Teen Talk showcases short lesson summaries written by a teen, with Biblical application.
Leadership is Influence!
Inside Out
I Know I Can!
Getting It Together!
Why Change?
Building People
The Chicken or the Egg? (What comes first?)
E = mc2
Why is Bono such a powerful leader for global debt reduction? He has influence. Why is David Suzuki such a dynamic force in environmental protection? He has influence. Leaders are leaders because they influence others. Said differently, leaders have followers. As we develop our leadership qualities and use them for the benefit of others, we will have influence because people will want to follow us.
Not all leaders are Bonos or David Suzukis. Not all of us are called to lead the cause to end third world debt or to lead the fight for a greener world, but we are all called to be leaders. What about you? Who do you influence? Who do you lead? Take a look around at who is watching and following you. You may be surprised at just how much influence you have!
Leighanne Rathwell, Grade 11
Jesus himself was a follower of God. In John 5:19 he says, “I tell you for certain that the Son cannot do anything on his own. He can do only what he sees the Father doing, and he does exactly what he sees the Father do.”
Have you ever been disappointed by a celebrity you respect because they compromised their beliefs? Maybe your favourite football player is discovered to have been using steroids, or a famous singer gets arrested for DUI. It can be difficult when people we look up to are inconsistent and break our trust. We begin to lose faith in them. No one wants to follow someone they can't trust.
Trust is built on integrity, or standing up for the values and morals we believe in, regardless of the circumstances we are facing. It means being the same on the inside as on the outside. It's about being authentic, regardless of who's watching. Good leaders have integrity. Do you?
Carolyn van der Veen, Grade 11
In Titus 2:7-8, Paul tells Titus to lead by example: “Always set a good example for others. Be sincere and serious when you teach. Use clean language that no one can criticize. Do this, and your enemies will be too ashamed to say anything against you.”
So much of life hinges on attitude! It determines how we feel, how we interact with others, and how we lead. We know that having a “bad attitude” makes life more difficult and that having a “good attitude” makes life easier to deal with, but how do we develop a truly positive way of thinking? What is an effective leadership mindset and how do we get it?
Positive leaders chose a positive attitude and in so doing, encourage others to do the same. Influencing others has much to do with how we look at situations in our lives. Want to be a positive and effective leader? It's your choice.
Aaron Wynia, Grade 12
There’s a practical how-to section in Philippians (4:8-9) on keeping and sharing a positive attitude and mindset: “...keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don't ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise. You know the teachings I gave you, and you know what you heard me say and saw me do. So follow my example. And God, who gives peace, will be with you.”
It takes two weeks to form a habit. That's all. The longer we do something, the more it becomes a part of us. Practicing leadership is no different. As we learn self-discipline, we form habits. Thus, our actions become easier to control.
But what if we struggle with self-discipline? Does that mean we are unfit to lead? If being a leader meant perfection, none of us would be qualified to lead! Too many of us are putting off becoming the leaders we are called to be. What about you? What's stopping you from being a leader?
Richard Martin, Grade 11
God does not wait for us to be perfect to allow us to lead! He takes us as we are; if we allow Him to work through us, we become the leader we were meant to be, and lead where He wants us to go. Paul says, “My dear friends, remember what you were when God chose you. The people of this world didn't think that many of you were wise. Only a few of you were in places of power, and not many of you came from important families. But God chose the foolish things of this world to put the wise to shame. He chose the weak things of this world to put the powerful to shame. What the world thinks is worthless, useless, and nothing at all is what God has used to destroy what the world considers important. God did all this to keep anyone from bragging to him. You are God's children. He sent Christ Jesus to save us and to make us wise, acceptable, and holy.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-30)
We all know that change is an inescapable part of our lives. How do we lead when things are always changing? How do we get others to follow us through this? How do we know how much to embrace?
Responding to change is a vital part of being a leader, but many of us resist doing so because we fear the unknown and because we cannot control it. When we act out of fear we miss opportunities to effectively lead and serve others through changing times. Let's change that.
Christina Hill, Grade 11
We don’t have to lead in fear and uncertainty. God has sent His Spirit to help us and work through us. Romans 8:26-28a says, “In certain ways we are weak, but the Spirit is here to help us. For example, when we don't know what to pray for, the Spirit prays for us in ways that cannot be put into words. All of our thoughts are known to God. He can understand what is in the mind of the Spirit, as the Spirit prays for God's people. We know that God is always at work for the good of everyone who loves him.”
When you build a house, you begin with a solid foundation. This foundation must be trustworthy because it's the base on which the entire house will rest. Once the foundation is set, the rest of the structure can be built. A well built house will stand the test of time and will provide a safe haven for those who live under it's roof.
Leadership is a lot like building a house. Solid relationships are built on a foundation of trust, which is a key component of leadership. The amount of trust that people place in us is directly proportionate to the level of influence we are able to have. We become more effective as leaders when we learn to build others up. Leading is actually more about serving than controlling. If you want to be the best leader, be the best servant.
Rachel Petrusma, Grade 11
Being a humble servant grows you into an effective and powerful leader. In Mark 9:33-35 we see how Jesus’ disciples had to learn this very thing: “Jesus and his disciples went to his home in Capernaum. After they were inside the house, Jesus asked them, ‘What were you arguing about along the way?’ They had been arguing about which one of them was the greatest, and so they did not answer. After Jesus sat down and told the twelve disciples to gather around him, he said, ‘ If you want the place of honor, you must become a slave and serve others!’"
The Chicken or the Egg? (What comes first?)
Have you ever felt that sinking feeling when you realize that you have too many things going on at once? Do you ever feel crippled by the amount of commitments you have? How do we get it all done? We have to prioritize and make decisions as to what is most important and necessary every day. We need to decide if the chicken or the egg will have our attention today! It's about choosing what to do first and what can wait until tomorrow. Leaders often have to give up things in order to accomplish others that will be more beneficial in the long run. Effective leaders are careful not to “sacrifice the eternal on the altar of the immediate,” and they have a healthy realization that they cannot do everything. What tough choices do you need to make?
Julia Wood, Grade 11
Many times the tough choices you need to make are between what is good and what is best. This challenge was presented to a woman named Martha by Jesus himself in Luke 10:38-42: “The Lord and his disciples were traveling along and came to a village. When they got there, a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat down in front of the Lord and was listening to what he said. Martha was worried about all that had to be done. Finally, she went to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, doesn't it bother you that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to come and help me!’ The Lord answered, ‘Martha, Martha! You are worried and upset about so many things, but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen what is best and it will not be taken away from her.’"
Everyone faces problems. Have you ever been to the doctor with a sore throat, runny nose, and joint pain? Often these are the symptoms that lead to the following statement: “You have the flu.” The doctor looks at the symptoms in order to determine the cause, or the real “problem”. Once the root problem is treated, the symptoms will disappear. If all the doctor did was give you a box of tissue and some pain killers, the flu bug would still be there.
Leaders are called on to help solve a variety of problems. We often need to dig through all of the “symptoms” to get to the root cause. There are always causes for problems, be they health concerns, family struggles, school challenges, or relationship issues. Solutions are found by leaders who take the time to look beneath the surface, ask good questions, and listen to those they lead. Will you take the time to ask the important, deep questions? Great leaders do.
Julia Wood, Grade 11
When you find that you need answers to important, deep questions, don’t forget to ask God! (Then, do what He says!) James 1:5-8 tells us, “If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won't correct you for asking. But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. If you are that kind of person, you can't make up your mind, and you surely can't be trusted. So don't expect the Lord to give you anything at all.”
