ILI: History Makers Leadership Podcast
Explore the transformative journey that is leadership. In each episode, we will dive deep into strategies, stories, insights, and the core values that shape and inspire effective Christian leaders who make an impact - all around the globe. Get ready to unlock your leadership potential.
When leaders are equipped, kingdom impact multiplies. Equipping leaders and spreading the Gospel. Let’s change history together!
This podcast is brought to you by the International Leadership Institute.
ILI: History Makers Leadership Podcast
Ep. 42 | Leadership that Inspires in Eurasia
Join us for an enlightening conversation with Alex, an exceptional leader from Eurasia, as we unpack the unique challenges Christian leaders face in equipping volunteers. Discover how fostering a passion-driven community can inspire service and overcome the hurdles of delegation.
Alex's experiences, help us see into the dynamics of leadership in Eurasia, where many come to faith through personal crises and often lack formal training. Learn how providing focused skill development can empower these leaders to maximize their kingdom impact.
As trust in institutions declines around the globe, Daniel and Alex discuss how Christian leaders can cultivate trust and relational leadership. We draw on global insights and organizations like the International Leadership Institute to underscore the importance of relational faith and the power of a supportive leadership network.
Furthermore, we challenge Western Christian leaders to redefine success by prioritizing their familial roles alongside their ministry duties. Reflect on the foundational role of the family in discipleship and leadership, and consider the invaluable lessons from the global Christian community on maintaining integrity amidst societal shifts. Together, we encourage leaders to pursue communities that inspire collaboration and mutual support, ensuring that their leadership not only furthers God's kingdom objectives but also nurtures strong and faithful family relationships.
When you begin ILI training, you will discover how the Eight Core Values will lead to the Seven Outcomes in your life and the lives of those you lead. Join a community of leaders who are ready to change history and make an impact in this world. Discover more at ILITeam.org/connect.
Welcome to the History Makers Leadership Podcast, where we explore the transformative journey that is leadership. Each episode, we will dive deep into strategies, stories, insights and the core values that shape and inspire effective Christian leaders who make an impact all around the globe. This podcast is brought to you by the International Leadership Institute. Get ready to unlock your leadership potential and let's change history together.
Speaker 2:Hi and welcome to the History Makers podcast. My name is Daniel and I'm incredibly excited today because I'm going to be joined with Alex. Alex man, it's such a privilege to be here with you. Thank you for joining us.
Speaker 3:Thank you so much for the invitation. It's a big joy to be here with you. Thank you for joining us. Thank you so much for the invitation. It's a big joy to be here with you.
Speaker 2:Absolutely man. Alex is an incredible world-class leader out of Eurasia and he's just a wonderful human being, and so I'm really excited today to just kind of dive into a handful of topics. So, alex, you know a lot of leaders struggle with finding volunteers or finding other people that they can effectively delegate to other people who are really equipped, as a leader, to navigate complexities, and I think that's a relatively common circumstance. So in your own leadership, how have you kind of found some solutions to that and what does that look like?
Speaker 3:Well, yeah, thank you for asking this of, uh, very important question in the everyday's routine for our leader. Um, but we're building some kind of interesting. It's a bit bigger than just a corporation and we already have our master and leader. And in our kind of part of the world, you cannot and I think it's a truth that around the world as well that the different churches cannot motivate to work with the money or with the position or you know other things or stocks. We are actually knowing that people are passionate about the missions and people are passionate about the church development and the Christianity, not because we are giving some tasks for them, but they are burning inside with a passion to the Christ. That's right.
Speaker 3:And sometimes when I face some kind of big events happening or organization, people are coming alone and saying I'm ready here, how can I serve to you, how can I help you? How can I be useful? Because we all understand that it's a task which was given to by our Lord, to us with the Great Commission, that's right. To us with the Great Commission that's right. So I think it's a bit different when you are having this kind of community and ecosystem of people and everyone is ready to serve and it's less troubles for our part as leaders to find the volunteers. Sometimes it's hard to understand how do we to develop the skills of these volunteers, because you know they are ready to help and they don't know how to help. That's the thing. That's right. Yeah, and it's a bit different question. Yeah, but in general I think we are having already ready people who are ready to serve.
Speaker 2:That's incredible and I think I really think that's probably a testament to your leadership and to the leadership of some of the other people that I know you have the privilege of serving alongside, because I think it's really built out of a clearly cast vision right. When people see that clear vision, they're able to establish that passion for the harvest, that passion for the things of the Lord and, as they see, that intimate walk with him lived out in their own personal lives and in the lives of their leaders. I think that carries some of that result. But you brought up a great question there and I just want to touch on it for a second. You said you know sometimes they come with that passion but they're lacking some of the equipping. How do you navigate that? How do you navigate that? How do you help get them equipped Well?
Speaker 3:first of all, I'd like to thank you, eli, because in the Eurasian context, the majority of the leaders and the pastors received Christ because of the crisis. Something bad happened in their lives, like addiction or prison or some troubles and the problems and they came to Christ. All these problems or addictions left and then they started to grow as leaders and pastors and they didn't have enough time for an MBA degree and right now, when they're super busy, they don't have enough time to study Right, even with the online resources to dedicate the time, and it's always, in our context, very bad with the online resources to dedicate the time and it's always, in our context, very bad with the planning. It's more about the relationships. So that's why I'm very thankful for this.
Speaker 3:As we mentioned before that, the ILI provides kind of concentrate training for existing leaders just to enhance their potential in a short time period with the main and basic problem knowledge. But it gives them some kind of understanding how they can improve their leadership, because some of the pastors even don't understand that they are leaders. Wow, they don't call themselves leaders. They call themselves pastors or servants, but actually they are leaders, yeah, and they need to improve their leadership skills. So that's how they're getting the majority. Some of the part other part is like a trained pastors with the degrees, even with the theological degrees. Yeah, and here ILI helps to remind them the basics, the foundation from what to start, or again, from what to you know what is the main thing in their life?
Speaker 2:And I think I would know I was just going to say I think I think to me one of the elements of that that's that's so encouraging is really that deeper heart that comes from the past, of of looking at core values right and for them to be that the core, the foundation, the, that that establishment, so that you know men and women that are called by God to accomplish his vision. They have that ability to connect in, to apply those biblical principles in a really meaningful way and then mobilize the body of Christ toward the kingdom impact that I think all Christian leaders look to have and look to see manifest in their local congregations.
Speaker 3:So, yeah, these pastors who never were trained or went to the university, they're getting the new basic knowledge about the leadership skills and then improving it. And those guys who had already the training at the university they are being reminded about the foundation or forgotten things, right.
Speaker 3:And it helps in both ways. And I like the second thing, that during the training it's like a lot of time for discussions. We can share our experience. We can share in a small, small group some issues which are in the context, reality or in this specific issue are very important and we share our background and knowledge. And the the third thing that I like, that's the focus about the leaders and their future, not about their past. Okay, because some trainings is about the past. Analyze your past. You know what you've done, what you've done good, what you've done bad. But actually it's about the future, yeah, how you can be in the future, the better leader, right, and as a result, you can, by yourself, be a catalyst and continue to be a catalyst Amen, amen.
Speaker 2:So I know you and your team went through this gosh maybe a year ago give or take, maybe a little bit more than a year ago. What have you seen coming out of that Right, you know it's been a year. Are you continuing to see fruit from that? Or have you seen? You know, hey, there was a little flash in the pan, a little spark, but people have kind of moved on. Like, what are you seeing as the lasting impact of that?
Speaker 3:So the most important thing for me.
Speaker 3:None of these leaders failed so far, so they're keeping the the distance for that, yeah, and I remember we talked about it a lot, about finishing well, so I hope, uh, that creating a good ecosystem with the full accountability inside this brotherhood or fellowship gives more chance not to fail.
Speaker 3:Amen, and it's good that, after the training, we're still having this very close group of the leaders who are sharing their news, their fails, maybe ups and downs. It looks like we gave the keys of our hearts to each of us, the keys of the adequacy to each of us, and we are able now, as leaders, to ask the honest questions to each other. How are you Tell me each other, or you tell me about your leadership, tell me about your, your life? Do you have enough time to spend? Do you have enough time to spend in devotion with God, or do you have enough time for your sport activities, or do you have enough time just to spend with your family or to prepare for your sermons? And it's like the same leader of the leaders, same level of the leaders, that they can, you know, share the same values as well as same kind of challenges.
Speaker 2:That's really good. I think sometimes for leaders that that sense of community can feel absent or can feel so far away, and so I love that you've been able to establish for this group that sense of community, that sense of fellowship across a variety of different contexts and groups.
Speaker 3:That's what I'm trying to tell to everyone, and have been telling a lot to any leader in the world you are not alone. You are not alone in your position. We are sharing the same values and the same problems and you can join this community of leaders and be a part of the family true family. That's right. And when you do know that you're not alone, you feel kind of relief.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. Well, I mean, gosh, you know you flew a ways here and anytime you're in an airport and you know it's just you, right you? You're in a new place, it's a new context. You feel that loneliness and I think for, uh, for a lot of leaders, that that can be a place where they uh, maybe they, they set foot and maybe plant themselves a little too long. And so if you're a leader out there who's watching this, I just want to encourage you. Man, god didn't call you to lead alone. In fact, if our faith is anything, it is relational in nature, right, we're invited into a relationship with God, and he intends us to lead with others, and so you know there are communities out there, like the International Leadership Institute, that want to come alongside you, encourage you, equip you and mobilize you and your team to have that sense of community, and so it's so exciting to hear that you're seeing that.
Speaker 2:As I think about that, you know, another kind of leadership question comes to mind, alex, is particularly in the West. I think we're seeing this, and so I know you don't necessarily come from the West, but I'd love just kind of your thoughts. Here In the West, we're seeing a lot of decline in institutional trust, right. So maybe government or media or church generally, historically those were trusted institutions. But trust has begun to erode in those places and that can be a really difficult thing for a leader to look around and go hey, just because I'm leading an institution right, I'm leading the church Now you trust me less because you're trusting institutions less. You know from your context. Help unpack that a little bit for us. What have you seen? Is there institutional trust where you're from and how have you guys led in the midst of those things.
Speaker 3:Well, in our part of the world, because of the communistic past, people don't trust to the state. Okay. So it's like when we hear something on the news, it's like it means something opposite is happening.
Speaker 2:So the news will tell you the news, but only because it's the opposite.
Speaker 3:Well, at least maybe it's changing now.
Speaker 2:Uh-huh Okay.
Speaker 3:You know, in general this kind of sense, no one trusts the government, or at least the majority doesn't trust the government. And the thing is that in the east everything is based on the relationships. So how can you get your authority, how can you get your good name? In bible it's written a good name is more than any treasure. That's right. So our trust is based on our good names, and these good names are achieved by the relationships and by the personal example.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow, that's so key. So, in the midst of that institutional distrust Crisis even, yeah, crisis, good word so in the midst of that institutional trust crisis, it's the relationships and it's the personal example. It's really that lived out integrity Would that be another way to think of it. That has been that mechanism that has sustained trust for you all. I mean, is that a fair thing to say?
Speaker 3:I think so, especially when we see in in in the eastern context and bible is about the eastern context yeah, what the jesus did first he built relationships, fed it, healed people, yeah, and only after that, on this basis of this authority and these good things, on these relationships, he shared the gospel. Same thing in our part of the world. With the gospel we don't jump into the lives of the people saying, hey, you receive christ right, or god loves you right. It's a bit marketing kind of thing for us. First we say, hey, slow down, let's go drink a tea, let's go to eat something together. Yeah, and it couldn't happen in one day. It could happen, of course, in one day, the acceptance of christ by some people from different religious background. But usually it's like a slow process when they're becoming a part of the family. And then they, they say, hey, you are different, tell me something. I said, okay, you asked me.
Speaker 2:I bet, yeah, you asked me, and now I'm going to tell you.
Speaker 3:Relationships and personal example. That's good. That's Jesus's approach. Yeah that's real leadership, absolutely.
Speaker 2:Relationships.
Speaker 3:Everything is in relationships. You can solve any problem in the East only by the relationship. That's so powerful.
Speaker 2:And I think I think there's a huge way in which that is really returning Right. And I think I think for some leaders it's really challenging because they feel like gosh, there's just so many relationships here, how do I even keep up with them all? How do I even keep up with them all? And I think that's where that piece of maybe integrity or just personal example comes in, because you know what? I may only have the time or the opportunity to have lunch or tea with you once, twice, three times, whatever, but the more you observe my life and the more my life is lived in an open way, the higher the chance that you'll see and know I am who I say I am, I'm doing what I'm saying I'll do, and that integrity and personal example kind of kind of speaks forward. Um, is that? Does that sound about?
Speaker 3:right, I mean, help me out here. That's in the west, especially here in the states, relationships are changed by the word networking, okay, and the networking, for my perspective, isn't equal to the relationships and friendship. Networking is a desire to connect the people with the aim to get something, okay, or to be useful to someone, okay. Relationships isn't about getting something or giving something. Relationships is being a friend, being a person who is near, no matter all the seasons of the life.
Speaker 2:That's so good. I love getting a chance to sit down with incredible leaders like you. Alex, because you just pointed something out to me, because I have. I've used that word network Right. I've used that word network and relationship and maybe had a little bit of interplay between those two. But I think you're right. I think sometimes in my context that word network is very much driven by a we're going to serve each other or we're going to pursue something together, right?
Speaker 2:The definition is. There's a third thing here that neither of us is saying right, this is what we're really after and we're going to pursue it in some way. But what you're saying is, the relationship is actually about being in relationship with one. It's, it's being right.
Speaker 3:It's a it's a it's in that deeper sense Is that yeah, cause I've sometimes even heard this kind of expression.
Speaker 2:This connection didn't work out meaning we did something.
Speaker 3:But that third thing never happened. Never happened exactly. But the relationship and friendships, it's not the this connection didn't have didn't work out, it's about working out all the time, these relationships and connections. That's right, even despite the failures maybe or problems. And the relationships is like a thing when you are kind of not investing, but even a part of your life and part of your heart. So it's kind of the business model. So networking is about the business model and you can even get a degree and get a phd how to be a best networker of the world. The relationship is just to sometimes to call a friend and say, hey, are you today?
Speaker 3:let's go yeah sometimes relationships is about 24 and 7 and sometimes we have these jokes. You know, relationships is this drinking tea all the time. Yeah, well, hey, I mean american context.
Speaker 2:Here it's all the coffee, right so it's drinking coffee all the time. No, that's it, man. I love. I love getting this chance to sit down and think through and understand again that biblical rootedness of relationship. Right, because, again, if our faith is anything, it's relational, right, it's designed to restore relationship and establish relationship and rebuild relationship and, you're right, that is the model of Christ himself.
Speaker 3:And so I love getting a chance to unpack some of these things from the Bible we have this example when Paul with Barnabas and their connection didn't work out because of Mark, Paul decided to leave him and took Titus. But Barnabas said hey. I'm not giving a second chance because you're my relative. You are the bastard, but my relative, that's right. You are the bastard, but my bastard, that's right. That's right. And what happened then? He gave a chance to Mark and now we have a gospel.
Speaker 2:That's right.
Speaker 3:We could never have a gospel without this. Yeah, we could have been missing that one Without the second chance of Barnabas, without the second chance of Barnabas. And I love the leadership style of Barnabas, because you couldn't find any word of Barnabas in Bible, only actions.
Speaker 2:That's good. That's good. Yeah, we don't have his words, but we see his actions, we see the fruit of those actions and he's known as being that one actions and, and you know, uh, he's known as being being that one that was encouraging, that was mobilizing, that was investing in these other, uh, these other leaders, and so relationships and personal example that's it Relationships and personal example.
Speaker 2:Man, I love that. I love that. Thank you so much for that. Uh, kind of along these lines you know, as you, you get the chance to travel and you get the chance to lead. Is there any other thing that you would just say? As I see, and interact with Christian leaders in other contexts, okay, what's one thing you're seeing that you go. Hey, as an outsider, I see this and and maybe there's an opportunity for growth here.
Speaker 3:Well, it's interesting thing that I've observing some Western things from a different angle and it is a sad thing that I've seen, especially in the last five years, it's families of the pastors and their children especially. And probably here's again about our main kind of topic. Yeah, yeah. Build your relationships with your family first and be a good example for your family first. It's like maybe that's not advice but prayer. Hey, let's open our eyes on our families first.
Speaker 2:You know, I had a professor in college and he told me this. He said, daniel, be aware there aren't many family life centers named after these great men of faith. And he meant it to me as a challenge to say look, they're remembered for lots of different things, but it's rare that they're remembered for the way that they led and loved their family. And you know, we believe that the family is God's building block for society.
Speaker 2:Right, family priority is an essential core value for effective Christian biblical leadership and you know, I think your word there is a is not just correct, but it's almost like a flare or a warning sign that just says hey, be aware that success in all of these other realms that leads to failure in your home is still going to be a loss. It's going to hurt, it's going to carry consequences.
Speaker 2:You know we were talking about one particular place recently and it's known for sending missionaries, but it itself now is receiving missionaries, right, and it's kind of it's that same thing kind of borne out where it's. Hey, it's a context where I've forgotten. I've forgotten that starting place.
Speaker 1:My home is the starting place for discipleship.
Speaker 2:My home is the starting place for an intimate walk with the Father and for my leadership as well, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 3:And so, man, that's just such a good word. I would love to see one day the materials of the IOLITE for families.
Speaker 2:Leadership in the family. Leadership in the family, that's so good, absolutely Well again, I think that's that central and foundational piece, and I think for the Christian leader, for the Christian pastor or business leader, uh, that can just be so often just kind of glossed over, right. Well, oh, they're okay, they're okay, they're okay, but but no, you know, we're not investing there as uh, as we would maybe in some other context, and I know also this is a hard to be a Christian here in the West as well.
Speaker 3:The landscape has changed, has been changed a lot, and that's why that now, guys, you're not alone, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 2:Well, and I think I think that's what's so encouraging to me, you know, as, as I've had the privilege of joining in with I lie in this movement it's really actually been observing how the the body of Christ globally, the experiences, uh, the body of Christ globally experiences the valleys and the mountaintops at different times. And so we have the opportunity in this kind of a movement and in this kind of a community and family, we have the opportunity to learn from one another. Right To hear about growing up in a context of institutional distrust and going. You know, look, yeah, when we see it on the news, we know it's probably the opposite of that, or you know, okay, so how do you lead in that context? Right, there was a time here in the West, particularly in the States, where if you were a pastor, you were just assumed to have a level of integrity and so you could just say it and it was just received. And you know we're watching that shift a little bit here, and I and you know we're watching that shift a little bit here, and I'm sure that there are leaders here watching that. You've been in similar spots where you're watching kind of culture change.
Speaker 2:I want to encourage you. As Alex said just a few moments ago, man, there is a community out there, there is a network out there. There are relationships out there designed by God to encourage, embolden, strengthen one another toward his kingdom, his kingdom objectives, his kingdom desire. Remember when Christ taught us to pray, we were taught to pray your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And as Christian leaders, when we co-labor alongside one another and walk together and inspire each other on, we actually build out that network and are better able to bring about that kingdom come.
Speaker 2:So, if you're out there, I just want to encourage you, man, find that community for yourself, talk to your pastor, talk to that network and get plugged in, get into that relationship and, like you said, alex, it's not for that third objective, but simply to be in the relationship with one another and live that out. If you're looking for that kind of community, I want to encourage you to take a look at the International Leadership Institute, iliteamorg. Iliteamorg there you're going to find some connections, some resources and a community of believers that are really centered on equipping each other and accelerating the spread of the gospel, and that's where you're going to find great leaders like Alex, and the opportunity to build relationship across those contexts and cultures. Thank you so much for being a part of this time and conversation. We just want to encourage you to go out, accelerate the gospel and be used by God to make a difference.