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Leadership Development is a title with many intricate parts. It equips us to navigate in different waters and provides us with many pockets to investigate.

The Baltimore-Washington Conference is dedicated to assessing, building and challenging all aspects of leadership through God?s spirit as we celebrate, connect, develop, serve and share our faith. The Discipleship Adventure is the instrument that allows us to holistically reach, teach and support each other as we travel this journey of spiritual formation.

Bearing Acts 2 fruits is relational, operates out of love and must become the core of our being. We must be the second string on our violin, because this journey is about putting others before ourselves.

Understanding authority is a thread that runs through every level of leadership. From the CEO to the custodian, from the pastor to the congregant, from the grandparent to the newborn child, we are called to honor authority. Spiritual authority, however, connects with the visionary. So Scripture makes it clear, our vision at the Baltimore-Washington Conference is to be transformed from self-centered to Christ-centered. To be visionaries, leaders and pastors are called to leave the past and enter into the future.

The writer of 'Journey to the Well,' African Methodist Episcopal Bishop Vashti M. McKenzie, said it well, 'We admire risk takers? strength, tenacity, courage and willingness to run ahead into uncharted territory. We admire them, love them and hate them all at the same time. Often these risk takers are not appreciated. They are valued but misunderstood, considered foolish and often called impractical. As soon as we get comfortable, these risk takers come along and unsettle us, set another goal for us, or show us we have still more to learn.'

She later compares the risk takers, citing David and his challenge with Goliath and Esther putting her life in danger by going to see the king without an invitation. Visionaries can only share what they perceive have been given to them from God. They should follow the instructions from God and gbwc_superusere their followers (congregants) to pick up the vision and bring it to fruition.

The Greek definition of a leader, 'hodegos,' means to show, to teach and to lead. A leader?s role always operates with a spirit of love and respect for one another in order for the vision to take root and to soar.

In Habakkuk 2:2, God said, 'Write the vision and make it plain.' The congregation must be able to understand the vision, and embrace it in order to build a partnership with the church?s leadership. This will encourage them to submit to the authority that God has set in place over their lives.

In every situation leaders should reinforce the word of God so that their faith can constantly grow and be strengthened, because faith comes from hearing the Word of God.

Hebrews 13:17 states, 'Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.' (NKJV)

If you are burdened as a leader because of rejection or rebellion, quickly turn it over to God so that your congregant can receive from him.

But why do we need to submit to authority as people of God? Because our blessing comes from being obedient to God?s word.

Jesus was a man under authority. When he was talking to God, he said, 'Not my will, but thy will be done.' As each of us love, honor and respect each other while working together toward the vision of the church, God will honor our obedience and take our churches to another level in Christ. Let me repeat: Jesus said, 'Obedience is better than sacrifice.' Leadership Development is definitely a part of Discipleship and living a Christ-centered life to the glory of God.

There is a time in our lives that we all must reconcile with the spirit of submission, from the pulpit to the back pew; whether it?s to our supervisor at work or our partner in marriage. The principles for victory are still to love, to respect, to honor and to submit. I?m willing to boldly state that if you have a problem following orders on any level, you will have a problem in following God?s voice.

There are three questions that a leader must address: Are you ready to share your authority? Are you ready to share your ministry? And are you able to rejoice that those you?ve coached will excel above you, as your fruits? Although our congregations are full of gifts and talents, there is a need for leadership development and discipleship, so that we all can partner in this venture, together serving God and bearing Acts 2 fruits. We can do this because Christ lives in us.

Let?s make the Discipleship Adventure a reason to celebrate, connect, develop, serve and share our faith. There is one thread that is running through us all and it is the love of Jesus Christ.