Editor's Note (updated 8/19/13, 2:06PM EST) : This article is the first of a five-part series. Lesson two will be available on or before Monday, 9/26/13, and thereafter the weeks of 9/2, 9/9 and 9/16.
As Production Manager for Northview Church (Carmel, Ind.), I have several staff members and many volunteers who are looking up to me in different ways; some see me as a boss, others as a pastoral figure, and many as a friend. Until recently, I had never really thought of myself as a leader. Not sure why I didn't make the connection. For years, I thought leadership only applied to CEOs and Senior Pastors - never did it trickle down to myself as the production guy. Over the course of time, as I matured in my position, I began to see (as did others) that I had to become a leader to my teams. I suddenly became a dry sponge in search of information. John Maxwell couldn't write enough books for me to read.
One of the best resources I have found to feed this thirst of leadership knowledge is the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit.
In its 18 years, the annual conference has been bringing leaders from both the religious and secular fields to present their ideas of leadership. Pastors, business leaders, authors, and political figures have all taken the stage to share what they have learned. Over the past few years that I have been attending, it has changed my leadership (and personal) life.
I came to realize that I live much of my life in fear, and make many decisions based on that fear.
The 2013 summit opened like previous years with an engaging message from Bill Hybels, Senior pastor at Willow Creek Community Church, and Chairman of the Board for the Willow Creek Association (which is the entity responsible for putting on the summit). This year I had the privilege of attending the conference from the host site in South Barrington, IL. Hybels' challenge to the 75,000 in attendance across the country was to be courageous in their leadership.
Joshua 1:9 “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid, do not become discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
I find myself afraid a lot - afraid I'll make the wrong decision, or afraid I'll fail. In leadership, we have to do hard things that require courage; regardless of how scared it makes us. Hybels has reiterated for years that the primary role of a leader is to move people from HERE ————— to ——— THERE and that takes guts.
It takes courage to meet with that disgruntled volunteer, the one who is spreading rumors and poisoning the team. It takes courage to stand before the trustees and explain why you need that new piece of equipment (and why it costs so much). It takes courage to walk into a hospital waiting room to pray with a member of your team who found out they have cancer.
After much processing and prayer over what I experienced at the summit, I was talking with my wife when I heard God whisper, “do not be afraid, do not become discouraged, for I am with you.” I felt like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone, yelling, “I'm not afraid anymore!!!”
I came to realize that I live much of my life in fear, and make many decisions based on that fear. Not like horror movie fear, but everyday fears: “What will they think of me?” “How will I provide for my family?” and so on. These fears showed my lack of trust in a God who “know[s] the plans [he] has for [me] ... plans to prosper [me] and not to harm [me], plans to give [me] hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).
Through the Summit, I have realized that God has given me a mission and a vision for my life and my team - and as their leader, I have to build a fantastic culture in which those looking up to me can thrive. I have heard it said multiple times that “people join organizations - they leave managers.” This is usually applied to paid positions, but I think it applies to volunteers as well. Mislead, under-challenged, unvalued volunteers will leave a team or a church, just like someone who quits their nine to five job.
I came away from this summit acknowledging finally that I am called to be a leader - to run from that calling is robbing myself of the plans God has for me. I can no longer be afraid, keep my head down and just do enough to get by and be everyone's friend. It is not enough to acknowledge the fact that God has called us to be leaders in the church. We must follow Jesus' example and be bold and courageous in our leadership.
Do you have the courage to acknowledge that you're a leader? Are you pouring into your people? Are you making the church a fantastic environment? You're a leader - be courageous and lead your team!
