I thought it might be good to take a few of my Perspectives to talk about Paul’s leadership philosophy, especially what I have identified in I Corinthians 9 as The Three Big C’s. What did Paul seek to discipline his followers to become, as entry-level sons, that would turn them into fathers themselves?

Here is how life works. If you are going to be followed, you must possess some trait or traits that cause people to follow you. If that is true, what are those traits? What traits did Paul define as essential that would cause his spiritual sons like Timothy to be followed once they became leaders? What traits did Paul hold onto in his life that gave him the confidence he would be followed? What traits is he listing out for us, so these many years later we ourselves can become leaders that will be followed?
These core traits, the foundation leadership of Paul, are found in 1 Corinthians 9. I call them The Three Big C’s, and they will be the focus of the next few perspectives.

The Three Big C’s

Competency—first Paul knew that future leaders needed to be good at the gifts and skills God had given them to perform. Not the kind of competence that comes from self-effort alone, but the kind that comes from giving yourself completely to God, resulting in recognizing and receiving the gifts He has given you, and then practicing those gifts and skills by His grace until you become highly adept at using them.

How do you know you have a God-given gift and skill? Paul stated that he did not leave himself to imagine what strength he might have, but he used the one that God “compelled” him to perform. This word “compel” in the Greek (anankē) meant to do something from necessity, something captivating, something that grabbed you by force, something that you could not resist doing. In other words, God was behind His action, willing and working in you the power to perform.

Question one—What has God given you to do that your life will be incomplete without doing? You can do without a lot of material things in life but you cannot do without performing this skill or skill set. So what is that skill or skill set that you possess, a deep inner urge to perform or do?

Whatever it is, no matter how long it takes, that is what you will become ingeniously competent at doing. That is what will turn heads and create around you an atmosphere of respect and esteem.