them to come back to First Place and find balance and health once again.

Stop Grumbling!
John 6:43 "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered.

Jesus had shared a new truth with his followers and yet they grumbled., so He told them to stop grumbling. Have you presented the nine commitments in an orientation only to hear grumbling among those attending? Some of the grumbling I have heard sounded like this: “I can’t memorize scripture!” “I will never be able to exercise 5 times a week.” “Why do you have to keep a CR?” “Can I follow a different diet other than the Live-it?” After Jesus told the followers to stop grumbling, He proceeded to share the truth of how it is God who is sovereign, and it is God who will teach them everything they need to know. He will also provide for them all that they need. Thus, as a First Place leader, your response to the grumblings of your members is, that all these commitments are for your good and that God will provide the strength needed to keep each of them. Philippians 4:13

Stop Judging!
John 7:24 “Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment."

The people were judging Jesus for healing a child on the Sabbath. They had looked only at the act and not the reason behind the act or the Person who had performed such an act. People were judging Jesus on appearance only. This is a “stop it” for leaders. Jesus never judged a person by appearance, as demonstrated by the Samaritan woman by the well. He knows the hearts of men and why they do the things they do. First Place leaders are not divine, but merely mortal, yet we do possess the Holy Spirit. We do not know the motives and hearts of our First Place members, but God does. Pray for wisdom and discernment to lead your members and to be able to see past their behavior to the heart of the matter. Instead of judging people only on their performance at the scale or by how many verses they didn’t memorize, look past the behavior and ask why? Try to put yourself in their shoes and relate to their situation with compassion, and then you will be able to make a right judgment.

Stop Doubting!
John 20:27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

Thomas could not believe his ears! Had Jesus truly risen from the dead? The only way he would believe it was to see it! Well, He got to do just that! Jesus, however, told him to stop the doubting and believe – even if you can’t see it ! This is one of the most difficult tasks of a leader – to decrease a member’s doubts and to increase their belief in God and His power to change their life for good. I have found that just sharing my own words of encouragement pales in comparison to the times I share encouragement straight from the Word of God. Until our members hide God’s Word in their hearts, apply it to their lives and truly expect God to do great things, they will be unable to experience all the victory and freedom God has in store for them. The best way to lead your members to start believing and stop doubting is to model a life of Scripture memory. Memorize the Word; pray it; ask God to prove it in your life, and apply it to daily situations. Then, share with your members what God has done in your life through the memorized word and you will increase their faith, just as Jesus increased Thomas’ faith.

Help your members to stop the cycle of sin they are in, stop their grumbling about the work ahead of them and stop doubting that God truly can give them victory! Then, as the leader, stop judging your members merely on appearance and ask God for discernment and wisdom to minister to their true needs. Let’s stop leading in our own strength and start leading like Jesus!

Lead on!

Nancy Taylor
Leadership Training Director



Nancy Taylor is the First Place Leadership Training Director and joined the First Place staff in 1997. Nancy teaches leadership principles to First Place Leaders throughout the country and at Houston's First Baptist Church where she coordinates all the First Place groups. Nancy also speaks at First Place workshops, rallies, retreats, and conferences, where she delights her audiences with humor and encourages them with boldness. She writes a monthly article, which includes helpful tips for leaders, for the First Place E-newsletter, and was a contributing writer to the Today is the First Day devotional book. Nancy is the resident First Place Bible Concordance because of her love for Scripture memory.