Leaders Lead...

BEing part of the Pastor Cluster groups in the Northwest Baptist Convention is providing me a refreshing look at the role of a pastor. Yesterday's presentation by Carter Shotwell of LakePointe Church in Rockwell TX was a fascinating overview of a process they use in their church for involving people in adult Bible study groups. I have yet to digest all the information Carter shared, but one piece has stuck with me all through the night and into this morning. He made the statement, Leaders lead. They don' do. What struck me is how easily I fall into the pattenr of doing. Something is broken, I fix it instead of enlisting someone else who is better qualified and has more time. A project is stalled and instead of helping the leader move his or her project forward I pcik up the reins and move the project forward. That is not the job of a leader. Whenever I fix that broken piece or move someone's project forward, I deprive them of a chance to learn and to serve. I have to learn to lead- to someitmes let things be broken until someone else steps us, to allow projects to stall (and heaven forbid maybe even fail) so that others can learn from their experiences.
Delegation has never been easy for me. As a single staff pastor I have grown into a jack of all trades but master of none. As I grow older I want to learn to delegate, to give others the joy and experience of acting. I want to lead- to dream big dreams, to vision projects that require faith, to focus on issues that demand more from me and those around me. In other words, being a leader means finding the direction, charting the course, and staying true to the vision of the organization.
Writers write, singers sing, and leaders lead!