Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Leadership
Leadership as a concept has been explored for thousands of years. It can be found in ancient texts from China to Egypt. Our fascination with it has never dwindled because it is part of our understanding of who we are as a society.
I believe leadership should be a journey of discovery with an aim to transform something for the better and to develop potential in others. It is not a solitary quest but one that harnesses the energy of those around you.
As I wrote last month we are working on developing our young leaders on Wednesday nights. Not just leadership, but “Spiritual Leadership”. The goal of becoming a spiritual leader is to help others come to know God and to glorify him in all that they do. Spiritual leadership is aimed not so much at directing others as it is at changing them.
If we would be the kind of leaders we ought to be, we must make it our aim to develop people rather than dictate plans. You can get people to do what you want, but if they don't change in their heart you have not led them spiritually. You have not taken them to where God wants them to be.
Through the course of my teaching career I have been exposed to many ideas of what makes a true leader. Most recently I heard a definition that stated, “a leader is someone that takes less than his fair share of the credit and more of his fair share of the blame.”
As Christians we have a greater understanding of this definition of leadership. We have the ultimate example in Jesus. Can you think of anyone else who took less than his fair share of the credit? More importantly, someone who took more than his fair share of the blame?
Consider this month the changes our youth will make in the lives of others, as they are moving forward in becoming “Spiritual Leaders”. On October 12, the teens will be attending the Leadership Ranch in Republic. There they will develop communication skills, encounter team building activities and discover how each individual has their own God given gifts. Read Matthew 5:14-16, think of our Teen Ministry and continue to pray for us as we continue to grow.
I believe leadership should be a journey of discovery with an aim to transform something for the better and to develop potential in others. It is not a solitary quest but one that harnesses the energy of those around you.
As I wrote last month we are working on developing our young leaders on Wednesday nights. Not just leadership, but “Spiritual Leadership”. The goal of becoming a spiritual leader is to help others come to know God and to glorify him in all that they do. Spiritual leadership is aimed not so much at directing others as it is at changing them.
If we would be the kind of leaders we ought to be, we must make it our aim to develop people rather than dictate plans. You can get people to do what you want, but if they don't change in their heart you have not led them spiritually. You have not taken them to where God wants them to be.
Through the course of my teaching career I have been exposed to many ideas of what makes a true leader. Most recently I heard a definition that stated, “a leader is someone that takes less than his fair share of the credit and more of his fair share of the blame.”
As Christians we have a greater understanding of this definition of leadership. We have the ultimate example in Jesus. Can you think of anyone else who took less than his fair share of the credit? More importantly, someone who took more than his fair share of the blame?
Consider this month the changes our youth will make in the lives of others, as they are moving forward in becoming “Spiritual Leaders”. On October 12, the teens will be attending the Leadership Ranch in Republic. There they will develop communication skills, encounter team building activities and discover how each individual has their own God given gifts. Read Matthew 5:14-16, think of our Teen Ministry and continue to pray for us as we continue to grow.
Start of a New Year!
The 2008-2009 school year is well under way. The excitement of comparing class schedules, meeting new teachers, seeing old friends and making new ones will soon fade and the realization of the day-to-day routine will soon set in. The question that concerns me is, “what will the youth of Lebanon look for to restore the feelings of excitement?” What options do they have? Cruising town on the weekend and going to parties where they may encounter drugs, alcohol or other tribulations are a couple of frequent activities Lebanon’s youth find to do.
What are we doing at SHCC to help equip our youth to make the right choices in their own lives AND positively influence the lives of their peers? We have assembled a team of sponsors that are dedicated to providing a place where our youth can find the true excitement of life. Chris Brown, Mary Fox, Ryan & Danielle Shoemaker, Daniel Peregoy and myself are passionate about this ministry and the opportunity to serve.
As profound, relevant, and funny as we think we may be . . . teenagers still listen to each other more than a youth sponsor. This is a fact that we can’t deny--students talking to each other usually means more to them than adults talking to them. For this reason, we have chosen a curriculum for Wednesday nights that will help equip our youth for leading their peers and taking charge of as much of the ministry as they want or are able—including: helping and evangelizing their peers and planning and executing their own youth ministry activities.
Our lessons for discipling student leaders start in the Bible and reach into teenagers’ experiences to prepare them for leadership roles. In our first lesson we discussed how Moses was an unlikely leader, but God used him to do great things! We discussed the qualities of true leadership and how it is easy to question God’s plan for us. A good lesson for ALL of us is to learn how to step out of our comfort zone and discover how to allow God to work through each of us as a leader. Have faith in God, believe in yourself and remember Isaiah 6:8 “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
What are we doing at SHCC to help equip our youth to make the right choices in their own lives AND positively influence the lives of their peers? We have assembled a team of sponsors that are dedicated to providing a place where our youth can find the true excitement of life. Chris Brown, Mary Fox, Ryan & Danielle Shoemaker, Daniel Peregoy and myself are passionate about this ministry and the opportunity to serve.
As profound, relevant, and funny as we think we may be . . . teenagers still listen to each other more than a youth sponsor. This is a fact that we can’t deny--students talking to each other usually means more to them than adults talking to them. For this reason, we have chosen a curriculum for Wednesday nights that will help equip our youth for leading their peers and taking charge of as much of the ministry as they want or are able—including: helping and evangelizing their peers and planning and executing their own youth ministry activities.
Our lessons for discipling student leaders start in the Bible and reach into teenagers’ experiences to prepare them for leadership roles. In our first lesson we discussed how Moses was an unlikely leader, but God used him to do great things! We discussed the qualities of true leadership and how it is easy to question God’s plan for us. A good lesson for ALL of us is to learn how to step out of our comfort zone and discover how to allow God to work through each of us as a leader. Have faith in God, believe in yourself and remember Isaiah 6:8 “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
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