Chapter 14

True Leaders Are Competent

By Dr. Lester Hutson

II Corinthians 3:5-6

"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life."

A leader can be a fine person with plenty of heart, backbone and rawhide, but he also needs some "know how." However good the intentions, incompetence will kill effectiveness. So, we're going to talk here about how vital and important competence or qualifications are to leading others.

God makes people competent

In all good leaders there is a certain measure of competence, but let it be clear beyond question thatGod makes people competent. There can be no mistaking this fact in II Corinthians 3:5-6. Note the word "able" in verse 6. It is an adjective modifying "ministers." In the Greek the word is hikanoo hik-an-o'-o). Strongs Greek Dictionary says it means "competent." W. E. Vine says it means "competent."

Under divine inspiration Paul is talking about qualified or competent ministers. It is he who here brings up the subject of competence in leadership. He was personally a most competent minister. Where did his competence come from? It came from the Lord! It surely wasn't of himself as he so vehemently affirms in verse 5. Not one of us is sufficient, able or competent of ourselves.

Madison Avenue techniques will not get the job done in the work of the Lord. Oh yes, they may produce a measure of apparent success, but under the searching eye of God, they melt into uselessness as seen in I Corinthians 3:13-15. No person is truly able or competent whose strength does not come from the Lord. Plenty of scriptures affirm that fact. Zechariah 4:6, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts."

Jeremiah 17:5 & 7, "Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord...Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is."

Psalms 121:2, "My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth." Oh yes, it is the Lord who makes us competent leaders. Without Him, we are incompetent.

What is competence?

Don't misunderstand what competence is. Webster says competence is enough skill or ability to do something. Competence is adequacy, sufficiency and preparedness. It is basic "know how." Good intentions, heart and earnestness are wonderful attributes, but without competence, they are defeated.

However much he may want to do well, one cannot do what one doesn't know how to do. How can one speak Spanish or Chinese, who has never learned the language? The answer is obvious. The most urgent message of life and death cannot be expressed to a Chinese by one who doesn't know his language.

Many of God's people, particularly preachers and other church leaders, are incompetent because they are ignorant of things they really need to know to get the job done. Some butcher the language because they've not learned to speak it well. Many a teacher's lesson is so humdrum and lackluster because the teacher has not learned better teaching skills.

Preachers, teachers, ministry directors and others are often unfamiliar with the good, effective, new equipment that's on the market, like overhead, filmstrip and rear screen projectors, computers with all their efficient and helpful programs, new sound and recording equipment, improved maintenance products and equipment, and many other innovations. Many leaders are virtually unaware of the people skills which are being discussed in this leadership work.

Yes, thank God for good intentions, heart and desire, but they are not enough to get the job done. If the job is going to get done, the good intentions and desire must couple up with ability and know-how. Do not forget, however, that it is God who makes us competent.

How does God do it?

One way God makes us able or competent is through education or learning. God says in Isaiah 1:17, "Learn to do well." Paul wrote to Titus, "Learn to maintain good works for necessary uses," in Titus 3:14. We're told to "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed," in II Timothy 2:15.

God doesn't just open our heads and pour in competence, nor does He trump our laziness and make us competent even though we put forth little or no effort to learn and develop skills and abilities. He gives us ability and competence, but usually in proportion to our applying ourselves to learn. That's the reason Paul told Timothy, "Consider what I say; and the Lord give the understanding in all things," in II Timothy 2:7. The "understanding" or competence would come from God, but only as a result of "considering" or studying.

There's no reason for any of us to remain incompetent in the areas where we need skills. We can learn. We can make it our business to know, to stay on top of what's on the market, to ever broaden our horizons and improve our skills. That surely seems to be, in part, what Peter was discussing when he said, "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," in II Peter 3:18, and "as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby," in I Peter 2:2.

Surely one aspect of growth is increasing competence. We can grow in our language and communication skills by studying the language and getting speech training. We can learn how to deal with people more effectively. We can learn better teaching methods. We can learn to use new equipment. There are books on nearly every subject. There are workshops and seminars. Many institutions offer courses. There are trade publications just loaded with good information. There's no reason for preachers and teachers and ministry directors and God's leaders to get into ruts and stay there while progress passes them by. There are too many opportunities out there for people to become more competent.

Sadly, too many incompetent Christian leaders are that way because they will not learn. They don't read. They won't attend the seminars or workshops available to them. They scorn or neglect the very means by which God could make them "able" or "sufficient." Perhaps it's neglect; maybe it's a don't care attitude or apathy, but they're incompetent because they choose to be by avoiding the help available to them. Learning is God's chief way of overcoming incompetence and of making people able.

Another simple means God has of making us competent is experience. This very issue is the gist of Hebrews 5:11-14.

"Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to the teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

In verse 13 "unskillful" literally means "hath no experience." To "exercise" something, as in verse 14, means to experience it. To exercise a muscle is to put it through the paces, to use it. As we do certain things, we become more efficient or competent in those areas. Typists become better as they practice good methods. Who wants an inexperienced surgeon cutting on him?

Surely God's leaders should ever practice their leadership skills. They should work to develop them just as a weight lifter would work to develop a muscle. Good development does not come by mere exercise or experience; it comes by proper exercise. Preachers, teachers and leaders can't grow lazy and sloppy and still grow in competence. They must exercise, but ever with an eye on improvement, with better sermons, better lessons, better teamwork.

Amazingly as they use their talents effectively to the glory of God, God increases their abilities. You'll see that in Jesus' story of the talents in Matthew 25. Yes, God gives the ability and the competence, but He does it through very simple methods. As His people give themselves to Him to study His ways and walk in them, He gives them more and more sufficiency, strength and competence. He doesn't do so through some divine overpowering. He does it through things as simple as study and practice.

Four features to competent leaders

Ability to see the needs

As discussed earlier, they're dreamers. Their eyes are open. They see what needs fixing. They look ahead and have goals. They see what can and ought to be done. Like Paul in Hebrews 12:1, they can visualize the race that is set before them. They have plans to go somewhere.

Ability to plan and organize

They know how to develop a plan or organizational structure to meet the needs or reach the goals. They don't just dream; they devise means for making the dream come true. They plan and work out details. They develop "how to" information, a blueprint.

Ability to get others involved

They get other people involved in working the plan. If the plan is very big at all, they don't try to do it alone. A mark of a competent leader is the ability to delegate work and involve others in a harmonious, co-operative effort. As Jethro told his son-in-law Moses, "this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone... they shall bear this burden with thee," in Exodus 18:18 and 22. Solomon wrote, "Two are better than one," in Ecclesiastes 4:9. The ability to delegate and work with others is a great virtue. The more competent a leader is, the more careful he is to delegate the right jobs to the right people. As Jethro put it, delegate only to "able men," in Exodus 18:21. Failure here can be disastrous.

Ability to keep their eye on the enterprise

They communicate with those they lead. From the leader to his followers and from the followers to their leader, the door of communication stays open. Competent leaders are constantly watching the enterprise and those within it. He is evaluating performances, and seeing ways to improve both production and the people in the program.

These are marks of competence and efficiency. And when these are coupled with heart and love and desire, it's amazing how God can make that leader ever more able and sufficient for the task.

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"