By: Bishop Dag Heward-Mills

All over the world, wealth and promotion have come to those who have learnt new things and implemented them. These new things are called innovations. Innovations are the source of wealth in our world today. New inventions like drones, iPads, computers, modern cars, modern gadgets, mobile phones and laptops have attracted the greatest inflows of wealth ever known to mankind. Learning new things is an essential part of a good leader!

Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, WHO WILL NO MORE BE ADMONISHED. For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.

Ecclesiastes 4:13-14

It is a terrible thing when a person does not want to learn new things any longer. Anyone who lives under the leadership of someone who does not learn new things will be poor. The Bible clearly warns about the danger of not learning new things. The effect of not learning new things is to inflict generalised poverty on all your followers.

Four Signs That You Are Not Learning New Things

When you are not learning new things, you do not have any new ideas to implement in your ministry, your business or in your life.

Many leaders and governments lack new ideas and they continue to do the same old things again and again. It is no wonder that nations, which are under such leaders are poor. A good leader must constantly have some new idea that he is implementing.

2. When you are not learning new things, you do not read much.

Watch out for those who do not read much! In this pitiful state, there is no new book and there is no new material that you are digesting.

Martin Luther sparked off the greatest revolution the church has ever known and transformed the whole world. This great revolution and reformation came about not because of a vision that Martin Luther had seen. It came about because Martin Luther read the Bible. This revolution came about because of what he read. He had the Bible but had not been reading it. Those who despise the art of reading are despising their own lives and ministry. History has proven the power of books and the power of reading!

From being an unknown priest, Martin Luther has become one of the best-known names in Christendom – all through the power of books and the power of reading. Through reading, a leader will discover amazing things which will help his forward march.

3. When you are not learning new things, you are not under pressure to study, to practice and to train.

If you are a singer who has to learn a new song you will be under pressure to learn the lyrics, practice and train for your new song! When I went on the evangelistic trail, I came under pressure to learn how to preach evangelistic sermons. I came under pressure to minister with miracles, signs and wonders. This new pressure revealed to me that I was in a state of learning. I was learning something new for the ministry.

4. When you are not learning new things, no one will criticise you.

Criticism is a sign that you are climbing a new mountain. The lack of criticism is actually a bad sign. Scoffers and mockers gather around anyone doing anything new, waiting to see if it will work. When you are learning new things you will sense the presence of people observing, watching and waiting with bated breath.

How can a leader stop learning new things? If what you know now is all that you will ever know, then I pity you. A true leader is a true learner. I learn so many new things every year that I get amazed. That is why the Bible teaches that to the making of many books there is no end.

Many people feel that they know everything. This is unfortunate! No true leader thinks like that. I have realised that I can learn things from people in my church, in my city and in my country. I can learn things from spiritual leaders as well as secular leaders.

Do you consider yourself a leader? Then decide to never stop learning! What I want you to understand is that learning does not only take place by reading books. You can learn a lot from the things around you. You can learn a lot from the people that you see every day. You can learn a lot from some fellow ministers. You can learn a lot from rival companies and businesses. Never stop learning new things! You will only go forward when you make it your business to continually learn new things.

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