Thoughts on Leadership... Part One
A week ago Saturday, Jeff and I attended the first of a year-long a leadership training seminar that our pastor and his wife are holding at our church. Based on what I walked away learning, the purpose of this part of the course was to take the word "leadership" and strip it down to the biblical definition rather than continue to hold it up to the sociatal definition.
It was really easy to go into this thinking that nothing they had to say would be anything "new" to me... but rather, a reminder of things that I was taught long ago in the leader conferences that Delta Fellowship had. Boy... was I wrong. In this very first "lesson", I was blown away with how incorrect my mind-set had been over the years. Whether it was always this way, or morphed into this thinking over time, I don't know. But I'm glad to have it shoved in my face so that I can see my thoughts for what they are and allow God to make the necessary changes in me.
Anyway... I wanted to outline a little of what we learned... and will probably do this with each meeting so that I can place it in a "favorites" catagory for future readings and remindings. I'm quite certain I'll need them. If you don't care to read it all, at least go down about half-way and read the part that has the heading: "Major Hit on the Head". The comparisons there are... wow.
The Leader As Patient:
That is, the leader as a doctor's patient... not as in "long suffering".
Ministry is like the sacrificial system: It's not something we do for God, but something God does for us.
The Sacrifice:
a. Lay down our lives for Christ's sake and the gospel's
b. Leave behind everything that represents security
c. Choose the downward road toward servanthood and being last
The Reward:
a. Life, real life, eternal life that begins now
b. Homes, family, security: both in this life and the life to come
c. Greatness, a life of impact, touching the lives of others
Question: What does it mean that we are servants of God?
Ref: 1Chr 6:49, 2Chr 24:9, Neh 10:29, Dan 9:11, Rev 15:3, Titus 1:1, James 1:1
Answer:We serve others in God's name and with God's resources in order that people might see, not our kindness, but God's great love and heart for them.
The Economy of God: What then does God want from us? Does He receive nothing from us and from our humble service? He wants offerings of thanksgiving (Ps 50:14): He wants our gratitude and our worship, our honor and the best intentions of our hearts. He desires these things and they honor him when we bring thiem. He simply doesn't want us to work for Him.
MAJOR HIT ON THE HEAD BELOW!!
We have tended, over the years, to view leadership as society views it... as a job. But God's view of leadership is much different. He views it as a doctor's prescription offered to us as individuals to help grow, nuture and change us into His character. Often, we begin as patients and end up as employees. Is our ministy a work for God, or part of His work for us?
Here are the comparision charts that show the different mindsets.
Job Description vs. Doctor's Prescription
Leadership as a Job -
Goal: Receiveing wages in the form of...
a. approval, or respect from others (or God)
b. paying down a debt of gratitude toward God
c. feeling of significance in having an impact on others or the group
d. feeling of superiority because of being in leadership
Leadership as a Doctor's Prescription -
Goal: Receiving health intrinsic rewards associated with trusting God and loving people. Could include...
a. healing from selfishness and self focus
b. healing from fear of risk or vulnerability
c. healing from low self-worth or sense of inability to make a difference in the lives of others.
Leadership as a Job -
Qualifications:
a. bible knowledge
b. expertise
c. experience
d. typical leadership traits (extroversion, self-confidence, etc).
Leadership as a Doctor's Prescription -
Qualifications:
a. faithful
b. available
c. teachable
d. evidence of God's healing already; a testimony of God's work.
Leadership as a Job -
Job Requirements: Things Leaders Do -
a. corporate worship
b. small group meetings
c. leadership team meetings
d. training sessions
e. conferences and retreats
f. meetings with group members
g. meetings with leadership team members
Leadership as a Doctor's Prescription -
Prescription for Health: Things Leaders Need -
a. Leaders need to learn how to love and lead others
b. Leaders need to learn how to depend on God
c. Leaders need to learn that time spent with others helps to help grow in love for them
Leadership as a Job -
Attitudes:
a. I just have to do it
b. If I don't, no one will
c. They (you, God) need(s) me
d. I am not really getting anything out of this
Leadership as a Doctor's Prescription -
Attitudes:
a. I learn more than my small group members from each discussion
b. How is God serving me in my role here? How much am I being healed?
c. I need to be in leadership (in ministry) much more than I am needed.
Leadership as a Job -
Long Term Results:
a. Pride - I have done great things for God. The glory goes to the worker.
b. Resentment - I have sacrificed a lot for God, for this church, for this ministry.
c. Burn Out - I have done as much as I can do
Leadership as a Doctor's Prescription -
Long Term Results:
a. Gratitude - God has done great things for me! The glory goes to the Worker!
b. Humility - I continue to receive much more than I give!
c. Enduring Motivation - I can never give enough!
Leadership as a Job -
Motivational Appeals:
a. Obligation - "Missed you at small group. Where were you?"
b. Guilt - "You really should have been there. We learned a lot"
c. Duty - "If you attend this church, you should come to this meeting"
Leadership as a Doctor's Prescription -
motivational Appeals:
a. Opportunity - "I wanted to call you because I didn't get to talk to you in small group."
b. Appeal - (didn't get this example)
c. Invitation - "I look forward to getting time to spend with you at the next church retreat."
d. Growth - (didn't get this example)
So... at the end of this meeting, I walked away realizing how much of my mindset toward service is "job" related. As a result, I'm suffering from a lot of the downsides that come along with that mode of operation. It's awesome to identify these weaknesses, but it'll be even more awesome to switch my thinking and begin seeing God's kingdom change because of God changing me. I can't wait!
It was really easy to go into this thinking that nothing they had to say would be anything "new" to me... but rather, a reminder of things that I was taught long ago in the leader conferences that Delta Fellowship had. Boy... was I wrong. In this very first "lesson", I was blown away with how incorrect my mind-set had been over the years. Whether it was always this way, or morphed into this thinking over time, I don't know. But I'm glad to have it shoved in my face so that I can see my thoughts for what they are and allow God to make the necessary changes in me.
Anyway... I wanted to outline a little of what we learned... and will probably do this with each meeting so that I can place it in a "favorites" catagory for future readings and remindings. I'm quite certain I'll need them. If you don't care to read it all, at least go down about half-way and read the part that has the heading: "Major Hit on the Head". The comparisons there are... wow.
The Leader As Patient:
That is, the leader as a doctor's patient... not as in "long suffering".
Ministry is like the sacrificial system: It's not something we do for God, but something God does for us.
The Sacrifice:
a. Lay down our lives for Christ's sake and the gospel's
b. Leave behind everything that represents security
c. Choose the downward road toward servanthood and being last
The Reward:
a. Life, real life, eternal life that begins now
b. Homes, family, security: both in this life and the life to come
c. Greatness, a life of impact, touching the lives of others
Question: What does it mean that we are servants of God?
Ref: 1Chr 6:49, 2Chr 24:9, Neh 10:29, Dan 9:11, Rev 15:3, Titus 1:1, James 1:1
Answer:We serve others in God's name and with God's resources in order that people might see, not our kindness, but God's great love and heart for them.
The Economy of God: What then does God want from us? Does He receive nothing from us and from our humble service? He wants offerings of thanksgiving (Ps 50:14): He wants our gratitude and our worship, our honor and the best intentions of our hearts. He desires these things and they honor him when we bring thiem. He simply doesn't want us to work for Him.
MAJOR HIT ON THE HEAD BELOW!!
We have tended, over the years, to view leadership as society views it... as a job. But God's view of leadership is much different. He views it as a doctor's prescription offered to us as individuals to help grow, nuture and change us into His character. Often, we begin as patients and end up as employees. Is our ministy a work for God, or part of His work for us?
Here are the comparision charts that show the different mindsets.
Job Description vs. Doctor's Prescription
Leadership as a Job -
Goal: Receiveing wages in the form of...
a. approval, or respect from others (or God)
b. paying down a debt of gratitude toward God
c. feeling of significance in having an impact on others or the group
d. feeling of superiority because of being in leadership
Leadership as a Doctor's Prescription -
Goal: Receiving health intrinsic rewards associated with trusting God and loving people. Could include...
a. healing from selfishness and self focus
b. healing from fear of risk or vulnerability
c. healing from low self-worth or sense of inability to make a difference in the lives of others.
Leadership as a Job -
Qualifications:
a. bible knowledge
b. expertise
c. experience
d. typical leadership traits (extroversion, self-confidence, etc).
Leadership as a Doctor's Prescription -
Qualifications:
a. faithful
b. available
c. teachable
d. evidence of God's healing already; a testimony of God's work.
Leadership as a Job -
Job Requirements: Things Leaders Do -
a. corporate worship
b. small group meetings
c. leadership team meetings
d. training sessions
e. conferences and retreats
f. meetings with group members
g. meetings with leadership team members
Leadership as a Doctor's Prescription -
Prescription for Health: Things Leaders Need -
a. Leaders need to learn how to love and lead others
b. Leaders need to learn how to depend on God
c. Leaders need to learn that time spent with others helps to help grow in love for them
Leadership as a Job -
Attitudes:
a. I just have to do it
b. If I don't, no one will
c. They (you, God) need(s) me
d. I am not really getting anything out of this
Leadership as a Doctor's Prescription -
Attitudes:
a. I learn more than my small group members from each discussion
b. How is God serving me in my role here? How much am I being healed?
c. I need to be in leadership (in ministry) much more than I am needed.
Leadership as a Job -
Long Term Results:
a. Pride - I have done great things for God. The glory goes to the worker.
b. Resentment - I have sacrificed a lot for God, for this church, for this ministry.
c. Burn Out - I have done as much as I can do
Leadership as a Doctor's Prescription -
Long Term Results:
a. Gratitude - God has done great things for me! The glory goes to the Worker!
b. Humility - I continue to receive much more than I give!
c. Enduring Motivation - I can never give enough!
Leadership as a Job -
Motivational Appeals:
a. Obligation - "Missed you at small group. Where were you?"
b. Guilt - "You really should have been there. We learned a lot"
c. Duty - "If you attend this church, you should come to this meeting"
Leadership as a Doctor's Prescription -
motivational Appeals:
a. Opportunity - "I wanted to call you because I didn't get to talk to you in small group."
b. Appeal - (didn't get this example)
c. Invitation - "I look forward to getting time to spend with you at the next church retreat."
d. Growth - (didn't get this example)
So... at the end of this meeting, I walked away realizing how much of my mindset toward service is "job" related. As a result, I'm suffering from a lot of the downsides that come along with that mode of operation. It's awesome to identify these weaknesses, but it'll be even more awesome to switch my thinking and begin seeing God's kingdom change because of God changing me. I can't wait!