A NEW GENERATION LEADERSHIP - HOW TO LEAD THE NEXT GENERATION

Currently, Dr. Daniel Munsami is the Senior Pastor of New Life Ministries, South Africa and two other churches in Richards Bay, South Africa. In the International arena he gives oversight as the President of New Life Ministries International Network to six churches in Swaziland and seven in India, with 21 Pastors and Evangelists just in India. Dr. Munsami studied at the University of Pretoria for Advanced Leadership. In April 2009 he received an Honorary Doctorate from United Graduate College & Seminary International. Dr. Munsami has a passion to impact individuals and develop leaders. He travels extensively to countries such as Swaziland, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, USA, Mexico, Canada, Mauritius and India. Dr. Munsami has been married to Shirley Munsami for 25 years and has two sons: Eugene 21 and Shaun 17.

____________

As we look back into the corridors of time and catch a glimpse of some of the major changes that have taken place within our globe, one can only stand in awe of where we are right now. Whatever the area of focus may be; be it politics, economy, religion, technology, mode of transport or anything that affects mankind; there certainly have been great strides of advancements. In all this, effective leadership becomes the key to success. Poor leadership is the greatest contributor to the collapse of many countries and organizations. It is in this respect that I would like to share some thoughts that will assist current and emerging leaders to lead the next generation effectively.

Currently there is a sense of leadership crisis throughout the world and this is not the case only in the cooperate world but also within the church circle. Even though various mechanisms such as gender equality, seminars, conferences, social media and various other means are used as tools to develop leaders, we are still far from where we ought to be in proportion to the advancement of the entire world. In my opinion this has much to do with easy access to readily available material which does not demand much effort. The internet has become the primary source of information and many of the 21^st century leaders are totally dependent on it. Whenever there is a need for information or a question to be answered, the world at large turns to the internet. It is quick, easy and no real effort required. This could be a great tool for a follower who is constantly guided or following someone else’s thought pattern and achievements. They seldom think for themselves, or even create new ideas.  This prevents such people from developing the champion or the hero that is within them. Untapped potential of great leaders and path creators lay dormant within such people.  The very same method is used within the church circle whereby the internet becomes the primary source instead of the Bible and dependence on the Holy Spirit. Many leaders and Pastors are so program driven that time is never enough. Waiting upon the Lord for new and fresh ideas and thoughts becomes virtually impossible. The internet has made leadership sound so simple that with a click of a button on the computer, information on anything or any subject can be made available. This information that has been uploaded by some people that have made the sacrifice and also could have paid the price as a leader. Yet those who just depend only on such information will remain followers and never aspire to become effective leaders. I am not advocating that leaders should not research or even read the material of other leaders but if that is all that one does to develop him or herself, then they will always remain as followers rather than becoming effective leaders. God has given each of us a measure of ability to think and create. In order to become a new generation leader and lead the next generation effectively, consider the following:

LEAD WITH THE FEAR OF GOD

The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom: This fear comes by learning and understanding through the Bible who God really is. As we constantly read the scriptures and allow the Holy Spirit to speak into our lives, we will soon learn about His grace, mercy, His requirements and also how He deals with sin and rebellion. A leader who knows and understands the heart of God will lead the people of God accordingly. There will be difficulties and challenges and there will be times when leaders themselves will be tempted under pressure to disobey God’s word and apply worldly systems to achieve results. This could be detrimental, not only to the leader but also the people who he leads. In the past and to this day the cost of rebellion, sin and disobedience is great and the God that we serve never changes. His ways of love, grace, mercy and punishment never change. It is for that reason that leaders must lead with the fear of God and in so doing they transfer that spirit and energy to the people they lead.    

LEAD WITH THE WISDOM OF GOD

There is a distinct difference between intelligence and wisdom. Leaders might possess the intellect to plan, to build, and accumulate but if they don’t have the wisdom to use and maintain that which they have, it will all be in vain. Having the wisdom of God enables one to walk in the will of God and he will also understand and know the thoughts and plans of God. Leaders that possess the wisdom of God lead in an extraordinary manner.  The natural and carnal man will not understand or even comprehend that which will be accomplished by the one that has the wisdom of God. Leaders will constantly be faced with challenges and also be required to resolve conflicts, therefore in order to achieve the best result or outcome, the wisdom of God must prevail.

LEAD WITH INTERGRITY

There is a vast difference between character and integrity of a person. Character is what everyone sees and this sometimes could be very misleading but integrity is what happens in secret, which does not go unseen by God. I am amazed by the uprightness of Daniel’s integrity when faced with challenges and yet the governors found no fault or error in him.

LEAD WITH A PASSION

Passion is a fuel that drives a leader from an ordinary to extraordinary person. It is also an energy that refuses to be obstructed by challenges and circumstances. A person with a deep passion to lead will never sleep until dreams are transformed to reality. They are leaders that will look beyond the now and call into being that which is not as though they are. It will be in their nature to turn every obstacle into opportunities and every negative into positive.