YouVersion

In these verses there are 7 areas in Paul's life that can be translated into leadership principles for today's local church leaders:

1. Leaders motivate people (vs. 11)
Paul's mission was to "persuade" people to believe in the resurrection of Christ and in life-eternal. The previous 10 verses he spends writing about the difference between these earthly tents and our Heavenly home. His purpose was to convince, motivate, and inspire the Corinthians to live in light of eternity and not just this earthly being. Leaders do more than just lead - they motivate and inspire people into action.

2. Leaders keep things simple (vs. 11)
Paul was very clear that his message was simple and plain in God's eyes and he made sure that the message was clear and plain to the Corinthians. Leadership is often best done when it is kept simple. Many times complexity is counted as leadership; but if something is so complex that people cannot follow does that really make you a leader? Simplicity is what allows Leaders to best communicate and allows followers to step into action.

3. Leaders shouldn't be prideful (vs. 12)
While many leaders are prideful, we see a different type of leader in Paul. He wasn't boasting in what he was doing or what he had accomplished, but rather he humbled himself so that others could take pride in the fact that Paul and his ministry were heart-driven and not pride-driven. Nobody likes following a prideful leader, but people are willing to follow those who take no pride in what they've done but rather how they've been used of God.

4. Leaders are sold-out and souled-out (vs. 13)
I love how the NLT translates this verse to say, "If it seems we are crazy it is to bring glory to God..." Paul was literally spent considering he had given his entire life to this mission of reaching the Gentiles with the Gospel. But it isn't enough to give everything you have if your heart and soul aren't equally poured into the mission. People can see right through someone who seems to be doing a lot "for God" but has no passion behind what he or she is doing. I would say that if people DON'T think you are a little crazy because of your vision and your commitment to God's mission then you should check whether or not you've really committed everything.

5. Leaders are called (vs. 14)
"For Christ's love compels us..." Clearly it wasn't Paul who decided to travel and tell the world about Christ, it was Jesus Himself that called Paul and motivated him to reach the world. Ministry leaders at all levels must be called because it is that calling that compels us to reach others even when and if we don't feel like it. God calls each of us at some level to reach others and that calling along with Christ's love towards us is what inspires us to pursue others even when things are difficult.

6. Leaders live for others (vs. 15)
True leaders commit themselves to invest in the lives of others. As believers in Christ, our lives should be lived in and through Christ rather than be found in ourselves. As your life is found in Christ, you'll begin to see your life poured into the lives of others. Leaders in every platform of life should be committing themselves in the lives of others. Leaders invest, develop, and multiply themselves in the lives of others. In the realm of ministry this takes place best when done through Christ.

7. Leaders have "fresh" perspective (vs. 16-17)
Paul didn't view people as solely mortal beings with no hope or purpose after this life as the Corinthians and most people did. He viewed people in light of eternity and that perspective changed how he viewed those who are in Christ. In Christ, every person is a new creation with the old things passing away. Leaders bring fresh perspective on the same trends and happenings. Ecclesiastes says that there is nothing new under the sun, but leaders identify and develop contemporary ways of thinking and creative ways to communicate the same mission. People are creatures of habit which means they rarely tend to think of new approaches to the same routine, leaders are constantly looking at those same things from a new, fresh perspective.