So I posted yesterday about how my dog training is helping me discover how to encourage others and lead more effectively.
Let me be real honest and then maybe you can help me work this out. I feel as a 26 year old church planter and lead pastor that i am a bad leader. "Bad may be to harsh" but inexperienced leader. I think that all leaders make mistakes like crazy there first time at the helm. Youth pastors make them and there youth groups of 30-100 are effected little compared to a main church. I was never a youth pastor. In some ways i feel like I skipped steps. On the other hand i know that God called me and that my path was intentional and not the normal way. We wanted to plant later in life but it was like a cosmic magnet drawing us to this place and time... God is amazing like that. So here is my dilemma.
I am a 26 year old newbie who has seen amazing growth in the two years we have been working on this. From 2-150 (last week). But i am frustrated with myself when i make mistakes or hurt others or frustrate my team or don't know what to do. My wife told me today as I was in my pitty party cave... Doesn't that sound like God? You are out of your natural ability and doesn't that seem to lend to Him giving you what you lack? and Isn't that what growth is all about? then she laid out something she does periodical that really bakes my beans... in a good way.
"Who are your peers?" she asks and before i can respond she says Craig Groschel is not you Peer, Rob Ketterling is not your peer, who is your peer?
I don't know... I guess I don't really have any peers in this game of Church planting. Who plants a church with relatively no experience and who is 26 years old? as you can tell there can be room for some insecurity but God has taken me thus far. Right?
Here is my problem... i have an amazing desire to be in control. I want to control things that are amazingly out of my control and it drives me crazy. So... When i give it up to God i am so much more at Peace. when I let my team do there thing and not feel the need to micromanage or control every step then i am at peace and they are more satisfied.
So what have I learned, you ask. I have learned that I am not perfect yet. and that it is OK to make mistakes and that I am going to be an awesome leader in 5-10 years. But that what God has done is truly to his credit because I am not the one to Praise. Finally I learned that my wife is amazing and I need to buy her flowers or something.
So back to the school of Life Leadership 101.
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