If I could name one of the hardest, but also most rewarding, parts of my job….that would be fairly easy: FINDING, TRAINING and DEVELOPING LEADERS. Do you TRACK with that?
John Maxwell in Developing the Leaders Around You writes: “A leader’s success can be defined as the maximum utilization of the abilities of those under him.” (or her).
Here in lies the problem, especially if you are in SMALL TOWN America: Getting people to come to SMALL TOWN America. We have a larger ministry comparatively across the United States and when we need to hire outside (which we prefer not to do) they say…LOUDONwhere???
Which takes us to leading from the inside out in our church family as a HUGE priority. That requires MASSIVE amounts of TIME, ENERGY and PATIENCE! But we are COMMITTED to doing this.
I and our new EXECUTIVE PASTOR (who is knocking it out of the park) have recently re-organized my schedule around LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT and I have begun MENTORING 3 people who we have identified with LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL, one of which has already joined our staff as ASHLAND CAMPUS PASTOR.
So…what about you? How do you do it in either a LARGE community or the challenge of a SMALL community? Hit the COMMENTS button below and let’s help each other on this one.
Blessing and peace to you and HONOR to our LEADER, Jesus Christ!
pic: http://flickr.com/photos/lumaxart/2137729430/
I agree 100%. I would LOVE to be able to change my schedule in order to spend more time with future leaders…Two things get in the way (unfortunately). First, just the business of being the associate pastor and all the ministries and tasks that need my involvement. That’s definitely where I need to start making some changes this year! Second, it’s the business of these up and coming leaders. I’m just amazed at how BUSY small town people are! Their family networks are bigger, they have more kids and everyone is in sports and other types of activities. Then throw in the fact that a lot of them work out on the road or are farmers and their work schedules are huge!I thought Small Town life was supposed to be more relaxed… but leaders here are twice as busy as anyone I know in the city!Definitely makes for some exciting and challenging ministry
Man…I’m glad someone else besides me said that.I honestly can’t go to the grocery store (yes store…we have 1) in town or it takes an hour to get a gallon of milk.There are such unique challenges, that is why I am excited to network with others at THE STICKS conference this fall.charles