C h a p t e r 7
LEADERS ARE
PERFECTIONISTS
“Not that I have already...been made perfect, but
I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me...
I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.
But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind,
and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal
to win the prize for which God has called me...”
(Phil. 3:12-14).Like the Apostle Paul, growing spiritual leaders are always pressing on
toward perfection. Effective leaders by nature are people who are driven to
do things well. You might say that they have a passion for perfection! They
generally have a low tolerance for poor performance...sloppiness...or
half-heartedness – in themselves or in others around them. Because they
constantly push themselves toward perfection, they often prayerfully push
others in that same direction. That’s why Paul prayed for some of his
beloved Christian friends: “Our prayer is for your perfection” (II Cor.
13:9). Likewise he exhorted these same Christians in his benediction:
“Finally brothers...Aim for perfection...be of one mind, live in peace.
And the God of love and peace will be with you” (II Cor. 13:11).
Paul wanted Christians to always “...aim for perfection.” Did that mean
that they would always achieve it? Certainly not! Paul was not teaching
the doctrine known as Christian Perfection. This is a doctrine held by
many Christians, and teaches that a person can become spiritually perfect