Who can you trust? Who will help you lead your church? In my estimation, people usually have one of these attitudes concerning leadership.
#1 – “Can Do”
This is the person that if you tell them you sense God’s leading you to land a 747 on the stage of your church, they immediately begin to brainstorm as to how it can be done. They have a fire and passion and really do believe that NOTHING is impossible with God.
However, they ARE realistic! I have several members on the team I serve with that will say, “I love that idea Perry, now, let me tell you what it will take in order for that to happen,” and then they proceed to tell me the things that I may not be aware of in regards to the implementation of the vision. They aren’t saying we can’t do it…they just want me to know all that it is going to take.
I LOVE THIS…I love it when staff are realistic…every leader should.
#2 – “Can’t Do”
Many times staff or lay leaders like to refer to themselves as “the devil’s advocate,” they are always finding reasons things can’t get done and seem to bring a negative tone to every meeting they are in. I have said it before, I will say it again…the devil does not need aa advocate, he is doing fine all by himself. The person that is always saying that something can’t be done is USUALLY saying so because if the vision that is being cast is put into play then it will cause either a greater amount of work for them…OR require them to leave their comfort zone.
These people drain the you, others, and are not an asset to your team!
#3 – “Won’t Do”
These are the people on staff that are more obsessed with their giftings than their calling…and so if they are asked to do something that isn’t in line with their perceived gifts then they refuse to do it. They refuse to broaden their perspective, and their “gift” can become their idol! James 3:17 states that the wisdom of God is “pure, peaceable, open to reason full of mercy and good fruits without uncertainty or insincerity…”
If a staff member (including the senior pastor) isn’t willing to do whatever it takes to make the vision God has given happen then that team will NEVER accomplish all that it could accomplish. If someone on staff makes it a common practice to declare what they will not do in regards to executing the vision of the church then they are not pursuing Jesus (who, in servant-humility, washed the feet of His disciples in John 13). Loving confrontation may be needed and the individual challenged to consider that our gifts do make us unique…but we all have the same calling, to do whatever it takes to reach as many people as possible who are far from God.
#4 – “Didn’t Know I Could Do”
The disciples had no idea they could do what they wound up doing until a leader came along (Jesus) who saw their potential, was constantly challenging them to go beyond themselves and attempt the “impossible.”
John Mark had no idea of what he was capable of until Barnabas believed in him.
Timothy was just a guy in the church until the Apostle Paul spotted greatness in him and mentored him to assist him in his ministry.
Many people in our churches and on our staff are able to do way beyond their current service potential…they just lack the self-awareness and the God-given self-confidence to pursue a vision because a leader has never dared to believe in them nor challenged them to leave their comfort zone.
Great power is produced when the people believe in their leader…it is even a more powerful when a leader believes in the people who sere alongside him.
This blog was edited by PITI staff.