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How Leaders Make Decisions

Christian Leadership University Utilizes “The Leader’s Paradigm” for Decision-making and Discovering Truth

Becoming a Spirit-anointed leader

demands the integration of knowledge, wisdom, and insight, along with other godly character traits and qualities. Coming to a broad-based knowledge and integration of the truth is no easy task, as is exemplified by the thousands of denominations as well as the many other philosophies which exist in the world.

 

Each institution

embraces its own methodology for discovering truth. Most institutions do not state this methodology in their public literature. Currently embraced methodologies include rationalism, mysticism, humanism, empiricism, hedonism, and biblicism, among others.

 

The more sound

your paradigm for discovering truth, the more truth you have the opportunity to discover. What is your system for discerning truth? Many have not thought theirs out. Many find theirs grows and changes as they grow and change. At CLU, we teach and utilize the “Leader’s Paradigm for Discovering Truth” in each of our courses and in our entire curriculum structure. It is composed of six pillars.

 

The wise leader

looks for all six of the pillars to line up before he assumes a direction.

 

The wiser leader

understands how his God-given giftings (e.g., intuition, analysis, etc.) influence the weight he places on each of the six pillars. For example, the more intuitive individual will lean slightly more heavily toward the intuitive aspects of the Leader’s Paradigm, and the more analytical individual toward the more analytical aspects. However, he will understand the need to integrate all six pillars.

 

The wisest leader

has a strong foundation for these six pillars. He begins with an excellent working knowledge of the Bible. His motivation in all decisions is to glorify God. He has acquired this motivation because his heart and attitudes have been purified through a lifestyle of communing with God and abiding in Christ.

 

Then, of course, since the Bible says that we see through a glass darkly, one still may not have complete truth.

However, he is as right as he knows to be at this particular point in his life. And that is all each of us can be. This is a wide-based, Spirit-enhanced paradigm for discovering truth, much stronger than any of the individual legs could be if they stood alone. In addition, each of the individual legs is enhanced by the fact that we have added the Holy Spirit as a factor.

To use the paradigm, one must know himself, be humble, teachable, flexible, open, and changeable.

“Blessed are the meek” (Matt. 5:5). There is a need to be a constant learner, to examine many different streams of thought on issues from many different perspectives.

To refuse to do so condemns us to walk in ignorance and pride. This is truly one of the great misfortunes in life. We invite you to share in CLU’s “Leader’s Paradigm for Discovering Truth”.

 

Pillar One: Illumined Scriptures

And they said one to another, “Did not our hearts burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the Scriptures?” Luke 24:32
This pillar is experienced as the Holy Spirit illumines Scriptures to you — you sense them leaping off the page or just coming to your attention spontaneously.
This pillar could be viewed as enhanced Biblicism; however, we go beyond studying the Bible with our intellects only, asking for the Holy Spirit to illumine Scriptures to our hearts and minds.

Pillar Two: Illumined Thoughts in One’s Mind

It seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus. Luke 1:3 NASB This pillar is experienced as the Holy Spirit guiding your reasoning process through spontaneous impressions. It is obvious that Luke’s gospel was more than simply investigative research of his own mind, as what he wrote has stood as the Word of God for 2000 years. This pillar could be viewed as enhanced rationalism; however, we go beyond simple rationalism to allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our thinking process (through combining intuition and reason) rather than guiding it ourselves.

Pillar Three: Illumined Witness in One’s Heart

And immediately when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, He said unto them, “Why reason ye these things in your hearts?” Mark 2:8
This pillar is experienced as an impression perceived in your spirit. Deep inner peace or unrest is often part of this experience.
This pillar could be viewed as enhanced hedonism in that we are doing what “feels” good; however, in our case, we are going with the “feel” within our hearts, rather than the “feelings” of the flesh.

Pillar Four: Illumined Counsel of Others

Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety. Proverbs 11:14
This pillar is experienced as you ask your spiritual advisors to seek God for confirmation, additions, or adjustments in the guidance you sense God has given you.
This pillar could be viewed as enhanced humanism, as we are receiving counsel through others; however, we go beyond people’s wisdom and ask them to impart the wisdom of God to us.

Pillar Five: Illumined Understanding of Life’s Experiences

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Matthew 7:16
This pillar is experienced as you ask God to give you insight and understanding concerning the fruit life is demonstrating. God gives you revelation as to what has caused the fruit.
This pillar could be viewed as enhanced empiricism, in that we are examining life carefully; however, we go beyond our own limited understanding of life and ask God to give us His understanding of what we are seeing.

Pillar Six: Illumined Revelation from God Through Dreams, Visions, Prophecy, and Journaling

“And it shall come to pass in the last days,” saith God, “I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” Acts 2:17
This pillar is experienced as you receive direct revelation from God through dreams, visions, and journaling. Journaling is the writing out of your prayers and God’s answers.
This pillar could be viewed as enhanced mysticism; however, we go beyond just “any” spirit-encounter as we pursue Holy Spirit-encounter.

The Objective: To have all six pillars in agreement before making a major decision.

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