What is Charisma?

Pentecost and Leadership

There is a lot of noise today about leadership. People write books about it and talk about it and complain about it. I am sometimes amazed at what people say it is. their definitions are usually rather simple and how to be a leader normally has five, seven or ten points. And, everybody, so the writer says, can be a leaders if only they would follow those five, seven or ten rules.

Writing about being a leader usually brings out the worst in me rather than the best. I start coveting the talents, gifts, fame and income of others instead of accepting and applying the gifts and talents That God has in trusted to me. (By the way, when the Apostle Paul was looking for a sin to use as an example of fallen nature that is impossible to resist he chose coveting. (Romans 7:7. Maybe that was his famous or infamous "Thorn in the flesh". II CO 12:6)

For 16 years I worked for an anointed leader. Dr. Jerry Kirk was an inspiring man, able to witness to unbelievers of every class, confront people in sin, comfort the weak and lead an organization. When he preached to a few or thousands it seemed as though he was peaking personally to each listener.

On several occasions church members said to me in a misguided attempt to build my self esteem, "Gary you should go out and get your own church." First, no church would be mine. I am not a good savior! Second, I am not a senior Pastor by temperament or gifting. I would be a miserable Senior Pastor. Third, God has not called me to lead a church. I am a relatively good second banana because I am an educator/coach/consultant. I work best by coming alongside others with wisdom and encouragement.

In other words, some are anointed to inspire and motivate teams, groups and crowds. Jerry was a Charismatic leader. Charisma in Greek means "Grace Gift". God gave him that ability and God did not give it to me. It would be a sin for me to try to be Jerry Kirk because it is not God's call or desire. No matter how many books I read or seminars I attended or how hard I prayed or coveted, I would not have Jerry's Charismatic Gifts. I have my own Charismatic Gifts of Influence and Healing through Wisdom.

What about Tim Tebow? Is he gifted or just talented? It seems as though he is gifted. Have you heard what Karlos Dansby said about Tim? After the Dolphins, the team for which he plays, was beaten in a furious late game finish by Denver, Dansby, told Jim Rome that he and other members of the team saw godliness in Tebow’s stunning comeback from a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

“Us losing to Tim Tebow the way we did, we seen it first hand,” Dansby said on Rome’s radio show. “Young man is blessed. Young man has a special anointing on him. And for God to show himself in that game the way He did, through the guy He did it through, it opened a lot of guys’ eyes on our team. And it brought a lot of guys closer to God, so like I said, everything happens for a reason. . . . My hat goes off to Tim. And God working through him like that, it opened up a lot of eyes. He’s a blessed young man and I wish him much success the rest of his career.”

As a coach, how do you teach that kind of leadership? When the defensive players who are as tough as nails see God's hand in Tebow, you realize he is anointed with a Charismatic Gift that is unteachable. It may by why many people who want to be as good as Tebow hate his outward show of piety. Do other footballers ask God why He has not anointed them as He has obviously anointed Tebow?

When I go to a funeral and the Preacher tells about how great the man was who died I always examine myself. I ask, "Will they be as effusive about my accomplishments as they are his?" or "Will God say to me, 'Well done Gary!'?" If the answers are negative I may be tempted to lower my evaluation about the deceased. Maybe I am tempted to say, "He wasn't really that great. I saw his faults and he was no better than I."

I can see an empathize with the other footballers who try to find some faults with this young man. Even Hall of Fame Players must cringe and ask God why Tebow gets all the success and fame when they see him kneel and give thanks to God for some majestic moment.

My only answer is this: He is a Charismatic Leader

Gary Sweeten

Asset Approach to Relationships

We live in a world that loves to diagnose us. In fact, it is not usually possible to get an insurance agency to cover prevention and growth because they are focused on "Treating Illness". Sometimes when I was Coaching a couple one of them would start to tell me what is wrong with their mate by quoting Oprah or Dr. Phil.

"I saw a show last week and Dr. Phil said that people like my wife are really suffering from Narcissistic Personality Disorder or NPD. It is at that point I will act like I am wearing a striped shirt and blow the imaginary whistle and call him "Out of bounds for practicing Psychology without a license".

One of the reasons I left the Clinical Psychology program and entered the Counseling Program at the University of Cincinnati was its obsession with sicknesses. We all had to study big books with names like "Personality Disorders" and "Mental Illness". Every new chapter brought groans and complaints from the students who started to think they and all their friends had every disease mentioned in the book.

Because my Master's Degree was twice as long as most programs I was able to choose classes that I liked more than the sickness focus so I was able to develop a minor in small groups that was focused on growth and assets than it was weaknesses and illness. All of us certainly have weaknesses, pains and dysfunctions but we also possess gifts, talents, abilities, skills and energies that allow us to contribute to our church, work and society.

Write your strengths and talents down by using the suffix "ABLE".

I am Lovable:
I am _____
I am _____