A while ago my boss Pastor Brian talked with Age Group and Service Pastors about leadership and consistency.
Here are some notes from that session, which was EXCELLENT and REALLY helpful, so much so that I just wrote those two words in All-Caps!
#1 Ebbs and Flows
In everything there are ebbs and flows so you should never get too moved by what you see seasonally and day to day. As a Church we do our biggest comparisons from year to year. We do not let ourselves get too fazed by the ebbs and flows but rather look at the trends.
#2 Dry Seasons
When you are facing a season where it is dryer so to speak, your response and body language is very important. Your responsibility as a leader is to look upbeat and full of life all the time as it affects those around you. Your body language tells a big story.
In Jelena Dokic’s recent game at the Australian Open the commentators where saying that she gave too much away to her opponent in her body language. She looked defeated by the way she held herself and her opponent could tell.
People follow consistency. No one wants to be a part of something that is heavy or a drag. By all means be realistic, but speak life too. It’s a great key to taking something forward.
#3 & 4 Ask Yourself the Hard Questions and Avoid Excuses
Leadership is about being able to turn something around, throw fresh vision and lead it forward. Excuses just justify something in our own mind. Take the challenge and be more determined to make it better next time. Life is about learning! Don’t lose your confidence because that has no reward and will not help anyone, but rather ask yourself what about my leadership do I have to change? Be accountable to people around you that you look up too or are your peers and ask them what you can work on or change. Ask ‘What can I do about ME?’ not about what I DO.
Everyone here has strengths but we tend to have blind spots where our weaknesses are. Some of us are too soft, too strong, too quiet, too moved, too compassionate etc. You need to have people that will show you these and challenge you.
You also need to have a Godly wisdom. You don’t want to challenge someone who needs an arm around them or put an arm around someone who needs a challenge!
#5 Up Turn Every Stone
Good leaders are a step ahead of the trends. You ask the questions before there asked. You lead from the front foot, not the back.
What stone have you left unturned? What else could you do or try to grow your service from the inside? It doesn’t work to just put a great preacher up the front. It’s what is happening in the engine rooms – that’s YOU! Talk to the key people in your service, your spouse, your peers and ask ‘what are we not doing that we could be doing that could give us a boost and take us forward’. How can we build our volunteers and get people to Church on time?
Always be looking for something new, a new way, a new initiative. You never arrive in leadership.
#6 Learn From Each Other
In a competitive environment you keep things to yourself to help better only your area of responsibilities. But in a team environment we want to help each other along. Share your wins, knowledge and great ideas with each other. Don’t hold onto it, pass it on and also remember just because something didn’t work for someone else doesn’t mean it won’t work for you.
Who is doing what they are doing really well? If I was you I would harass them and find out what they are doing and how!
#7 Consistency is Critical
We always want to be open to changing and adjusting the way we do things but constant change is never the answer. Change for the sake of change doesn’t change or grow anything. Sometimes all that lots of change will do is just build disloyalty and unfamiliarity in your teams. Our Church, big picture and long term has always been very consistent and not promoted lots of change. The best seasons are often found in the midst of lots of plodding and not always just after change. It’s often after consistency that you see the change.
#8 Set Yourself Obtainable Goals
Small obtainable goals are a key to growth. Take small steps and hold that ground then take another small step instead of big unobtainable steps. Ps Brian’s goal back in the early days of Hillsong Church was to grow 10 people every month. A small obtainable goal, but if each month you hold onto that and then take a another little step forward, over a year that is great growth.
Slowly claw your way ahead rather than sit there helplessly and going backwards. Everyone just has to grow a little each month remembering small obtainable goals. Also be specific when believing where you are going to get those people from. Eg one New person, one New Christian, one Recommitment, one Family member etc.
#9 Avoid Striving For Numbers
People do notice striving. If you’re not seeing the break through you are hoping for, striving won’t see it either. People respond to passionate, earnest, inspirational leadership not striving, number focused leadership.
It important you have faith in your capacity in those times that are hard and don’t panic!
#10 Don’t be Looking for the Next Opportunity
It doesn’t matter where you find yourself in Church life, you can always find an excuse OR you can understand that you can use what is in your hand to make the Church go forward.
The Children’s ministry is a big asset to the Church. Lots of Children bring their parents to Church and not the other way round.
You can guarantee you won’t be giving your best if your heart is somewhere else. You can be doing all the right things and dotting all your i’s, but ultimately you are less effective and not fulfilling your potential if your heart is somewhere else. You have a much better chance at doing well at what you’re doing now if your whole heart is in it. You have a much better chance at getting where you want to ultimately by doing well in what you have now. ITS GOT TO HAVE YOUR HEART! If you passionate about your area it will be flowing out of you. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Speak it, think it, live it, have it in your heart. You will not do what you’re doing well if you’re just being ‘faithful’. Sometimes life is about dying to things.
![[Kid Inspiration]](http://www.davidwakerley.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/logo5.png){kind=logo}
…the Scriptures as God’s inspired Word, his authority for all aspects of life; the core of everything we do; the tool we use to introduce children to Jesus Christ and disciple them. A primary goal of our curriculum is to help children use, understand, and apply the Bible in daily life.
