On the Leader Ship

    “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-13

  I am greatly relieved we have been provided a video series on what leadership in the church should look like. There are some thought provoking questions asked as well, over and above what the series covers.

  Living solo provides few opportunities to have any sort of a conversation about these things. That, and because I think more clearly through writing (it sinks in better), I felt the next few mornings will provide an opportunity to ponder some answers, ideas and perhaps, pose a few questions of my own.

  Smile. Who am I kidding? Of course there will be questions!

  Firstly, this is stretching my abilities to think about the future. It has always been a huge stumbling block. Maybe it’s time to shed old fears in order to step out with confidence in my new role as part of my church’s board of directors.

  Let's start by assessing where I am at. I mentioned yesterday that working in peer support has already taught me many of the attributes of a good leader. I need to identify what exactly those attributes are.  

  As a professional peer support worker…I guess it is professional because I have attended training and continue to work to improve my abilities in this paid position.

  Paid or not, it is all about serving others by listening, encouraging, empowering, and honouring their stories and experiences. It isn’t a position where I need to have all the answers but a role of giving space to each individual to discover their own best answers. My role is not to fix problems but to come alongside others as they pursue truth and wellness. What that looks like is as diverse as the population I serve.

  What do I do? It could be something as mundane as helping to organize some paperwork. It also might mean listening to some heart wrenching life experiences. It might be getting someone a cup of coffee or showing them where such things are so they can help themselves. Keeping the space clean and welcoming is also part of serving.

  It’s a role where I have had ample opportunity to practice letting go of judgment. Most of the time I can…sometimes not so much. Those are teachable moments that help me uncover my own prejudices and ignorance!

  Hmmm…these things I do are also a huge part of who I am. I don’t need to change because my new role involves the church. If anything it adds a dimension better than anything I could ever imagine. I can openly utilize the greatest tools of my faith: prayer and keeping my eyes on Jesus. To lead is to follow and who better to follow than Jesus!

  Which leads (smile) into an area I need to explore further:  what is it about Jesus that makes Him the ideal expression of love? His sacrifice on the Cross is only one fraction of His holy purpose.

  Looks like I am going to be doing another Bible study! Lord, guide me to the passages I need to explore. Help me see and learn and grow from this. In Jesus name, AMEN!