DAIL-J Forteh

Team21 Consulting...

2026-01-16T10:00:00.003+01:00

Team21 Consulting | Transforming Organizations

Places

2023-09-03T10:52:00.006+01:00

People are unique and so are places and cultures.

Eisehuttenstadt - Germany

South Africa - Mabalingwe, Jo’burg & Pretoria

Kenya - Nairobi

Tanzania - Dar-es-salam

Namibia - Windhoek

Angola- Luanda

Democratic Republic of Congo - Kinshasa

Gabon - Libreville

Guinea - Conakry

Ghana - Takoradi & Accra

Jordan- Amman

Iraq - Baghdad

Haiti - Port -au-Prince

United Kingdom - London, Chesterfield, Sheffield, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Southampton.

Ethiopia - Addis Ababa

Cameroon - Bamenda, Buea, Douala, Bafoussam, Ebolowa, Bertoua

USA - DC, Baron Rouge, Boston, NY, South and North Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Florida, Hawaii( Maui).

….

Unique, special and blessed in God’s beautiful world. One day all these boundaries will no longer exist when the King of glory, Jesus will return. Are you ready?

Inno

15 - God's good.

2020-09-25T20:09:00.000+01:00

Yes, today Linda and I celebrate 15 years of marriage.

Today, we celebrate God's special grace and faithfulness as we learn how to walk and work with each other and God in His love. So far, it has been an exciting journey and we are hopeful for the future. Very hopeful. As we celebrate, we also remember some special people who travelled with us to Bamenda for that special occassion but are no longer physically present. In the month of May this year, my brother, Derick, sadly passed on to eternity after a very brief bout with illness. The loss is great and the pain still real but we know He is in a better place because he committed his life to Jesus. Adieu Derick! Your memory is with is until we meet again.

We also lost a dear friend, Bongo in December 2019. Her accident and untimely death left a huge gap in our lives also. We miss you Bongo. You were special to us in many ways.

While their going into eternity has left us in pain, we are reminded of the good times we spent together including that Sunday morning on September 25, 2005 in Bamenda. Thank you Derick and Bongo. Always in our hearts.

We looked pretty young I am surprised they trusted us 😂😂😂.

15 years of thank yous to all of you who showed up, prayed for us and supported us. Thank you Chi Chi for being the camera man I hired on zero budget to use my camera and do your own thing. I still have the videos you shot back then Man! Thank you to our two families for always being there for us and to the friends who came from all parts of the country to make this day special. Thank you to pastors Jeremie and Song who made the occasion special. A special thanks to all the kids who are fine teenagers today.

Man we were really young. Look at these pics. I wouldn't have trusted me, if I was Linda's dad 🤣🤣🤣.

God's been good and the journey has been good. We keep learning, loving and growing. We also look more mature today.

On this special day we want to use this special crystal celebration to draw attention to the one who has been our everything our God and Savior. Jesus, what could we have done without you? Absolutely nothing. You are still the rock on which we stand, our everything. May our sweet Jesus bless and keep you too. May cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May He give you peace and bring you into a special relationship with Him.

We love you!

Be blessed

Linda and Inno

Why do servant leaders win?

2020-09-17T10:30:00.001+01:00

Okay I should have probably rephrased the title given that it is really about “Who” rather than “why”. We should probably start by defining some terms and then looking at what winning is all about.

Servant leaders are individuals who choose to lead through their service. They see themselves as stewards of God’s people and His resources. Their goal therefore is to empower those under their charge to become servant leaders as well. Servant leaders do not operate on the basis of personal power but rather seek to develop their ability to influence by building on their Emotional Intelligence and practicing characteristics such as love, vision, humility, trust, listening, empathy, conflict resolution, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people & building community. The difference with other leadership paradigms is their focus on people rather than objectives. The greatest servant leader ever, Jesus, advanced that His disciples and all who lay claim to being His disciples should aspire to put themselves squarely in the service of others, rather than bask in the glory of position, titles and authority. Let’s look at what he told his seemingly “power hungry disciples”.

“You know that the rulers of the heathen have power over them, and the leaders have complete authority. This, however, is not the way it shall be among you. If one of you wants to be great, you must be the servant of the rest; and if one of you wants to be first, you must be the slave of the others— like the Son of Man, who did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life to redeem many people.” Jesus (Matthew 20:25-28)

Does this make servant leadership weak? Definitely not! For the secret of the success in servant leadership is in service. The goal is to lead like Jesus. But how can position loving, title desiring, attention seeking, power hungry people like you and I humble ourselves to serve and hence unlock the wonders of servant leadership? How do we win and keep winning yet stay humble? The secret ingredient, my friend, is “Who” and this “Who” is none other than the Holy Spirit.

He makes the difference in the life of any leader who aspires to lead like Jesus. You will not have to learn how to be humble, to serve others and genuinely love and seek to empower others if you are full of God the Holy Spirit. This is the plan; God knows the deepest thoughts of every single person alive and He knows our efforts (no matter how hard we try) at being good is futile. I believe you have heard the saying that our efforts at being righteous is like filthy rags before our Holy God! (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:10). He knows our weaknesses, challenges, fears, strengths etc. but, guess what, He also knows God’s perfect will. He therefore enables the Servant Leader to lead from their heart as well as walk in discernment. In simple terms, discernment represents the leader's ability to make good and well-informed decisions.

A servant leader can be likened to a coach and at the same time a personal “fan club” of his people. The Holy Spirit knows what is best for the same and if you submit to Him, He can use you to fully unlock the potential of the people you serve, because He knows God’s perfect will for them and desires to see them fully max-out their potential as His stewards. You may have been struggling with results as a leader. Could it be that your focus is wrong? Are you fully submitted to the Holy Spirit? Can He use you to empower His people and unleash them? Are you willing to let go of your control and let God?

Are you ready to stop focusing on results and start focusing on people as a priority? When you focus on people, they will take care of the results. A servant leader and “servant leaders in-training” know who the true boss is, God the Father. He has requested that we serve, in whatever context we find ourselves in, as serving Him rather than man.

“…Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people” – Paul, the apostle (Colossians 3:23).

The Holy Spirit is the great enabler who can help you accomplish this. It is time we all rise as servant leaders to win and win some more by deliberating committing ourselves to being used by the Holy Spirit as people focused servant leaders who are on fire to change the world. Go win, with Him!

Prayer: Father I submit to your authority and ask that you fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may lead those you bring to me in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Wilderlove

2020-08-07T00:30:00.004+01:00

Three months ago on this day, somehow by God's exceptional grace, I was lifted above grief! The shock was intense and hurt insane but somehow He held me back from crashing. The death of my younger brother Derick has had a profound impact on my family and I. I felt feelings I never knew myself capable of.

Today, I tried my hands on the (3 lines) short Japanese poetry format known as Haiku, to capture my state of being through these times. See if you can make some sense out of it 😃;

It is an expression of hope. Hope because in spite of experiencing the crucible of life in new more profound dimension, God kept my eyes on Him. He preserved my mind and kept my eyes on Him. Slowly, I begin to see the day break as night disappears in the presence of light. This is like the beautiful sunrise in the horizon announcing a new day! What this new day holds, I cannot tell but one thing I know, God's in it and that's where I want to be. May my wilderlove for Him and His purpose never wane.

Three months ago, I knelt before God in hope for a miracle. I stormed heaven with an urgent prayer for an instant answer. As a family, we all rallied and dialled 911 to heaven. The answer came through but we were hoping for something more. Yes Derick confessed Jesus as His Lord and Savior a subject of great joy. In addition to this, the doctor announced he was getting better so our faith shot through the sky. I felt I could fly. God had surely marked, "yea", on our prayer bullets! Enter day three, that fateful Thursday May 7! Forever engraved in my memory it seems. Physically, things took another turn. I went in there, he was strong and did his best to stay strong. I left him after hours together but for the first time expecting the worse, though hoping not. The call came at around 22h but it was just emptiness for me.

Enter the crucible.

Had to be strong for everyone else. God had indeed answered our prayers, just not how we wanted it. The crucible is the crucible, you have to go through it to feel it, to know it. Calls, questions, emotions, prayers, emptiness etc and at the same time trying to be there for everyone. Does a broken vessel have any use? Absolutely. It depends on the master. The hospital, bearing the name of a "saint", St. Hillaire, tried playing some games. I am still to understand why they decided to play the devil at such a crucial time.

Some say it's politics others say it is for money, I say, I don't know. The cause of death was supposedly, “suspected possible COVID-19”! Funny because adjectives and nouns are free like air. You can write whatever , whenever you want especially if you have a white coat on and appear more important than everyone else.

Truth of the matter is, no one really knows. Not even the doctor. A week later, results came through but neither the name, nor the date of birth /day of test are his. More fish!

We may never know what Derick died of but the truth of his transition from this current abode of our physical bodies into eternity is unchangeable. He is very much alive, just not with us. He took with him his secrets but left us clues. During this season in the crucible, I have learned about myself like never before. My self awareness today is sky high. In the process of discovering who Derick’s real friends are, I discovered who my true friends are too. The crucible is a rebirth for me. It is not all those who say Lord, Lord who will enter heaven but those who do the will of Jesus’s Father”! It is not those who say friend, friend who are “true friends” but those who demonstrate beyond reasonable doubt, their friendship. Talk is cheap that is why actions speak louder than words.

Three months in the crucible and I dare say, “ahoy land in sight”! Jesus has stayed a true friend. He carries us daily through the storms of pain and reassures us our boat ⛵️, isn’t going to sink.

He is unchanging, faithful, awesome, present, uplifting, good, generous, forgiving and more....and by the way He is the Judge too! His saving grace is available to all who are willing to truly abandon a life of sin to live 100% for Him.

I have nothing but wilderlove for you, Jesus.

Definitions:

Wilderlove: A love without reservation or premonition. An innocent, childlike love. A love that's wild and almost instinctual ( Urbandictionary.com).

Derick’s forever page: https://www.forevermissed.com/derickngochi/about

Headlines...

2020-03-01T21:43:00.001+01:00

I keep watch of the headlines these days. My twin topics of interest recently are; the Corona disease virus 2019(COVID-19) and the New Orleans Pelicans Basketball team with their new phenom, Zion Williamson!

So what does a “frightful” new virus that is almost being perceived as a pandemic have in common with a young new NBA player? Walk with me.

The World Health Organization announced an outbreak of the Corona Virus in Wuhan, China around the last week of December 2020. As of today, almost all continents have announced cases with sub-saharan Africa being the least hit. The announcement however, by Nigeria of an Italian visitor having tested positive, has instilled fear not just in the hearts of Nigerians but in her neighbours such as Cameroon. More than 3300 deaths have been recorded worldwide due to the virus while over 88000 people have tested positive for the virus. You can see current updates here https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/.

On the face of it, the prospects are truly frightful. When the disease broke out in China sometime in late December, the initial reaction of the authorities was to try and silence dissenting voices but that all changed when the numbers of the infected increased exponentially. While a vaccine is yet to be found, you can take care of yourself and family by washing your hands frequently, coughing into your elbow and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth after touching other objects or persons. Like SARS, this is a new virus so it will take time for the medical community to learn about it and to develop an effective vaccine against it. Forget eating all the garlic in your house and emptying pharmacy shelves of Chloroquine, that won’t work!

Around the same time when the new Corona virus started making headlines, the Basketball world was literally waiting for the first game of the overall 1st round pick in the recent NBA draft, Zion Williamson. The 19 old year had unfortunately been sight lined for most of the first part of the season due to injury as his team “excelled” in loosing!. Since Zion debuted in January, the teenager has been nothing short of a phenom. He has been a game changer from his first game with the New Orleans Pelicans (the Pels) after sitting out most of the season due to injury. His debut on January 23, generated much hype and his fans enjoyed what they saw. This kid has a gift for basketballand has been “bullying” players who have been in the game for as long as when he turned 5. Zion and the Pels have been rising and bringing a lot of excitement and joy to their fans and the league in general.

So, both the COVID-19 and Zion are making waves right now, and the world is taking note. I predict that this will not be the first virus in this new decade and Zion, will likely not be the latest fad with NBA fans in the next decade either. As time passes, the headlines change but one truth that will never change is: Jesus is the Way the Truth and The Life. In the midst of hopelessness, uncertainties,politics, fears, joys and celebrations we can turn to Jesus for answers with gratitude. Do you have hope for the future or are you just waiting for the next headline to excite you? These all will pass, but one thing never changes, or better still, one Person never changes. He is called the Alpha and the Omega, existing beyond the confines of time yet never late! Trust him with your fears, worries, questions and doubts. There is hope in Jesus.

Fake debate, Real issue!

2019-04-04T17:32:00.000+01:00

Fake debate, real issue.

Innocent Forteh

Some of you may have seen the following assertions (paraphrased) on social media “while Chinese kids learn to produce cheap toys, African kids learn to pray” and “China produces thousands of engineers yearly while Africa produces millions of pastors”!

These are just a couple of the many “wake-up” calls (among others), I have been bombarded with recently, by generally well-meaning friends and family, seeking to inform (and possibly convert) their African brothers and sisters to the “realities” and possible reasons for our stagnation as a continent!

I submit that these assertions are loaded with unproven conclusions as well as contributing to the fake debate of science versus religion/faith. This paper will look at the facts only. What better way to start such a journey than to remind everyone to seek truth always in all ways.

“You shall know the truth, and the TRUTH shall set you FREE”! ~ Jesus Christ

Some of the unproven conclusions in the debate of the origin of Africa’s stagnation I have heard include:

Africans are either too superstitious or too religious and this is hampering their development;
Africans have adopted the spirituality of others while ignoring theirs;
Africans are religious because of poverty and they pray hoping to be delivered from poverty instead of working hard.

I have not only heard but equally seen these assertions in various forms both from my African as well as non-African connections. Firstly, these over-generalizations are mainly baseless and do not represent the facts. The Pew Research Center in 2010 listed the top 10 countries with the largest Christian populations. Only 3 African countries (Nigeria -6, D.R. Congo- 8 and Ethiopia-10) are on this list and they are nowhere near the top. The USA comes first, followed by Brazil, Mexico, Russia, the Philippines, China and Germany ("10 Countries with the Largest Christian Populations, 2010 and 2050", 2015)! While projections show that five African countries will make up the top 10 countries with the largest Christian populations by 2050, the numbers are relative small compared to the bigger picture. The Council on Foreign relations reports, “China is on track, to have the world’s largest population of Christians by 2030” (McPherson, 2018). These numbers clearly show that Africa (if we add up all the African countries in the top 10) is not more “Christian” than either the Americas or even Asia for that matter.

It can be argued that the perception of a super religious continent is because of more churches (in different colors, shapes and sizes) in Africa getting on the bandwagon of technological innovation as well as more affordable media to publicize their activities. Even though I would love this to be true, Africans (in the context of Christianity), are not more spiritual than other races, the facts just do not add up! I am still to find a research that confirms the contrary. That aside, critically speaking, is the spirituality of Africa negatively affecting its development as a continent? Look at the facts, the USA tops the Christianity charts and China is taking huge leaps towards that direction too. If Christianity was a problem, we should have seen the economies of these countries winding down but the opposite seems to be true. It is a fallacy therefore, to believe, just because someone prays, they cannot work hard to change their economic situation.

Have Africans damaged their chances to thrive by adopting the culture and spirituality of other races? This is an argument I hear frequently which I believe is more emotional than factual. Logic tells us that the only constant in life is change. We buy new cars for greater efficiency, change our kids schools to augment their chances and even immigrate to improve our stakes yet we want to turn a blind eye to cultures that have limited us for ages! I once asked my grandmother the purpose of a certain traditional rite, which involved octogenarians like her sitting out in the cold (half-naked) to mourn a dead husband. She considered my question and with a sigh explained there was no base for this “revered” tradition order than to repeat what was done to them. Some of those old women will of course get sick and die, because of this baseless tradition. I proceeded to ask her I she will be willing to change it and she murmured something in the lines of she would like to.

Not all traditions are profitable and it is naive to think we have some superior tradition that cannot be changed when it is clearly dangerous. Think about how many twins and albinos have been murdered in places like Cameroon, Nigeria, and Tanzania in the name of tradition!

“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things… But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless”. ~ Apostle Paul

“…the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." ~ Prophet Isaiah

No, Africans are not “missing out” on anything because they dumped some immoral and in certain cases dangerous cultural practices. Keeping up with some of those, actually serve to hinder their ability to advance in a context where God has provided light to all who choose to see. Granted, not everything in African cultures is negative in the same way that not everything from other competing cultures is negative. In the new global village Africans need to consider and encourage beliefs and practices that help them advance (in all manners) as a people rather than hold-on to things that stall their advancement and set them on a course of collision with the challenges of the current paradigm. It is also a fallacy to conclude that an African Christian has rejected his/her African culture to pursue the European/American’s culture. This is false. Firstly, because, Christianity did not originate either in Europe or America! It is ignorance of the facts that leads many to continue to hold this false view.

Jesus Christ, the son of God, came to earth as a Jew (in Israel) and led disciples who were all Jews. They (the disciples), were directly responsible for spreading Christianity in obedience to their master who preached salvation from sin through belief in His work. Jesus preached a universal message to a local audience and his disciples carried this message of salvation, through the power of the Holy Spirit, literally to the ends of the earth including Europe, the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia. The advent of Christianity influenced Europe positively with historians documenting the better care for the sick and the opening of centers of learning because of the same. Professor of sociology Dr. Alvin Schmidt explains that “…almost everything for which the Roman world had stood for, was challenged by the teachings of Jesus” (How Christianity Changed the World, Schmidt, p. 44). In addition to this, Dr. James Kennedy mentions that, “Life was expendable prior to Christianity’s influence… abortion was rampant, it was it was common for infirm babies or unwanted little ones to be taken out into the forest or the mountainside, to be consumed by wild animals or to starve… They often abandoned female babies because women were considered inferior” (What If Jesus Had Never Been Born?, pp. 9–11). These cultural practices were considered okay by the highly religious but non-Christian Roman world. While those practices sound deeply immoral, we should not forget that they were done in the name of culture. Christianity, one can conclude then, brought humans back to their senses!

Interestingly, it is worth nothing that those who suffer more in these cultures, that folks are clamoring to preserve, are the most vulnerable, who need protection: children, women and albinos! These are cultures of death that celebrate evil and seek to keep practitioners in a captive state. No, do not be deceived, Christianity has done the greatest good for Africa than Africans can even begin to imagine. Yes some men weaponized (and continue to weaponize) Christianity for their personal benefits but that does not make it bad. Just because an armed robber uses a bread knife to commit murder does not make the knife bad. The problem is the person using the knife to execute their evil desires, not the knife.

Africans should stop thinking of some superior culture in the past and start looking ahead to how they can become a true force to reckon with in the current paradigm and the future.

Are Africans religious because they are poor? The Amish are a deeply religious community that have lived in America for more than 300 years and yet they do not compromise their values even though surrounded by wealth. This is a choice that the community made which has nothing to do with their economic environment. It is true that lack, can cause men to seek God for provision but this generalization reduces the value of Christianity. Jesus came principally to save men from sin and the effects of sin. Poverty can be seen as one of the effects/results of sin. Logic dictates that any doctor, who only focuses on curing symptoms rather than the root cause of the problem, needs to go back to school. The gospel message may have been changed by some peddlers of all kinds of doctrines (including the prosperity gospel preachers), but that does not mean that this is the reason why Jesus died on the cross.

You would have to interview Christians before assuming on their behalf that their principal motive for going to church is to escape the scourge of poverty!

Africans, we need to change our narratives, thought patterns and stop shooting ourselves in the leg. Our problems have nothing to do with Christians and pastors. Christianity may be responsible for many things but it is definitely not responsible for:

Discrimination in employment or admission to prestigious schools and institutions;
The lack of execution of contracts for which payment has already been made;
The uniformed officer collecting a bribe on the street and allowing the offender to go unpunished;
The guy who decides to break into people’s homes and dispossess them of their hard earned possessions;
The nurse who is more focused on her nails and chatting with her “friends” on Facebook rather than attending to her patient;
Leadership's decision to exploit the natural resources of the continent abusively;
Crazy agreements signed with certain nations that ensure the continent basically remains poor;
The lawyer who twists things to ensure his client pays more rather than seek justice for him;
The guy who is thrown in jail because the “big man” has some friends in the government;
The reckless driver who overtakes in the wrong way at the wrong place and curses other road users. Etc ad nauseam.

Christianity is not responsible for Africa’s stagnation. Look elsewhere!

Let us take a look at where the problem truly lies and give our all to tackle it. It is spelled POOR LEADERSHIP!

Africa’s problems lie squarely on the soldiers of its leaders.

We as a continent have excelled (with the help of some Western countries) in BAD LEADERSHIP. Poor leadership in the church as well as in the nation is responsible for many of the things that we decry and has seriously impacted our ability to thrive. I buy into Maxwell’s quote: “Everything rises and falls on leadership”!

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. ~ King Solomon

Africa’s problem is poor leadership, period. Look around the continent and you can see a wide practice of egocentric and authoritarian leadership (from the homes, to the streets to the palaces) which has led to widespread corruption, poverty, nepotism, violence, loss of life and destruction of property. This is not an environment that is conducive for growth, prosperity and equal opportunity. Most leaders come in as liberators and leave as dictators (authoritarian leaders), who rule by decrees and generally fail to take the opinion of their people into consideration.

They build a personality cult around themselves and if possible would love to be considered as gods! This self-serving egocentric, authoritarian leadership paradigm, which is widely practiced in Africa is ineffective, generally focused on a single individual who wields and centralizes power and authority on themselves. The direct result of this form of leadership is slowness in execution of projects that can benefit the community as only one person or a small group of people, are empowered to make almost all major decisions. As a community, we need to make the conscious decision to change if we must break out of this rot.

Stop accusing religion, we need God on our side actually, and focus on the real issue ie LEADERSHIP.

We need more servant leaders as a continent. Servant leadership is a unique leadership paradigm which focuses primarily on the well-being of those being led/served. Unlike authoritarian leaders, the servant leader walks in integrity and intentionally seeks to serve those they lead, with the goal of empowering them to accomplish great things for themselves and the organizations they serve. In order to understand the needs of those being served, servant leaders need to grow in their ability to understand and empathize with them (Spears, 2005). Mahatma Gandhi was an example of a Servant Leader, who was able to put his people first, enabling them to accomplish great things. During his resistance "salt march" against British oppression, he demonstrated a deep commitment to the opinion of each individual he met (Tubbs, 2015) and not just that of his close collaborators.

Folks, Jesus modelled and taught servant leadership. If those in authority (family, spiritual, government or social) truly desire change across the continent, they should consider consulting the one who remains The way, The truth and The life, Jesus of Nazareth.

References

10 Countries With the Largest Christian Populations, 2010 and 2050. (2015, April 02). Retrieved April 4, 2019, from https://www.pewforum.org/2015/04/02/christians/pf_15-04-02_projectionstables63/

Gandhi the Servant Leader. Retrieved from http://sites.psu.edu/leadership/2015/04/19/gandhi-the-servant-leader/

Kennedy, D. J., & Newcombe, J. (2001). What if Jesus had never been born?: The positive impact of Christianity in history.

Nashville: T. Nelson. McPherson, M. (2018, October 11). Christianity in China. Retrieved from https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/christianity-china

Schmidt, A. J. (2004). How christianity changed the world. Grand Rapids (Mich.): Zondervan. Spears, L. C. (2005, August).

The Understanding and Practice of Servant- Leadership [Scholarly project]. In The Understanding and Practice of Servant- Leadership. Retrieved fromhttps://www.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/sl_proceedings/2005/spears_practice.pdf Tubbs, R. C. (2015, April 19).

Cameroon needs Servant Leaders.

2018-06-13T16:22:00.001+01:00

Although Cameroon is currently going through multiple sociopolitical crises due to a wide practice of egocentric and authoritarian leadership which has led to widespread corruption, poverty, nepotism, ongoing violence, loss of life and destruction of property, it can break out of this vicious cycle through the practice of servant leadership. Servant leadership is a unique leadership paradigm which focuses primarily on the well-being of those being led/served. Unlike authoritarian leaders, the servant leader walks in integrity and intentionally seeks to serve those they lead , with the goal of empowering them to accomplish great things for themselves and the organizations they serve. The results of authoritarian and egocentric leadership in Cameroon so far, has been an increase in sociopolitical unrest, as government continues to fail to address issues in a timely manner due to a leadership paradigm which serves an individual rather than the people. One of the objectives of a servant leader is to empower those they serve, with the goal of achieving greater results through the creation of an environment of mutual respect, service and integrity. Cameroon would therefore benefit from true servant leaders, who put the needs of the people and the interests of the nation ahead of their personal interests. Quoting Ken Thomas, “Servant leadership turns the power pyramid upside down. Instead of the people working to serve the leader, the leader exists to serve the people. At the root of servant hood is humility” (2017).

Cameroon can solve its current sociopolitical crisis through the practice of servant leadership instead of the current widespread use of authoritarian, self-centered leadership. Whereas dictators (authoritarian leaders) rule by decrees and generally fail to take the opinion of their people into consideration, servant leaders seek to communicate efficiently, model integrity and show that they truly care for the people under their sphere of influence. Early on in the current crisis plaguing Cameroon, the leaders of various civil organizations requested for dialogue with the Government concerning among others, issues of discrimination, nepotism and corruption. Cameroon's centralized leadership however, roundly dismissed this, possibility perceiving it as an attack on their authority. The situation has now degenerated to a veritable crisis with international organizations such as the International Crisis Group sounding an alarm calling for an urgent dialogue between the Government and leaders of dissenting groups ("Cameroon's Anglophone Crisis: Dialogue Remains the Only Viable Solution", 2017). This call has so far been largely ignored by the Government, which opted instead for the use of force to quell down any popular uprisings.

Servant leaders seek to empower others by prioritizing the interests of those being served. In order to understand the needs of those being served, servant leaders need to grow in their ability to understand and empathize with them (Spears, 2005). Mahatma Gandhi was an example of a Servant Leader, who was able to put his people first, enabling them to accomplish great things. During his resistance "salt march" against British oppression, he demonstrated a deep commitment to the opinion of each individual he met (Tubbs, 2015) and not just that of his close collaborators. If Cameroon's leaders truly prioritized the interests of those being served, they would have humbled themselves to sit at the negotiation table with citizens who are worried about the direction of the country due to their leadership failures. Instead, they engaged the military to track down and quell every form of dissension against the government. This has only served to worsen the crisis as some citizens have now taken up arms in self-defense.

The most important reason Cameroon can solve its current sociopolitical crisis through servant leadership, is because servant leaders focus on others rather than on themselves. This is radically different from the self-serving egocentric authoritarian leadership paradigm, which is widely practiced in Cameroonian Government institutions. This ineffective form of leadership is generally focused on a single individual who wields and centralizes power and authority on themselves. The direct result of this form of leadership is slowness in execution of projects that can benefit the community as only one person or a small group of people, are empowered to make almost all major decisions.

In conclusion, although other leadership forms are equally valid, Cameroon can solve its current sociopolitical crisis through servant leadership for two main reasons. First, servant leaders seek to empower others but most importantly, servant leaders focus on others rather than on themselves. A natural first step will be for the current leaders of the nation to truly decentralize power and humble themselves to a sincere dialogue with the different civic organizations which have great influence over the people. This process of conflict resolution, will have to be preceded by emphatic listening which will help leaders consider the view point of others while helping them consider and evaluate their personally held biases (Zisa, 2013), which may be hampering peace.

References:

Cameroon's Anglophone Crisis: Dialogue Remains the Only Viable Solution. (2017, December 21). Retrieved from https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/central-africa/cameroon/cameroons-anglophone-crisis-dialogue-remains-only-viable-solution

Spears, L. C. (2005, August). The Understanding and Practice of Servant- Leadership [Scholarly project]. In The Understanding and Practice of Servant- Leadership. Retrieved fromhttps://www.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/sl_proceedings/2005/spears_practice.pdf

Thomas, K. (2017, November 08). Leadership Advantage: Servant leadership. Retrieved fromhttp://landscapemanagement.net/leadership-advantage-servant-leadership/

Tubbs, R. C. (2015, April 19). Gandhi the Servant Leader. Retrieved from http://sites.psu.edu/leadership/2015/04/19/gandhi-the-servant-leader/

Zisa, J. (2013, June 20). Listen to Serve: Servant Leadership and the Practice of Effective Listening. Retrieved fromhttps://www.greenleaf.org/listen-to-serve-servant-leadership-and-the-practice-of-effective-listening/

10 Reasons why your prayers go unanswered

2018-01-01T15:46:00.001+01:00

Challenges to effective intercession.

The intense prayer of the righteous is very powerful James 5:13-18.

The implications of these verses are, that righteousness and effective fervent prayer are a potent combination that will produce powerful results such as healing the sick, miracles etc.

As (wo)men however, we face various challenges to righteous living and intense praying ( both private and public).

10 challenges:

1. _Disobedience:_

In Numbers 14, we see how Israel refuses to act in obedience. God assured them He was giving them the land but they opted to follow their instincts based on the report of the spies. In chapters 14:41, they elected to further act presumptiously. Walking in disobedience to God closes doors on our prayers.

2. Impatience:

In Psalms 106:13, the psalmist notes that the children of God soon forgot what God had done and acted based on their own impulses rather than waiting for his counsel. What follows is a catalogue of their unfortunate experiences based on their impatience. We know that those who patiently waiting on the Lord will renew their strength and mount on wings like eagles (Isaiah 40:41).

3. Flesh:

James 4:3 informs us God sees and knows our motives. Wrong motives will lead to unanswered prayers.

4. Doubt:

This stops us from receiving anything from the Lord ( James 1:5-8). The foundation of our prayers should be faith in our Lord Jesus instead of prevailing circumstances.

5. Indifference:

To determine if you are indifferent, you must ask yourself if you are concerned with doing God's will. Indifference will lead to shallow and noisy prayers with no substance. It is not the volume of your prayer that accomplishes much but the state of your heart regarding God's commandments. Romans 3:11, Isaiah 42:20, Mathew 13:15.

6. _Noise_ (Distraction):

Many things fight for our attention at any point in time and on a daily basis. Social media and entertainment have also become a huge source of distraction for believers. When you are in prayers but your mind is elsewhere, that is distraction manifesting itself. The foundation of distraction is generally based on the worries of this life. Philippians 4:8. Let's keep our minds focused on Him who cares for us and is able to save us completely.

7. _Mindset_

What kind of thoughts govern your mind? Is it world or things of the spirit? Romans 8:5-6, 27. A worldly mind will hardly be able to pray in the will of God as its main focus will be the desires of the flesh. Set your mind on things above. Fill your mind with Godly thoughts.

8. _Hidden sin_

It goes without sin that a believer who hides sin will succeed. Proverbs 28:13, Hebrews 4:12-13, Isaiah 59:1-2, 2 Chronicles 7:14. Let us confess our sins and seek God's face for deliverance.

9. _Unforgiveness:_

If you forgive men their sins, God the Father will also forgive you your sins. If you do not forgive men their sins, yours too will not be forgiven. Mathew 6:14-15. Forgive in order to be forgiven.

10. _The_Devil:

He can't really stop our prayers but he makes sure we are distracted, do not forgive, walk in fear, live in a worldly manner, be indifferent and hide our sins. If he can retain us in this state, he knows we will be like empty vessels making a lot of noise. Jesus wants to have an active and relationship with Him. May we overcome and walk victoriously in His name daily.

God bless.

Innocent

8 Reasons to be thankful this New Year

2018-01-01T11:55:00.001+01:00

8 reasons why we should be thankful throughout 2018.

In the midst of political uncertainty, corruption, evil, diseases, poverty, wars and rumours of war we can still be thankful. I propose below, 8 reasons why you should be thankful as a disciple of Jesus.

1. God's promises.

Isaiah 55:8-11. God's word will accomplish the purpose for which it is sent. You can count on Him to keep His promises concerning you. What has God said in His Word to you?

2. Grace to be righteous through faith. Romans 5:1.

We have been declared righteous by faith and this brings peace with God. Romans 4:24-25. What others sought and are still seeking through their futile works, has already been granted to us by the Father through faith in His son. Romans 8:3. God did it!

3. The love of the community of believers.

In Ephesians 1:15, Paul thanks them for their love for all the saints. We are blessed with a family that transcends all barriers instituted by either man or nature. We experience this love even when we find ourselves in situations where no one physical knows us. In such cases our identity as believers opens doors with other fellow believers. The manifestation of our love for each other, is a sign we are walking in the light. John 17:20-21.
We have received God's love and are equally called to manifest the same towards our brothers 1 John 3:16-20.

4. The seal of the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 1:13-14.

He is the down payment of our inheritance. He gives life ( Romans 8:11) will be with you forever (John 14:16-17) and gives you the power to do God's work (Acts 1:8).

5. Deliverance from Darkness.
John 8:12, 12:46, 1John1:5 and Psalms 119:105.

God is light and He gives us light to walk in this dark world. His light is manifested through discernment, wisdom and knowledge to walk victoriously. We can count on His direction Proverbs 3:5-6.

6. Forgiveness of sins.

Jesus remains our advocate with the Father ( 1John 2:1-2 and Hebrews 2:17-18). He intercedes on our behalf and His sacrifice has removed God's divine wrath from us. Revelation 1:5-6.

7. Peace Isaiah 26:3.

No matter the storms raging either around or within us, Jesus tells us not to be alarmed ( Mathew 24:4-6). His peace is and assurance He is with us and will not abandon us even if death comes our way! Praise Jesus.

8. Eternal life.

Revelation 21:3-7 reminds us of the promise we have in Him. This is reason indeed to be thankful everyday. It is God's gift for all who trust Him Romans 6:23, John 3:16 and John 17:2.

These are just a few reasons why we should offer thanks daily to our Father.

God bless and a happy New year.

Innocent.

New Series - Perceptions!

2017-12-27T22:57:00.001+01:00

Perceptions

What do you 'see'?

Your Perceptions will help determine how you react in any given situation. If for example you see a wild untamed dog in the place of a beautiful young girl (excuse the example), your treatment of them will be poor.

Humans need to be engaged in the business of adding value to each other. If for any reason your perception pushes you to treat your fellow man with contempt, be proactive. You owe yourself the right to question unhealthy perceptions.

Work in progress...

Enduring Leadership - Week 5. Freely you have received

2017-10-13T13:21:00.001+01:00

Because God made us all in His own image, we all are leaders. Jesus
lived and taught Servant Leadership. This is not an option for the
Disciple of Jesus, it is the only option. Our service, good example
and deliberate goals for empowering others, are potent tools for
positive influence.

**************************************
Week 5. Freely you have received
**************************************
Objective: Participants will understand the benefits of having an
empowered inner circle and will draw up goals for empowering others.

Key Terms: Servant Leadership, Empower

Biblical example: Jesus and His disciples. Luke 9:1-2; Acts 6:2-3

(Luke 9:1-2)- "Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave
them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He
sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick."

(Acts 6:2-3)- "Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples
and said, 'It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God
and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven
men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we
may appoint over this business."

Mathew 10:8 - Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have
leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

Leaders live with the end in mind. What will people say at your
funeral? The things they say will depend on how you live today and the
legacy you live. A leader's lasting value therefore is measured both
by success and succession (e.g. Moses- Joshua). The cycle of
leadership is only complete once continuity is assured.

It is not enough to;
• Lift up leadership lids;
• Seek to influence others through your example and service;
• Set goals and accomplish them;
• Live a life of integrity.

A leader will seek to ensure that these values and skills are passed
on to others through the process of empowerment. Empowerment should
be a deliberate well though out (and covered by prayer) process. The
process of building disciples is the central theme in the charge Jesus
gives to us, His disciples.

Mathew 28:19 - "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy
Spirit…"

Empowering others, which can be translated to making disciples of
Jesus, is therefore a requirement not an option for all leaders. Do
you have a plan for empowering those in your sphere of influence?

As John Maxwell says; "only secure leaders, give power to others."
Delegating is risky business and it is human to want to always be in
control. As a leader however, you need to provide your followers with
the necessary tools and training to help increase their confidence and
ability to lead.

Remember, a true leader is always thinking of how to add value to
others especially to those closest to him. We see this play out in the
relationship between our Savior and His disciples. He sought to build
those closest to Him, always teaching them something new, showing them
how it is done (the law of picture) and providing them the
opportunities to exercise what they had learned.

A leaders potential is determined by those closest to him. If you long
for your ministry to accomplish more, build leaders and strengthen
those in your inner circle for when your strength fails they will take
over. In Exodus 18:17-27 Jethro introduces the principle of delegation
and empowerment to Moses. "And Moses' father-in-law said to him, 'The
thing that you are doing is not good. You will surely wear out, both
yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy
for you; you cannot do it alone."

Why Leaders Fail to Develop People:

1. They realize that equipping people is hard work.
2. They are insecure or have a poor self-image.
3. They feel they are the only one that is qualified to do it.
4. They don't trust others.
5. They have bad habits and an unbiblical perspective.
6. They have a low belief in people.
7. They don't know how to train others.
8. It is easier to lead followers than leaders.

Different responsibilities require different competence and as leaders
we need to be careful about whom we select for the specific
responsibilities of leadership. In this case, we will need to follow
the pattern laid down by the apostles. They had specific
qualifications in mind for the leaders they wanted chosing men. Acts
6: 2-5 "So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said,
"It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of
God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men
from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We
will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention
to prayer and the ministry of the word." This proposal pleased the
whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy
Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas
from Antioch, a convert to Judaism."

1. Known from their sphere of influence – "seek out from among you."
2. Fellow believers – "brothers."
3. People who could serve on a team – "seven men."
4. Trusted among the people – "of good reputation."
5. Empowered for the task – "full of the Holy Spirit."
6. Competent and intelligent – "full of... wisdom."
7. Responsible – "whom we may appoint over this business."

The Development/Empowerment Process:

1. I do it while you watch. People do what people see. Model the
integrity, dedication to success, spiritual commitment and the
practice of spiritual disciplines. Give what you want.
2. We do it together. Take them along with you to your preaching or
teaching. Get them involved. Let them take risks together with you.
3. You do it while I watch. This is an opportunity to observe and
prepare positive critique if required but also encouragement. It may
also help you identify development areas.
4. We evaluate. Work together to evaluate performance. The goal of
evaluation is to seek to recognize the efforts made and encourage it.
It can also be a moment of correcting mistakes in love while showing.
5. Ask them to empower others. This is what I am asking you to do.

Assignment:

Congratulations on completing this 5 weeks training course on
leadership that endures.
1. Take a moment to write down how this has impacted your life in the
space provided below:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Write down the names of some people starting with those in your
inner circle, that you would like to empower over the next 12 months.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Have you learned something new? Email us - forteh@gmail.com

Enduring Leadership - Week 4. Integrity as a Foundation

2017-10-13T13:08:00.001+01:00

Because God made us all in His own image, we all are leaders. Jesus
lived and taught Servant Leadership. This is not an option for the
Disciple of Jesus, it is the only option. Our service, good example
and deliberate goals for empowering others, are potent tools for
positive influence.

**************************************
Week 4. Integrity as a Foundation
**************************************

Objective: Participants will review their actions and set proactive
goals for building a lifestyle of Integrity.

Key Terms: Integrity, Stewardship, Truth, discipline.

Biblical example: Jesus – Mathew 5:8 ; 2 Corinthians 8: 21
Mathew - Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Cor- For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes
of the Lord but also in
the eyes of man.

Trust is the foundation of leadership. As leaders, husbands, parents,
colleagues, pastors etc., we are faced with choices everyday. Some
choices are easier to make than others. A Servant Leader's greatest
aspiration is to be a true disciple of Jesus. He is our perfect
example of Integrity. Though tempted in every way, He never failed.
He had a firm foundation when He walked the Earth as a Human Being.
History abounds with instances of failed leadership due to the lack of
integrity (e.g. Bernard Lawrence "Bernie" Madoff ) resulting in great
loss including human life. Bernie Madoff ran one of the largest Ponzi
schemes in American history and rid investors of $17 billion in
assets, according to court documents. Like a virus, mistrust spread
through communities, affecting many people who were not directly
touched by the Ponzi scheme. Ultimately, Madoff hurt the American
economy as a whole and is now serving a 150-year prison sentence. His
son Mark committed suicide by hanging exactly two years after his
father's arrest.

The world is experiencing a revolution in ideas which can be traced
back to the ideas promoted by Post Modernism. One of the main issues
promoted by Postmodernism is the relativity of truth. Truth is no
longer an absolute but relative as perceived by proponents of the
theory. Society is redefining morality while demoting rather than
promoting man. The values being sold on TV have little or no moral
value but somehow, in this Post Modern age if you do not agree to the
ideologies promoted you are labeled as the enemy ( a bigot). The
Bible however reminds us Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He
is absolute truth and we can look to Him for the definition of what
truth is in our marriages and other leadership contexts. As a leader,
you need to consistently sow into your "Trust Bank". Those small
actions can either make or break you.

A. How did Jesus overcome temptation?

After being baptized Jesus went into a fast in the wilderness and was
tempted by the Devil in 3 areas. They can be broadly categorized
under:

1. Pride- "If you are the son of God..."
2. Lust - "I will give you..."
3. Power – "Turn these stones into bread"

In all three instances, Jesus responded with the Word of God. He had
the big picture in mind. He also had divine backing. How often do we
only want to read what we like rather than reading the whole of
scripture? These three areas represent the three areas the enemy still
tries to tempt the disciples of Jesus in. It seems as if the advent of
the Prosperity Gospel, has made it easier to tempt this generation.
These three areas have been the stumbling stone for many leaders over
the centuries. Will you be different? Let us examine our hearts
honestly before the Holy Spirit.

Answer the following questions honestly:
a. Do you have issues with pride? Do you seek to be seen by men? Do
you get angry or sad when others perform better than you? Do you feel
you are better than others? Do you always try to justify yourself? Do
you generally think your opinion is the most important?

b. Do you invite members of the opposite to be with you alone? Do you
see God as provider? Can you sacrifice anything for money? Do you
think of other women/men as more beautiful than your spouse? Do you
comment on the beauty of the opposite sex, where-as you find it
difficult to tell your spouse how beautiful they are? Can you be
trusted with money? Do you owe anyone and despite your promises you
have not yet paid back? Are you incorruptible?

c. Do you like to be served? Do seek to always impose your will on
others? In what ways do you serve your family, church, team? Are you
approachable?
The basic foundation of leadership is the leader's character. You may
have made mistakes in the past but praise the Lord we can repent and
commit ourselves to the same values held by our savior. Because there
is such a law as the law of Magnetism (Who you are, is who you
attract), or birds of the same feather flock together etc., if you sow
integrity as a leader, you will reap integrity.

B. Steps towards building a solid foundation of trust.

1. Pre-determine your values. Write them somewhere as a reminder. What
are your values as a Christian and a leader? Please write some now.
You can complete the list later.
2. Be proactive and develop a plan for managing temptations in the
area of Money, Women, Pride and Power. Being prepared is winning the
battle in advance.
3. Draw up a plan for developing personal intimacy with God and to
develop habits of personal devotion. Some activities need to go. The
activities you involve yourself in during your leisure time, may come
back to hunt you. Are you spending too much time on the Internet,
reading news or watching movies? How is this affecting your time with
the Lord, your family and His people?
4. Engage in renewing your mind and behavior to reflect God's image.
God's image refers to reason, personality, intellect, capacity to
relate, to hear, see and speak. He also chose you to be His kingdom
agent, to rule over and subdue the rest of creation including satanic
forces. Your sexual morality, handling money, power and position,
should reflect your being salt and light. This will be achieved
through your personal discipline as you remain humble (relying on
God), a visionary (setting goals) and "convictional" (always doing
right). No one else can bear your responsibility. Without me (Jesus)
you can do nothing. If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you
shall bear much fruit (John 15).

5. Develop habits of a good steward. Everything you possess is from
God. He expects you to manage, invest and use them wisely. Think about
your people, time, finance in stewardship terms. What would you change
in terms of how you mange these? You need to be an effective steward
of time ("…Redeeming the time..." Eph 5:16) for the sake of God's
Kingdom. Attached is what I wrote down as a resolution in 2008 after
taking a similar course. Read it carefully then draw your own plan for
stewardship.

6. Seek to restore wholeness to your family and local church for the
advancement of the Kingdom. As a leader bless your family and add
value to each member. Honor your wife and model (the law of picture),
submission and service rather than retaliating at each opportunity.
Develop a winning partnership with her. Discern the uniqueness in your
children and work with them to build them up as servant leaders in
their own right. Let your gifts (Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor
and teacher) bless your family and the local church.

7. Expand your horizon to apply Kingdom values to the marketplace,
society and the environment. Display an attitude of gratitude, self
control and trust in God for provision. Be honest, a good repent-er,
promoter of excellence in the marketing place and an atmosphere of
peace and harmony applying Kingdom values no matter where you find
yourself.

8. Craft a plan for continuous evaluation of your personal growth in
the Lord. This will keep you humble. Humility will keep you on the
path of integrity.
It is possible to build lasting fruits of integrity. Let your yes be
yes. Again, be reminded, "Trust Is the Foundation of Leadership". Are
you worthy of trust (Proverbs 12:22- 22 The LORD detests lying lips,
but he delights in people who are trustworthy)? Have you burned some
bridges? You now have the opportunity to regain trust. Transformation
from start from within and the Holy spirit is willing to help you.

Some Quotes:
"It is true that integrity alone won't make you a leader, but without
integrity you will never be one." Zig Ziglar

"Earn trust, earn trust, earn trust. Then you can worry about the
rest." – SETH GODIN

Integrity gives you real freedom because you have nothing to fear
since you have nothing to hide. Zig Ziglar

Assignment:
Design your plan for building a solid foundation (integrity) and self
discipline, based on the 8 points discussed above.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Philippians 4: 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true,
whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or
praiseworthy—think about such things.

Enduring Leadership - Week 3. Vision and Goal setting

2017-08-09T18:10:00.001+01:00

Because God made us all in His own image, we all are leaders. Jesus
lived and taught Servant Leadership. This is not an option for the
Disciple of Jesus, it is the only option. Our service, good example
and deliberate goals for empowering others, are potent tools for
positive influence.

**************************************
Week 3. Vision and Goal setting
**************************************

Objective: Participants will be able to define their vision and goals
for the next two years. They will understand the importance of goal
setting, identify roadblocks and commit to a culture of regularly
establishing smart goals.

Key Words: Vision, Goals, SMART
Biblical example: Nehemiah, Paul

Contemporary examples: Peter J. Daniels, Martin Luther King Jr., Billy
Graham, Amundsen and Scott (conquering the Southern pole).

We need to be interested in the future. That is where we are going to
spend the rest of our lives! Anthony D'Souza ~ Developing the leader
within you.

Key Verses:
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keeps the
law, happy is he. Proverbs 29:18 AKJV

And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it
plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. Habakuk 2:2 KJV

A Servant Leader operates with a clear vision for him/herself and the
people he/she leads. What is vision? Is this the same as goals?

Definitions:
Seeing what others do not see (Daniel Shu).

Unusual competence in discernment or perception, intelligent foresight
(Dictionary.com).

My definition of Vision is the ability not only to have a mental image
of a desirable future (ideas), but also the ability to clearly define
this in a way that inspires commitment and challenges into action for
it's realization.

Having good ideas is NOT equal to having a vision.

Examples of vision
Bill gates had the vision of placing a PC in every home back in the
days when IBM machines cost between $2,000-1,500 per PC. Today, PCs
sell for as low as $200 (25 years later).

Martin Luther King: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the most
astonishing men of the 20th century. He was one of the most respected
leaders of the Civil Rights Movement who sacrificed his life for the
vision of equal rights for all races.

What is your vision?
_______________________________________________________________________

While a vision states the desirable end, goals define the steps to be
taken intended to guide action toward the Vision.

We can therefore describe a vision as a clear picture of what the
leader sees his group being or doing. The bible makes it plain that
without vision man (or nation, church, family), is bound to fail.

No Vision >no goals > no direction > no destination > Failure!

Vision spurs you into action, gives you a direction and assures a
future, a legacy and an expected end.

Christian Leader Sundar Singh Sangma has this to say about goals;
"Goal setting is not merely a technique to achieve an objective but a
concept deeply rooted in the word of God "

Why set goals? Leadership develops daily, not in a Day. Your daily
routine indicates the direction you are taking. Do you kill or redeem
time? Servant Leaders also understand that activity is not necessarily
accomplishment. Yes, you may be busy, but how is this helping you
achieve the vision God has given you?

• 1. Goals give direction in life.
• 2. Goals promote enthusiasm.
• 3. Goals make you results oriented.

NO Goal > No Direction
No Direction > No destination
No Destination > Total failure

If you fail to plan, you're busy planning to fail. Ps 37:5 Commit thy
way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Goals can be:

a) Long Term - To build a Christian school within 15 years that will
help train the next generation of leaders in my country.

b) Medium term – Reach at least 50% of your colleagues with the Gospel
in the next 4 years and ensure at least 20% abide.

c) Short term – Save at least 100 dollars towards kids fees every month.

John Edmund Haggai on goal setting has this encouragement for
believers; "Attempt something that is so big, it is bound to fail if
God is not in it!"

SOME REFERENCES

- 1 Cor 9v24 Teaches us to discipline ourselves and say no to distractions.
- Jer 29v11 We should seek to discover God's plans for our life. Goal
setting is therefore a statement of faith.

Practical exercise:

1. Write down a list of your desires. Things you'd like to accomplish
in the next 2 years.
2. Write S next to Spiritual Goals, P= physical goals, So= Social
goals, F= Family goals, Fi = Financial, P= Personal Development and
Fa- Family.
3. Count and tabulate your results.
4. Draw 7 concentric circles, starting with a small one in the middle..
5. Mark the points on the different circles.

To live a balanced life, you need to set balanced goals in all sectors
of your life.

Let's fix them:
Your goal statements should have the following format;
a. Start with the infinitive;
• To lead...
• To own...
• To write...
• To Preach etc.

Your goal statements should have the following "SMART" format;
b. State clearly what you want to Achieve.
c. Be as Specific as possible i.e. to improve performance is not a
goal. State to what degree to make it Measurable.
d. Make it Realistic but Challenging!
e. Set the date (Time).
f. Write the goals (Habakkuk 2:2). Writing it down inspires
commitment. God's glory should be our ultimate focus.

Goals help a leader to prioritize, act at the right time and maintain
motivation in life. When to Lead Is as Important As What to Do and
Where to Go. Anyone Can Steer the Ship, but it Takes a Leader to Chart
the Course.

Some Goal Killing Habits

*Laziness - Prov 6:6
*Leave it at the level of a good idea - Commit, share and get
commitment (buy-in).
*Do not invest time and prayer in it Prov 3:5-6
*Do not write it down. Hab 2:2. Use a planner/ Diary if possible.
*Do not assign priorities, the 3M (Men- who, Money-how, Minutes -what)
and a time scale for accomplishment. Be Practical. Who (Men) is doing
What(Minutes) and How (Money)?
*Imposed goals
*Set goals every year and then quickly forget about them.

Phil 3:14 "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call
of God in Christ Jesus." (RSV)
Gal 6:9 "And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we
shall reap if we do not grow weary."

It can either be No Vision, No goals, No direction, No direction, No
destination that is Failure!
OR
Know Vision, Know goals, Know direction, Know direction, Know
destination, that is Success!

Assignment: Prayerfully review your vision and establish goals using
this format.

My life mission is:

My monthly Christ-centered goals sheet:

*SET TWO SPIRITUAL GOALS

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ" (II Peter 3:18).
1.

2.

Due Date: Actual Completion date:

*SET TWO PHYSICAL GOALS

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you
present your bodies a living sacrifice...which is your reasonable
service" (Romans 12:1).
1.

2.

Due Date: Actual Completion date:

*SET TWO SOCIAL GOALS
"Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor
giving preference to one another" (Romans 12:10)
1.

2.

Due Date: Actual Completion date:

*SET TWO FAMILY GOALS
"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down,
shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For
with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:38)

1.

2.

Due Date: Actual Completion date:

SET TWO FINANCIAL GOALS
"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down,
shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For
with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:38)
1.

2.

Due Date: Actual Completion date:

SET TWO PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT GOALS
"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down,
shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For
with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:38)
1.

2.

Due Date: Actual Completion date:

SET TWO STEWARDSHIP GOALS
"Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down,
shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For
with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:38)
1.
2.
Due Date: Actual Completion date:

Enduring Leadership - Week 2. Lead Like Jesus

2017-07-31T17:51:00.001+01:00

Because God made us all in His own image, we all are leaders. Jesus
lived and taught Servant Leadership. This is not an option for the
Disciple of Jesus, it is the only option. Our service, good example
and deliberate goals for empowering others, are potent tools for
positive influence.

******************************
Week 2. Lead Like Jesus
******************************

Objective: Participants will review how Jesus led, identify their
current leadership preferences and commit to leading like Jesus.

Key Terms: Servant Leadership

Biblical examples: Jesus

But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among
you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you,
let him be your servant, even as the Son of man came not to be
ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for
many. Mathew 20- 26-28 ASV

"The master was full of praise. 'Well done, my good and faithful
servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now
I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together!'
Mathew 25:21 NLT

The king's favor is toward a servant who acts wisely, But His anger is toward
him who acts shamefully. Proverbs 14:35

Jesus taught and practiced Servant Leadership, leaving no one indifferent.
He sought to impact His public not just with His words but through
many actions ranging from the ordinary to the miraculous. He came to
both save and serve.

Please watch this video (children see/children do):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JrtpCM4yMM

Servant Leadership transformation process

Leader works on his character ---> Leader serves his people and
builds them up as leaders ---> Leader and his (empowered) people work
on goals ----> Transformed society.

Conscious of the fact that Jesus had (and still has a clear goal for
His disciples): "Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with
Him and that He might send them out to preach." (Mark 3:14).

What can we leaders learn from the example of Jesus? How did He do it?

1. The law of Picture- People do what people see.

He was an example to his followers. He influenced them through His
example. What you sow is what you reap. What do you sow as a leader
either in the life of your followers or those that are in your sphere
of influence? You may have the right words and speak in the right way
but your actions may be contrary to what you say. Your words may be
loud but your actions even louder! What are some of the things you
will like to see in your group/family/children/church?

Write them: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Do you manifest them in your life? As my friend Melvis says, "Give
what you want!"

2. He added value to others. Leaders add value to others by serving them.
A leaders ultimate goal should be to make people better than when he
met them. David, Nehemia, Moses, Abraham, Paul etc these leaders led
their people to a much better place than where they found them. Do you
have a goal for adding value in your followers lives? When we think of
leadership generally, serving others is the last thing that comes to
mind. We want to be served. To sit in the best seats and enjoy favors!
A leader seeking to build his influence has to go through a change in
paradigm. What kind of a Fortune 500 CEO works on a folding table,
answers his own phone, visits hourly employees as often as possible,
and is criticized by Wall Street for being too good to his employees?
The kind of leader who understands the Law of Addition. You however
cannot add value to others if you do not:

a. Add value to yourself. Jesus rose up early to pray. He went apart
away from the crowds (Luke 5:16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely
places and prayed.), to be with the Father and when He came back, He
came with solutions to their problems. David and Moses did the same.
You can add value to yourself by:

- Imitating Jesus. Spend quality time with the Father and obey.
- Knowing the word. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as
a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the
word of truth.
-Having a mentor (Def-"a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.").
Barnabas > Paul > Timothy. "As iron sharpens iron, so one person
sharpens another" (Proverbs 27:17).

Moses was mentored by his father-in-law Jethro (Exodus 18). The
mentoring relationship between Eli and Samuel prepared Samuel for the
tasks and responsibilities that were his after Eli's death (1 Samuel
1–4). Jesus mentored His disciples (Luke 9). Barnabas mentored Paul
and Paul excelled in mentoring Timothy, Titus and many others (Acts
9–15).
- Growing in your knowledge - "For this very reason, make every
effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge" (2
Peter 1:5). Be informed. Information is power. Study History in the
light of scriptures. Look at what science says and some arguments men
have made. Have an idea on politics. This will add value to you as a
leader and enrich your communication.

b. Truly valuing others. Jesus did not just want followers or
disciples. He cared for them, He knew each one and what they needed to
grow. He prayed for each of His disciples and His people. He cared and
people knew He sincerely cared. Give all your worries and cares to
God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7 Do you know the names of
your members/followers? Do you know at what stage they are in their
walk with God? Do you pray for them regularly? Do you show them that
you value them ( Husband, children, wife, church/team members,
followers)?

Pastor- Can a member talk to you, knowing you will listen to them and
pray for them without necessarily being Judgmental or seeking to leak
out their sin to the public?
Husband/mother- Can you wife/children come to you with their issues
knowing you will value their contribution? Do they seek you out for
counsel or go to someone else?

c. Knowing and relating to what others value. What do your people
value? How do you tie this in with your actions? You can only meet a
need when you know that need. If you need discernment, ask the Holy
spirit and He will give you the ability to discern.

3.He connected with His team: Leaders touch a heart before they ask
for a hand. This is the same practice when you're seeking to impress
and hopefully win a lady's heart! Jesus built His disciples and poured
out His life into them. How often do we see through the crowd and only
consider the goals? Each individual is unique and has their own issues
they're dealing with. A leader needs to seek to connect with
individuals. How do you do that?
a- Work on your Emotional Intelligence. Emotional intelligence (EI)
is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, and those
of the people around you. People with a high degree of emotional
intelligence know what they're feeling, what their emotions mean, and
how these emotions can affect other people.
b- Be proactive not reactive. Work to seek solutions not react to situations.
c- Effective communication. A good communicator is a good listener.
In summary: "Walk slowly through the crowd"- John Maxwell.

4. He made the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus gave His very own life for
our salvation. The Bible makes us understand God's motive for this
ultimate sacrifice was love. Love for the world John 3:15-17! While
you are not expected to lay down your life (Jesus already did that),
how can we follow Jesus in His love? A leader must give up to go up.
Do you love the people you lead? What would you give up for the people
(Church, Family etc.) you lead? Sleep, food, secret sins,
procrastination, laziness (Proverbs 6:6 Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!) etc.???

5. He had Discernment. He was able to read situations, trends,
Himself, His resources and the people. Every time is not a good time.
The law of intuition states that "Leaders evaluate everything with a
Leadership Bias". A leader with discernment, leans on the Holy Spirit
and grows in their ability to ;

- Read themselves. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Where can you improve?
- Read their situations. Is the timing right? Look at all the details.
- Read trends. What is happening generally?
- Read their resources. What do I have and how can I maximize?
- Read their people. What is happening among your people? EI. What are
their hopes, desires, and fears?

Use your head to lead yourself and your head to lead others (Maxwell)

Assignment:

1. Write down two ways you can add value to yourself and others this week.
2. Write down for each group you lead, one way in which you can
connect with them this week.
3. Write down 3 principal things you learned and some major changes
you need to make as a result of this session.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for [so] I am. 14 If I
then, [your] Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to
wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that ye
should do as I have done to you.16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The
servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater
than he that sent him.17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye
do them.
John 13:13-17 AV

Enduring Leadership - Week 1. Issues of the Lid

2017-07-24T17:53:00.001+01:00

Enduring Leadership

2017-07-24T17:05:00.001+01:00

The next few blogs will be on a lesson I gave in the Middle East. Hope
it challenges you too. Gratitude to all the authors whose material I
freely burrowed.

Thank you and God bless.

Regards
Innocent

--
The truth never changes.Do you know Him?
www.forteh.blogspot.com
www.linda4te.blogspot.com
http://forteh.googlepages.com/home
www.twitter.com/inno4te
www.associate.com/groups/practical

Abraham as a Leader

2016-08-18T16:29:00.001+01:00

The story starts with God asking Abraham to leave His tribe to go to a
land God will show him. In response to God's call on his life (Genesis
12), Abraham left in obedience taking along with him Lot (his Nephew),
Sarah (his wife) and a host of servants. We can learn a lot from his
interactions in different situations with the different groups of
people he encounters as he proceeded in his 'pilgrimage'. It takes a
leader with a lot of influence, to lead others into new and uncharted
territory.

Some clear aspects of Abraham's servant leadership ability include:

a. Not afraid of change: With all he had in Ur, Abraham could have
opted for a more quiet and 'certain' path rather than electing to obey
God and go on an adventure into a seemingly 'uncertain' path. It takes
a strong leader to both appreciate and institute change especially
when this wields the potential of having an overall positive impact on
either the organization or church in terms of its objectives and the
people. Abraham knew this change was important, if he, his descendants
and the peoples of the Earth should experience God's blessings
(Genesis 12:2-3), and he was not afraid to lead his people into this
change.

b. Vision: It is clear from scripture, God called Abraham. The
promises God gave him, led him into having a clear vision for himself
and followers. A leader without vision is akin to the blind leading
the blind. We can see elements of his possession of a clear vision,
manifesting in various forms such as;

i- Refraining from inter-marriage with the locals in a bid to keep
away pollution from foreign gods (Genesis 24:3). He will live next to
them and together with his people will have to influence them and not
them influencing him. This was like establishing a line and invisible
line that ensured that their values as a people did not get mixed up
with the values of the people who were now their neighbors.

ii- Purchasing land in Canaan. He knew where God had called him to and
instead of just accepting the land as a gift from Ephron, he insisted
on purchasing it hence advancing his claim on the land. He wouldn't
have done that if he had no long term plans for the land. This also
probably conferred on him some form of political status.

c. Discernment- He lived in an era and country of great idol worship
but was able to both discern the voice of God and obey it when He
spoke. Discernment helped him distinguish between the prevailing
circumstance and the possibilities for a better future. He was not
limited by his current circumstances but was able to discern that he
indeed had heard from the true and living God, leading to his decision
to not only leave Ur alone, but also take his Nephew, Lot with him. If
all he wanted was an adventure or if he wasn't sure about the outcome,
he would have gone alone. His action shows he was completely convinced
about who he had heard from reason why he did not have a 'Plan B'.
Leaders need discernment in order to lead their followers with both
empathy and in paths that will meet their true needs.

d. Influence – He was able to influence his nephew lot to follow him.
Good leaders are able to influence others to follow them. You are not
really a leader if you walk alone. Lot brought along his family and
servants to embark on this 'adventure' with his uncle. We cannot tell
for sure what made Lot to yield to Abraham's influence but there are
certain great servant leadership characteristics such as; humility,
integrity, charisma, good communication ability and positive example,
that will help build a leaders ability to influence. His influence on
his household, including his servants, can be seen in how his chief
servant went about his assigned duty of finding a wife for Isaac
(Genesis 24). It would seem his servants had an important status in
his household and were well trained fighters, as they later helped him
in battle. He had empowered them with no fear of losing power himself.
Armed with an address only, the servant had to count on God and prayed
for every step. He probably learned this complete dependency on God
from his master. Abraham was therefore a great example to his servants
and influenced them through his example.

e. Risk taker –Gen 12:1-3 Abraham, left all he knew and the comfort of
Ur to an uncertain future. He could have chosen the path of least
resistance rather than facing the sure hostility in unknown territory,
but these seemingly did not bother him. From hindsight we know he was
well prepared as he had a formidable army in his servants. Instead of
focusing on the risks, Abraham focused on obeying God resulting to
great benefits for him and his followers.

f. Humility – He sought a practical solution to the dispute between
his and Lots' herdsmen. He could have easily raised the fact that he
was the uncle or the vision bearer or some other lofty idea to get his
way but he instead opted to maintain the good relation between his
nephew and himself.

g. Put others first (Relational) – He allowed Lot to choose first.
Here we see Abraham again consistently applying servant leadership. He
considered their relationship more important than his personal
desires. He placed those he served and their needs at the center. His
desire, to see them empowered is again very clear in this example.
h. Care for others– Abraham's intercession on the behalf of Sodom and
Gomorrah is a good example of servant leadership in action, seeking to
protect its own. He possibly was primarily motivated by the presence
of his Nephew in Sodom, but it is clear he was interceding for the
salvation of all of Sodom and all of Gomorrah. He had true concern for
his neighbors and just didn't live only for his personal benefit and
the enjoyment of his relationship with God. The salvation of the lost
was important for him.

i. Integrity – He refused to accept the 'offer' of the king of Sodom.
This in the sight of probably his servants. How often do we find men
of such integrity? He had purposed it to stay true to the God who had
promised to make him rich, than take a short cut that would taint his
testimony.

j. Unshakeable confidence in God: Even though Sarah was barren, he
trusted in God's promise to make him a nation Gen 15:5-6, Gen 17:4.
His faith in God made God to declare him righteous (v6). We see this
also manifesting when without questioning the instruction he received
to go sacrifice his son, he acted in complete obedience.
k. Good communicator: We see this during his negotiations to purchase
the land and even in his communication with those who were sent to
destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. A good leader should build their
communication skills.

l. Equipped his followers; these (servants and other members of his
household) were able to fight a war and turn the captivity of Lot, his
nephew. This again is a key concept of servant leadership, which we
see Abraham manifesting. He empowered his followers and they were
successful.

Are you a Servant Leader?

--
The truth never changes.Do you know Him?
www.forteh.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/inno4te

Kinshasa

2016-05-31T17:41:00.001+01:00

This is my last day in Kinshasa. It has been a beautiful experience getting to know and work with the folks here. They were kind to show me around but what I enjoyed most was spending time with Aimee's family yesterday. It reminded me of life in a community!

Little kids running around bare feet, laughter coming from the different homes, women busy around the house with cooking, cleaning etc while the men are busy talking about politics. All of this taking place in one large duplex with a large yard and multiple apartments owned by a former colonel in the Mobutu era. The nameless ex colonel, I was informed, owns multiple properties and now lives in the upscale Gombe neighborhood. Many leaders have beautiful homes in this area of town. I had the opportunity of being housed not very far from the present leader Mr Kabila. Batetela is definitely for those who have made it financially...are in the search of opportunities or have some serious connections. As I looked at the faces of ordinary people daily on my way to work, I could feel the needs as folks struggle to make ends meet. Congo Kinshasa is one of the richest places in the world in terms of natural resources but somehow the ordinary folks are still to benefit from these abundant God given riches.

While the pursuit of physical riches is a noble task, seeking after spiritual riches is even more important. We may not be rich on earth as we all do not have the same opportunities but God gives us the opportunity to be rich spiritually by receiving freely the gift of His son Jesus. Will you receive this free gift and the promise of eternal life? Today is a good day. Confess your sins and ask God to grant you forgiveness through His son Jesus Christ. Receive the Holy Spirit and your new life.

God bless.
Practically yours. Inno

Who am I?

2016-05-31T17:21:00.001+01:00

So it's been a pretty long time since I last posted here. It's exciting however to be back. I have been busy with school and other work mainly but hope to post more regularly going forward.

I am starting a new series which will focus mainly on who I am and what I believe. This is partially in response to questions asked on social media by some friends. My desire is everyone will be blessed and enlightened in the process.

At your service. Practically implicated.

Inno

2016-01-27T22:19:00.001+01:00

Check out @chris_ekklesia's Tweet: https://twitter.com/chris_ekklesia/status/692362760034897924

Servant Leadership & Fighting corruption

2014-02-07T11:25:00.000+01:00

Servant Leadership as a tool for fighting corruption and multiplying growth. Innocent Forteh The problem. A recent comment by the EU commission, declared that corruption across the EU is “breathtaking” and costs the EU economy at least 120bn euros annually (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26014387) ! 76%, of Europeans, believe that corruption is widespread according to a recent Eurobarometer survey. What is the root cause of corruption and business mal-practice? You do not need to look very far to identify the reason why. It is completely based on putting self-interest before anything or anyone else. Obsessive self-interest or desires to ‘win’ at all cost, will generally, bury any sort of principles or morality as an elevated sense of survival takes the place of any form of reason. When used literally, such as in computer lingo, the term/adjective “corrupt”, describes a system that is utterly broken. I advance that the reason why, traditional leadership seems to have been powerless in dealing with or effectively fighting corruption is due to its approach, as it’s a heart rather than a head issue. International Institutions like Transparency International have done a formidable job in combatting corruption but this is not enough. Organizations, governments and businesses need to change how the people are led. It is as basic as that, but if indeed everything rises and falls on leadership (John C Maxwell, The 21 irrefutable laws of leadership), then we need to re-think the way we do leadership! Picture this. The problem of corruption, mismanagement and various other malpractices in the market place are central issues to the effective running of any successful 21st century organization be it in Asia, Africa, Europe or the Americas. The high profile public failures, (moral and other), of leaders ranging from politicians, businessmen and sports figures begs the question of morality in the definition of wholesome leadership. Most materials on traditional leadership, unfortunately promote self-interest and the lust for power, directly or indirectly. These seldom concern themselves with issues of personal choices, in a moral way, as pertains to leadership. Somehow, performance is detached from the personal life of the leader and the spot light is focused on individual skills development for greater effectiveness and hopefully overall organizational benefits, through a ripple down effect. This in itself is not the problem but goes against simple logic. The leader is “wholesale” rather than “piecemeal”. Divide and rule therefore, as in laying emphasis only on certain aspects of the leader, has little place in the formation of an excellent and exceptional transformational leader, who has the potential of driving teams to exceptional levels of performance, in the current global village. From former American President, Clinton and his now infamous, Lewinsky scandal, to one of the greatest Ponzi schemes of all times, by ex-stock adviser Bernard L Madoff; the leadership world seems to have seen it all. Recently, the case of sportsman, Lance Armstrong took the sports world by storm, as he confessed to having used performance enhancing drugs in some of his famous races. We live in an age that expects continuous excellence and “superman” performance from its own kind. The bigger, smarter or stronger, the better. We go wild when a new world record is set by Usain bolt, the fastest man alive, and expect pristine performance out of our leaders. Believe it or not, when all is said and done, we remain mere human; an attribute that should probably be celebrated a little bit more. Are the cases of failures mentioned earlier, just a few exceptions to the rule or the rule itself? Is it possible that as leaders grow in their influence and position they seem to actually believe the rules no longer apply under the current dispensation of most widely practiced leadership styles? Should public leaders be held to a greater accountability than everyone else? Is there one, sure foolproof leadership style that not only focuses on the leader but on all stakeholders? It’s my opinion that there is a model that can contribute to dealing with the corruption ‘virus’ and it’s called servant leadership. Servant what? I strongly recommend the implementation of the servant leadership model as an effective tool to help tackle the problems of lack of responsibility and initiative, corruption, lack of innovation, inertia and various other ills and malpractices in the marketplace. While traditional leadership seeks to place power on one person, at the top, who then exercises a sort of pyramidal control, servant leadership on the other hand, is more concerned with deliberately empowering people. Power, responsibility and success are shared in an environment where people come first and the power of a positive example is key and consciously promoted. Power by itself, unregulated, generally degenerates to dictatorship. Servant leadership focuses on the development and needs of the whole man and his responsibility towards others and the organization. It transcends every bit of the person and maximizes the best from the “head” and the “heart”. It brings into play issues that have been proven to enhance performance such as good morality (solid foundation or integrity), empathy, emotional intelligence and personal responsibility. At the very core of servant leadership, is true customer service (both internal and external). I have worked in firms where staffs were directed to provide excellent external customer service, even though; the reverse was true for internal customer service. Psychologists have constantly proven that a man will generally treat others as he has been treated in the past, yet we hope to by some miracle, achieve excellent results by providing archaic leadership, whose primary focus is results. Yes, results matter but are we talking about just meeting your goals or exceeding them (wholesome success)? Are we talking about staff that care and protect their jobs, or staff that see their jobs as a sort of a cash cow? It is an open secret that a firm or organization that deliberately invests in truly developing customer service and firmly believes and invests in its people will spend less on trying to figure out what its competitors are doing. Servant Leadership, forces the leader to see the leader in others, maximize their potentials and build other servant leaders who together serve the organization and each other in an atmosphere of true team spirit and trust. That is a perfect mix for a corruption free, highly performing environment! What’s the difference? This (servant leadership) is not a new concept either in the corporate world or in leadership circles. The bible records Jesus saying “He came to serve rather than be served”. This is a beautiful model of true leadership, service, nothing more, and nothing less. If we had more leaders, modeling and leading (mentoring) through service, we’d probably have fewer cases of corruption and business mal practice. Author Kent Keith, states in his book, “The Case for Servant Leadership”, that servant leadership is ethical, practical and meaningful. Servant leadership therefore seeks to build capable model leaders out of followers rather than mindless followers, who’re there just to follow the rules and receive instruction. Author, John C Maxwell in his work, “the 21 irrefutable laws of leadership” seeks to demonstrate that growth can be achieved in either a leadership situation where there is a strong leadership and followers (“big-boss”) or where there is a strong leadership which has as objective to transform followers to leaders ( “servant leadership”). In the later, growth is multiplied rather than just added as in the former. Double digit growth, greater competitive edge/ transparency and lower levels of turnover are some direct benefits of adopting servant leadership in an organization. Other proven advantages of Servant Leadership include: • Maximizing and benefitting from the potential of the whole workforce at all the levels of the organization. A last in the line, mechanic, like anyone else in the chain, might end-up being the one who proposes that bright idea, which revolutionizes production, achieves huge savings and stream lines the process. The problem with traditional leadership in this regards is, this same mechanic may never have the opportunity to be heard, may get disgruntled and start looking for another job, while “killing” time with his current employer. • Increased competitive advantage through, increased innovation and creativity. When staff across the organization understand they are taken seriously and are directly involved in decision making as pertains to production, marketing or other key aspects of the organization, their “buy-in” to the organization and its leaders are greater. When staffs have an unforced “buy-in” into the company or enterprises’ values and leaders, they become the values of that organization, their customer service is second nature and their creativity is greatly enhanced. Who does not want to walk in such a team? • Loss prevention through the creation of ownership and greater buy-in. Servant leadership creates a very strong sense of ownership and revives a feeling of accountability. You can’t hurt an organization you love. • Increased accountability. • Greater empathy, emotional intelligence, trust and collaboration. Traditional leadership sometimes address the need for creating empathy and developing emotional intelligence as a means of being in a place to better discern and meet the needs of your staff. Servant leadership lays the onus on the leader to not only consider it as a nice principle but model and teach the same. • Increased loyalty and reduction in staff down time. Loyalty like ownership is good for business, any day. Not without road bumps! The implementation of the Servant leadership model can be difficult in a context which is traditionally used to and has come to expect, “big-boss” or autocratic leadership. This is precisely why; organizations need to consider seriously adopting transformational servant leadership as the model par-excellence for the practice of leadership. The case of specific cultural contexts should not also be ignored. In the push for the markets of the world to become more accessible, hence realizing the global village dream, the thin line between cultures is slowly being erased. I understand this is a bold statement but dominant cultures have always dominated lesser cultures and in some cases completely replaced them. Everything rises and falls on leadership (Maxwell) and the market place of the 21st century is experiencing rapid constant change with the development of tools, partnerships and technologies to ease access to new markets, increase productivity and return on investment. The one factor often ignored which is key to making the machinery succeed is the state of the human resource. The workforce unfortunately is usually seen as an expendable and hence underdeveloped and ill equipped to achieve the desired or optimal results. Forward thinking leaders will consider the necessity of adopting the servant leadership model in empowering and positioning their organizations for success in this new era.

Note to a Friend

2013-11-05T10:58:00.001+01:00

In response to his e-mail clarifying the role of the woman as defined in the bible, and other issue!

It's hardly tenable to declare the Bible a chauvinistic book without committing some form of intellectual fraud when the very first pages of the Good Book, Genesis 1, which talks of God's creation, shows how God created man and woman in His image and….yes… equal. The word used there is in the plural form. So both man and woman are created in God's image (I believe we all understand here that this has little or nothing to do with God's physical)! The bible further goes to show God's assignment was given to both (read Genesis 1: 26-28), rather than to the male only.

Genesis 1

26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they (notice the plural ie Male & Female) may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

After the fall (temptation), God declared the outcome of their disobedience but we should not forget that this was as a result of their disobedience rather than His created order. Jewish culture and worldview (into which Jesus was born), had very negative views of women, stemming not from scripture but rather from the Rabbi's Mishna & Tosefta!

In Mark 10:2-12, Jesus‘ teaching on marriage and divorce basically, to say the least, was radical for the Jew. Look at verse 12, where Jesus indicates a woman could divorce her husband. The concept was shocking in Jewish culture, where women were chattels and men could divorce them at will, but women could never divorce a man.

Some background

As Jewish history approached the time of Christ, the Rabbis codified the oral traditions into the Mishna. Then just to solidify the law, they further created the Tosefta, the Jerusalem Talmud and the Babylonian Talmud. These authoritative documents were written by the Rabbis in order to ―make a fence for the Torah or the God-given law. In this way a form of rabbinic Judaism emerged, which was increasingly legalistic, bound by endless rules and regulations of man‘s making. You wonder why Jesus was hard on them? Amongst the edicts of these new works, women were considered chattel, not to be educated and men could divorce them at will, but women could never divorce a man.

Jesus’ teaching however that a woman could divorce her husband was therefore to say the least, extremely radical!

He was basically restating the obvious (in Genesis 1). He equally had quite a few prominent women disciples (I'm not talking about the 12) including the sister of Lazarus, Mary and Martha etc. His interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well was equally unheard of. Bottom-line, Jesus not only recognized women, He gave them a prominent place in His ministry and did not hinder them from speaking (the society did)! Some folks have sought to contend that because the woman was created as a "help meet" Genesis 2, this implies a position of inferiority. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Greek work used in that verse, Ezer, is better translated as "deliverer" (the other usage defines God’s role as a deliverer), showing that her role transcends that of a side-kick! That said, I'd like us to take a look at the few verses which have drawn a lot of ink from the camp against the bible.

1. 1 Timothy 2:11-15 (seems to be addressing a particular situation rather than providing the standards for all women, everywhere).

2.1 Corinthians, chapters 7, 11 and 14. Describes roles.

3. Ephesians 5. Even before saying Wives should submit themselves to their husbands, the Apostle takes out time to declare that submission is mutual (Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ 5v21)

These texts mainly describe roles with the first seeming to speak to a particular woman (History has it that the church at Ephesus was kind of unruly and Timothy was its Pastor. Because we do not have Timothy's own letter to Paul, we really can't say with a 100% accuracy what was happening there. Some hold that this is an eternal restriction on women to preach in the church See this article .Paul elsewhere and as we have seen before, taught that in Christ there is neither male nor female (Galatians 3:28). Could he be contradicting himself? Here is an Article contending for a different interpretation. My take, different sides of the same coin. Paul‘s Epistles are filled with instructions on how the sexes should relate to one another. He repeatedly reminded them that in Christ “you are all children of God through faith. For all of you who were baptized in Christ have clothed yourself with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, neither male nor female,for you are all one in Christ.” Gal 3:26-28

In Rom 16:1 Paul says ―I commend to you Phoebe, our sister who is a diakonos of the church.‖ Diakonos has been translated as servant, deacon and sometimes minister. It is exactly the same word Paul uses to describe any of his male co-workers.

Let me tell a short story. An old lady had just left her son's home to visit a daughter 2 blocks away. Thirty minutes later, the son received a call from his friend saying his mother had been in an accident and was being taken to the hospital in an ambulance. It appeared the accident was mild and nothing of grave concern as she could be seen talking. After he put down the receiver, another friend called, less than 5 minutes and explained that his mother had been in an accident and had died instantly from the shock. He gave his condolences and dropped the receiver. The gentleman was extremely confused? Which of the 2 was telling the truth? He was operating on the false premise of either/or rather than complementarity. What he didn't know at the time was that they both were right. His mother had indeed been in an accident, and was apparently OK. The ambulance carrying her had just left the scene when a truck drove straight into it spilling all its occupants and killing the old lady.

Same story, different perspectives. Without the correct perspective and complete information, it's easy to Judge and proclaim a story contradictory unless we have the full picture? Men and women are created equal. Do men and women have the same physical make-up? Negative. This difference is both emotional and physical. We complement each other yet are called into different roles. Sometimes it is OK but at other times it is not. I’ll show you two seemingly contradictory counsels, existing in the bible:

Proverbs 26: 4-5

4Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Or you will also be like him. 5Answer a fool as his folly deserves, That he not be wise in his own eyes.

Different, no. Complimentary, Yes!

No matter how hard a man tries, he can never replace a mother and vice versa. The Samaritan woman, we are told, brought many to repentance from their sin by her testimony/preaching/sharing of what Jesus had told her (I believe her city included men)! Paul worked with Priscilla (female), in the ministry in Corinth. Peter clearly says women and men are equal (1 Peter 3:5-8), even though his Jewish worldview did not recognize that equality. This begs the question of the true influence of society in shaping Church History and Practice. A lot of what has become church Practice, putting on of trousers or not, head gear or not etc. is as a direct result of cultural influences and the prevailing worldview rather than an actual command from God. With increasing globalization, worldviews also clash with the dominant one prevailing over the lesser. It is safe to say the Greco- Roman view dominates most of western thinking today (the East is also making rapid advances, e.g. New age, Ying-Yang etc.). How were women perceived in the Greek culture? I wrote an article here (http://www.forteh.blogspot.com/#!http://forteh.blogspot.com/2013/10/on-jokes-about-women.html), which you may find interesting. In summary, women were perceived as an evil. A Roman would pray and thank his god, he were neither a woman nor a slave. In America, a lot has been done to try and establish a greater balance in recruitment and pay, but even America (http://money.cnn.com/2013/10/24/news/economy/gender-equality/) the great, is failing woefully to achieve results in this area ( well few see this as an issue to complain about). In short, the perception of women as being lesser than men is a secular or other worldview issue rather than a Christian worldview issue. How women are treated in YOUR CONTEXT?

Men everywhere need to understand God created us equal gave us the same resources (redemption through his son and empowerment through, Holy Spirit) and declared both men and women heirs to Christ. Some Christian leaders take the worldview of the culture around them on the subject of women but this doesn’t make it right, no matter the name of the structure, "church", Ministry or sect. When Jesus comes back the second time, there is one groom (Him) and one bride (the Church i.e. those who like the wise virgins, have ample oil in their lamps and are waiting expectantly for Him).The Sadducees sought to ridicule the doctrine of the resurrection but Jesus used the opportunity to reveal that we lose our male/female distinction/ID after the resurrection. We are equal but our responsibilities differ. The same is true for the home, as in church and elsewhere. I believe this is too long already, but will be happy to speak directly to you or your friend via, any media of your choose.

Yes SOME preachers of today unfortunately chose sections of the bible that jive with their agendas while intentionally ignoring sections that contradict those agendas. The bible has talks about such!

You don't need to look too far to find them, reason why discernment and wisdom are required. If you lack any, pray for it and God will give it to you (James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God). That is a promise. Even Jesus said not all those that call Him Lord, Lord will get into heaven but those that do the will of his father. Just because some bitter beans found its way into your teeth doesn't mean you get to throw away the whole dish!

On Wine, Paul's teaching on acting out of love should prevail. This (1 Timothy 5:23) passage sees Paul asking Timothy to take a little due to his stomach problems. This on the other hand calls wine a mocker (Proverbs 20:1). I know fine Christians who take the occasional drink and know criminals exist who never touch a drop of alcohol. Personally I made a choice not to drink. If you must drink, then moderate is the key word. Paul says however that if your liberality should cause a weaker person/brother or sister to sin, then you sin (1 Corinthians 8). A true Christian is his/her brother’s keeper. The implication is, if by practicing my liberality, someone who has less self-control will become intoxicated, I am held responsible. What we need to remember is that the Bible is a library of books that communicate God's mind in the context of History. As a true Father, He communicates both sides and allows us to make a choice out of love rather than obligation. All choice has corresponding results and both choice and result are in the same book. It is indeed THE book of Life and with regards to inspiration read what Paul says below:

2 Timothy 3:16-17

King James Version (KJV)

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Blessings- Inno

On "jokes" about women!

2013-10-16T17:12:00.000+01:00

Most of the junk jokes and contemporary thought on the place of the woman in society, seem to result from Greek thought. Greek and Roman thought rule the majority of what we call the civilized world today.

This has not been helped by the now reality of a global village.
The main architect of Greek thought being Hesiod. Through Theogonyand Works and Days, Hesiod expressed a hostility toward women that was endemic throughout Greek antiquity. His misogyny is best revealed through his story of Pandora, the creation of women. The very idea that women were created as an affliction for mankind proves that Hesiod looked down upon women with disdain.

The role of women in Hesiod's Theogony and Works and Days is outstandingly subordinate. There are a number of times in Hesiod's text that despises women, being mortal, immortal, or flesh-eating monsters. The overall impression of women from Theogony and Works and Days, leads one to believe that Hesiod is a misogynist.
The very creation of women was set as a punishment to man because Prometheus, son of Iapetos, tried to trick Zeus into eating bones and then, with the tube of a fennel, steals fire to give to mankind. Zeus then proclaimed, "To set against the fire I shall give them an affliction in which they will all delight as they embrace their own misfortune." Out of Zeus' anger came Pandora, the first woman.

Most of the jokes (spoken lightly or not) on women seem to offer no harm, but it doesn't require a Bsc in Robotics to understand by observation from our society if this concept prevails in the subconscious or not. Greco-Roman thought both put women in a demeaning position or compared her to a necessary evil. The story of the origins in the Bible however, demonstrates a completely different image. God created both man and woman on the same day, and in His image. Interpretation and application over the centuries of this timely truth and the unfortunate event of the fall seems to have redefined the context. In actuality what has changed is man, not God. Society’s consideration for the girl child even in so called developed countries is skewed. Gender selective abortion and education, abuse and a host of other ills can only continue to be perpetuated, not because one of the sexes has been endowed with greater strength, but rather because of the prevailing worldview, as expressed in contemporary songs, fables, jokes and all sorts of writings and beliefs that shape culture.

We need to go back to the place where we are careful of what we support especially in subjects that have a profound worldview effect. Do we want these thoughts to prevail or do we want to squash them and rather enhance the strength of God's beautiful creation to maximize output in all spheres of society and realms?

The choice is ours!
Forteh

FireProof May 26 2013 chez Enow and Eli Nkeng /Co'ord- Bells

2013-05-22T10:07:00.001+01:00

FireProof, Shalom!

It's my pleasure to present the theme for this month's meet:

"Working together as a team".

As agreed, Br & Mrs Enow will be hosting and the Bell's will be co'ordinating.

Due to various chaanges and unavoidable situations , we also thought
it wise to vote in a new bureau during this meeting, so please clear
your Agenda and prepare to participate fully come 05/26 2pm.

Kindly forward this e-mail to any couple I may have missed.

With humility and glad to serve.

Inno

P.s. This meeting will be strictly for married couples only. Please do
not invite our friends (fiancess etc) who are not yet married.

--
The truth never changes.Do you know Him?
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