Leader, Draw Near podcast
Can You Spare 4 Minutes?
That’s the average length of OCF’s new weekly devotional podcast for leaders. Who is a leader? You are—the one who turns to God for wisdom and direction in leading others.
Leader, Draw Near is based on the book written by Col Larry Simpson, USAF (Ret.). The podcast features 12 narrators from a variety of ranks, branches of service, and walks of life.
Each podcast devotional is fashioned to prompt reflection on a specific topic. Listeners are encouraged to search out each Scripture reference and to lean into God for more light as He meets you where you are. Each episode ends with a few Points to Ponder, which are perfect for personal reflection, or for use with a mentor or in a small group setting.
The leader who intentionally integrates the teachings of Scripture into daily decision making will have lasting influence and will lead with integrity, humility, and a servant’s heart.
Take 4 minutes and integrate this devotional into your week!
Weekly Episodes
28. Let Us Go
Leaders appreciate it when followers have confidence in their word. Jesus expects no less of His followers. Choose a faith walk that relies on Christ’s reliability.
27. What Do You Want From Me?
What does Jesus want from you? That your faith not fail, that you keep turning to Him, and finally, that you lead by encouraging and strengthening others who face similar circumstances. Be encouraged, Jesus stands by you.
26. Loyalty
Jesus paid the price of his commitment to us on the cross. Are we willing to pay the price of loyalty to Him? More aptly, why am I willing to pay the price of constancy to Christ?
25. Your Every Need
“God will supply every need of yours” whether it is a financial concern, effective time management, or dealing with disgruntled people. Jesus is the resource for all our needs. As faithful followers, ours is to approach Him confidently for grace and help.
24. Are You Leading?
Faith and leadership are more appropriately modeled through keeping sight of how to achieve God’s purposes in and out of the workplace through godly influence, using softer tones, quieter approaches and direct resolve to see the mission through. Simply acting or reacting is not necessarily an effective leadership quality.
23. What Say Ye?
Are you discerning God’s voice when you find yourself speaking to many, a few, or one on one? Just as Jesus spent much time in prayer and solitude with God, the basis of our responses may be proportional to the time we spend with God in study of the Scriptures.
22. Lasting Influence
Positive influence on others requires full obedience. I am impressed that Noah’s influence over his sons was greater than the negative influences around them. Noah honored God, and his sons followed suit.
21. Commander’s Intent
When faced with matters that seem insurmountable, revisit the full text of God’s mission for Moses, move ahead in faith, and walk confidently in the assurance of God’s presence in demanding circumstances. Courageously strive to fulfill His intent.
20. Big-Picture Perspective
Jesus said He “did not come to destroy lives but to save them.” If one’s tendency is to write people off when there is disagreement, might this have the same effect as “commanding fire” or wishing another dead, spiritually dead that is. The gospel message is for all people and the servant leader does not withhold the message at the first sign of personal rejection.
19. Faith Rhythm
Faith, like any muscle, requires exercise. Faith enlarges our leadership effectiveness, enables us to achieve the mission, and makes us more capable of serving others. Those who follow your lead will note your faith in action and prayerfully glorify God.
18. An Actionable Plan
The leader whose commander is the Lord knows who controls his destiny. The tug of fleshly desires is weakened when I take my mind off my own interests and focus on God’s interests. When I do that, I am, in effect, denying myself.
17. Reignited Service
From what fear do you need to be delivered? Rescue is yours for the asking. Trust Him to reignite your gift in faithful service to Him.
16. Practice Makes Perfect
When I am suddenly arrested by God’s word, it becomes immediately apparent that God is commanding my attention. He is redirecting my swayed focus to sharpen or to compel me to obedience. God sometimes invades my private world because I have lost sight of Him.
15. Compliant Clay
How do you respond to shaping? I mean the kind of shaping that causes you to conform fully to the one doing the shaping. As leaders, do you reflect the positive image you desire to see in your followers?
14. Satisfaction
Jesus was so committed to His service that, metaphorically, it served as His physical nourishment. What about you? Does your stalwart service satisfy you as nourishment?
13. A Firm Foundation
The servant leader’s challenge is to display a Christ-like response when life changing moments arise, and thus be seen as the “wise man” with a firm foundation.
12. Reality Check
Where do we, in our leadership zeal, draw the line when it comes to pushing our own agenda or totally acquiescing to God’s divine plan? Are we convinced that God has a plan, or do we “head fake” God by developing our plan then devoutly asking His blessing?
11. Battle Rhythm
When do you surge and go all out to achieve a task? When should you pull back for contemplation, admiration, appreciation or just rest?
10. Any Volunteers?
Who around you needs your tutelage and encouragement? Let’s imitate what Paul did for Timothy. Don’t ask for volunteers, but encourage others to fulfill their calling or act of service.
9. Question Authority
So should we question God’s authority? Regardless of how righteous the question might seem, we would be wise to consider the Holy Scriptures and to pattern our questions and concerns after Jesus’ response while here on earth.
8. Truth and The Christian Leader
Pilate said to Jesus in John 18:38, “What is truth?” Truth is the foundation on which we stand and is what Christian leaders are called to practice.
7. Was It Failure or Success?
To me, Luke 5:5 is a curious object lesson. Did Simon really fail, or was his unproductive fishing day tied to Christ’s master plan and call? I would think the latter.
6. Don’t Work Alone! Enlist & Mentor
What brings leaders to the point of task overload—the belief that only we know what’s best, perhaps distrust of others, or possibly personal ownership? How are you doing in your pursuit to invite others with similar heart and vision into your area of responsibility?
5. Undivided Heart
Surely, as Christian leaders, our desire is to show compassion with an undivided heart—one that rightly discerns truth with reverence for the Lord.
4. Faithful Leadership
From a leadership perspective, I must ask: What enables Christian leaders to maintain the charge when all around us say, “Give up?” Oaths, contracts, and legal agreements bind some to the task, but that which binds the Christian and Christian leader is God’s demonstrated faithfulness.
