Jul
19
Being His Instrument
By on July 19, 2009
Working with the Leadership Summit coaches this past term has been such a pleasure. They encourage and touch my heart in so many ways. This year I have been working at increasing my own passion as well as over flowing into others so that they want to increase and pursue their own passion. Recently Thapelo, one of the Leadership Summit coaches, wrote, “My passion increases more and more every time I come back from my classes. I really feel like doing that all over Free State.” I work so hard personally and within ministry for words like these. I am so thankful that God has chosen me to be His instrument.
- Cassie Phillips, Coach Development Manager
Posted in
Leadership Summit, Leadership in Ministry
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Mar
5
Second Decade (3 of 3)
By on March 5, 2008
Even more lessons from our first 10 years of ministry that I’m taking with me into our second decade…
- Develop your team. Each person is responsible for their own personal growth and development, but it’s on your shoulders as a leader to provide as many opportunities for that as possible. Pour into your team through planned and unplanned development times. You won’t develop outwardly if you’re not developing inwardly.
- Let your team know they have freedom to fail. As leaders, we need to be quick to recognize how often we ourselves fail; that makes it easier to accept the failures of our team members. While giving people the freedom to make mistakes, let them know you expect them to learn from their failures. Coach them so that next time around, they don’t fail in the same way. Make new mistakes rather than repeating old ones.
- Don’t hold things with a closed fist. It’s all God’s anyway, and He can give it to whomever He wishes. Hold people, finances, possessions, and ideas with an open hand, ready to give when prompted. We’re called to be stewards, not owners.
- Maintain a teachable spirit. There are few things more distasteful in a leader than arrogance. Don’t think you know it all, because you don’t. Ask questions; listen intently; seek out opportunities to learn everyday. A humble leader is a learner.
- Burnout is real. Find ways to pull away from ministry work. Spend time with friends outside the ministry. Force yourself to unwind; take a physical, mental, and emotional break from your work. A burned-out leader no longer leads; she just maintains.
Mar
4
Second Decade (2 of 3)
By on March 4, 2008
Here are some more lessons from our first decade of ministry that will help me as we head into our second.
- Do what only you can do. There is so much work to be done, and in the early years you’re forced to be involved in all of it as you get things off the ground. As soon as possible, though, start delegating. Determine those things that only you can or should do, and focus more of your time on doing those things. Delegate anything that doesn’t fit into that. Spend your time and energy on that which makes you the strongest asset to your team.
- Give authority with responsibility. If you give someone a job, give them full authority to actually do it. Paint the picture of the end-result you’re looking for, but give them the freedom to determine how they get there. Micro-management inhibits impact. Trust your team; they have strengths in areas you don’t.
- Do it afraid. Don’t wait until you have all the answers or feel fully confident before you step out and do what God’s called you to do. Courageous leadership means making tough choices when you don’t feel brave at all. Fear paralyzes, but courage shrugs its shoulders and takes a step anyway.
Mar
3
Second Decade (1 of 3)
By on March 3, 2008
I’ve been in Africa for almost ten years. I arrived as a clueless 19-year old, with nothing more than a heart for Africa and a suitcase filled with things I deemed important. I’ve learned a lot on this journey so far, and I know I will only continue to learn more.
Here are some lessons from our first decade of ministry that I’m taking with me into our second. I haven’t mastered any of these yet; sharing what I’ve learned is a good reminder for me to live out what I know to be true.
- Get clarity on your vision, and stick to it. There will always be a ton of things you can do, but you need to focus on what you should do. Get clarity on the specifics God has called you to, and use that as the yardstick you measure every opportunity against. If you’re presented with something that’s a great idea, will impact a lot of people, and help meet a need, but doesn’t line up with the vision God’s given you, say no. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
- Everyone should know the vision. Your vision statement shouldn’t be restricted to a plaque on the wall or a page on your website. It should drip out of you every time you open your mouth. It should come up every time you address your team, explain a decision, or talk strategy. Your team should hear the vision so often that they can–and do–easily share it with others. That means it needs to be concise; if you can’t sum up your vision in one sentence, you need more clarity. Momentum in ministry only occurs when everyone’s clear where you’re headed.
- The right people make all the difference. Look for people who support the vision, are high in competence, are strong in character, and with whom you have chemistry. They need to be passionate about going in the same direction as you, otherwise they’ll bring division. Your work is too important not to have people who are skilled at what they do; don’t settle for those who are simply willing to serve. You also don’t want someone who is extremely gifted but lacking in character; integrity matters highly. And while it’s foolish to expect everyone to be best friends, it’s vital that a staff member clicks with their supervisor and direct coworkers; the emotional taxing that occurs otherwise just isn’t worth it. A strong team multiplies ministry effectiveness.