It might have started for me when Rick Warren tweeted that he would never hire anyone that has not been through some sort of huge pain in their lives. Really?

It has reared itself in my life and in the lives of some of my friends who are pastors and leaders a lot lately. And I truly believe that if you have not done this, then you are probably not leading at a top-level…yet.

It’s simple: *LEADERS AREN’T  DEFINED BY WHAT THEY DO DURING THE GOOD TIMES.

Leaders are defined and are truly leaders when they face the darkest night of their souls, and they stay with it to see the sun rise in the morning.

When they face that dark night, they don’t give in, they don’t quit, they don’t go back the other way. They lead. They trust God, they put all of those sermons and learnings to practice and they lead. Think about Jesus in his final week: beaten, battered abused, lied about, betrayed, denied by his followers, family and people he came to redeem. [And you thought your week/month/year was bad].

It was in that moment that He became our Savior. It wasn’t the miracles, the great teachings, the wise words, or even the love that he showed to others. It was the pain and agony of the cross that he endured that made him our Savior. He didn’t quit.

This is why you are a RARE breed as a leader, because there are not many who could endure what you endure and still trust Jesus and still lead well. Those that lead when they don’t want to, when they feel that they can’t, when the world is caving in around them…they are true leaders.

Leaders and followers of Jesus: You know that the testing and wandering in the desert refines you and makes you stronger [the Word tells us so]. The big question is whether you will stay in the game or wuss out. It is in that moment that you will be defined as a true leader like our Savior did when he went through his darkest hours, and he stuck it out to see not only the sun rise, but to see the redemption of humanity.

You have been called to the same. I don’t want to hear about your easy victories, I want to know if you are a true follower of Christ or a true leader by the battles you have been in and whether or not you pulled on your armor when you were battered to go out and to fight another day.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear NO EVIL, because you are with me…your rod and your staff, they comfort me. [Psalm 23]

My blog is called UTTERMOST, because our family has been called to “Go where no one else wants to go.” From a small rural farm town to the most unchurched, “Truman Show” place in the country where there are 25+ cities in my back yard without 1 church [non-LDS] at all. BY THE WAY…there is a reason there are no churches here or no life-giving ones where you are.

Here are 3 tough lessons you have to grip to lead well where God has called you.

1. The grass is not greener on the other side. Stop dreaming of bigger and better. Maybe God will unleash his power when you start dreaming BIG dreams for places no one else wants to go instead of dreaming of building the next large church in a large city. [Jesus came from Nazareth, a very out-of-the-way place on no ones radar! John 1.46]

2. Plant HIS kingdom and not YOUR church. Stories of large churches in crazy places is NOT the norm. Yes, I pastored one of them, but again, it is not the norm! I would have thought anything less than a campus launch of 300 [even in a small town] was not a “success” when I pastored in Ohio. Now in this place I find myself, we are looking to plant 10 healthy, disciple-making churches of 200+, rather than just 1 church of 2,000! I am so much more about expanding THE kingdom instead of just MY kingdom. [We need planters here in Utah...if you are called, hit me up.] Acts 1.8

3. Your family really does come first after your God. Rock-stars of the Christian world pull their pants on one leg at a time, trust me. Many of you are working for things that are not eternal. You are building a church to “reach” people with a potentially hidden agenda: to get recognized and to be “on the radar.” I know I used to live this way. The day I gave up chasing that agenda, God opened up all kinds of doors for me to speak, share and write on how GOD has expanded His kingdom somehow through our family and our team. [You shall have NO other Gods before me is ringing in my ears.]

Does your wife really know that you would QUIT tomorrow to bus tables at Olive Garden if it were between your ministry and your marriage? Honestly, mine does…now.

Going where no one else wants to go is not for the weak. It is harder than any other calling on the face of the planet. Cheers to those of you who will never get the credit…God sent His best to a small town, an out-of-the-way place, a nothing town. Hmmmm…maybe he did that with you too.

Christians…followers of Christ…disciples…we have a chance to let our light shine. No wonder people don’t want to be a part of our tribe after some of the crazy things I have already read tonight.

What would Jesus say to us about Bin Laden’s death? Read Matthew 5: “The Beatitudes” …how about to forgive 70×7? If your enemy wants you to go 1 mile, go 2. If he wants your tunic, give him all your clothes. If he is hungry, feed him. Love your enemies and pray for them…even the tax collectors love those who love them back…I tell you to love those who hate you…Crap, read anything in the gospels written in red. Jesus embodied radical discipleship that got him hung on a cross.

Let’s not gloat in patriotic celebration. Let’s mourn that another life probably went into eternity without knowing Jesus.

I am 100% for our troops and our country. I am 100% for justice and for my family’s safety. [I used to be a cop in the inner-city and I didn't carry the sword in vain {Romans 13}] But I am 100% for Jesus, faith, forgiveness, grace, mercy and truth. And that comes first. Who holds the scales of justice after all?

My simple challenge is to look at this event through the lens of Scripture and remember that justice is not ours, it is the Lord’s. We all deserve a criminals death don’t we?

I am so glad he pardoned me, a murderer, thief, liar and wretched sinner [terrorist] and one day, though I deserve punishment and death, he will not gloat over my sin…instead, he will pardon me too because I have put my faith in him..

The gospel is all about how we live out and embody what has been expended for us. Let’s live grace-filled, gospel-centered lives, even though it’s not going to be a popular stance to take. Asking for Bin Laden’s body to be hanged, burned, beaten and scourged as I have read tonight sounds like another event that happened 2,000 years ago.

Jesus is the only one that didn’t deserve it. We all deserve the wrath, punishment and justice of a holy God. Let’s rejoice today not that another life has been taken, because someone will rise to take Bin Laden’s place in terrorizing this world [tomorrow, someone will take his place on the FBI's most wanted list]; but let us rejoice knowing that God won’t gloat when my sinful body is destroyed one day…because I deserve it as well.

To our troops…you did as you were ordered and you did not carry the sword in vain. You help us rest easy until the next criminal or threat comes along. You risked your life to lay it down for mine and for that I say, THANK YOU!

And for those of us who claim to be followers of Christ, let’s truly follow Christ and show that we can live out the gospel and react in ways that are not proud; but humble, just and mercy-filled.

God has given Usama Bin Laden 10 years [actually his entire life] since the attacks he mercilessly orchestrated to repent and turn to him. Justice is His, not ours. May that be our status update tomorrow.

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“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.” Romans 12.17 [niv]

“Do not say, ‘I’ll do to him as he has done to me; I’ll pay that man back for what he did.’” Proverbs 24.29 [niv]

“For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.” Romans 13.4 [niv]

“It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.” Deuteronomy 32.35 [niv]

“Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,’ says the Lord.” Romans 12.19 [nasb]

Read Matthew 5 and allow the Spirit to teach and guide your response. I have a feeling that this passage will mess you up.