A Fact and A Question ((For My Student Leaders))

Hey, Gang.  Again, welcome back to Second Semester.  Here we go for another semester of little leadership blurbs from Kenton.  I am excited to try to give you guys some information that can be useful to you throughout the rest of this year and your life.  There are strong leaders in this room, and it is my honor to be able to speak a little bit into your lives.

So let’s start this semester with looking at the big picture of why you are here, what we are doing, and why we are doing it.  But this won’t be a normal “why” speech that I have been harping on you guys for this year.  Instead, I want us to look at an over-arching view of leadership in your own lives.  For this semester, each Wednesday night I am going to do a new thing called “A Fact and a Question”.  Tonight – in the midst of a difficult second semester that needs a lot of determination and effort to push through the obstacles – we are going to zoom out and look at a BIGGER WHY for your leadership.

Fact: The world needs leaders.  This is a simple and probably obvious statement, but it is no less true.  The world needs leaders.  If you read about the problems with the American economy, the desperate social issues happening in developing countries around the world, or the struggles with families in today’s culture – all of the answers and solutions point toward leadership.  The world needs leaders.  For our society in America and in the global community to push forward and continue to progress and thrive – the world needs leaders.  Strong leaders.  Tough leaders.  Smart leaders.  Leaders who can get things done.  Leaders who can rally people.  Leaders who can inspire people.  Leaders who can do the right thing.  The world needs leaders.  Cities need leaders.  Communities need leaders.  And I believe that there are people in this room who feel a stirring in their heart when I say things like that.  You want to be one of those leaders – a leader who can carry on what other generations have worked toward.  A leader who can put people around them in a position to succeed and be fulfilled.  The world needs leaders – and you want to be one of them.

Question: What kind of leader will you be?  You are definitely currently a leader in your own right.  But what kind of leader will you be throughout your life?  What kind of leader will you be in 5 years, 10 years, 20 years?  The world needs leaders.  We are lost without leaders.  So what kind of leader will you be?

Well, you know where to find the answer for that, right?  It is plain as day.  The evidence for what kind of leader you will be one day when the world needs you is shown every single day right now.  You are currently practicing your leadership.  You are setting the habits and attitudes for your leadership.  First semester was a reflection of your leadership.  Second semester will be a reflection of your leadership.

So what kind of leader will you be?

One that slows down … or one that pushes through.
One that shrinks beneath obstacles… or one that creatively and courageously overcomes.
One that quits early… or one that carries on to the end
One that sits… or one that serves.

The world needs leaders…. What kind of leader will you be?