By Dan Reiland<\/p>\n
In order to grow stronger churches, we need to become better leaders. It\u2019s a continual process and we never arrive. How are you growing and becoming better?<\/p>\n
Simply because we are actively leading doesn\u2019t mean we are becoming better leaders. It\u2019s easy to be busy in doing good, but not getting better. We can fall into a routine of doing the same things, in the same way, with the same people. This pattern keeps us busy but not moving forward. Change is always required to see progress.<\/p>\n
The goal isn\u2019t change for the sake of change, and it\u2019s not to change everything. We need to ask the question \u2013 What needs to change to see our vision become reality? And that change requires us to grow and become better leaders.<\/p>\n
There are four parts to this process of growth.<\/p>\n
Learning new things.<\/strong> Unlearning things we have known.<\/strong> Relearning things we know but at a new level.<\/strong> Gaining wisdom to apply what we know.<\/strong> That\u2019s a quick glance at the overall process, and here are five specific ways you can focus on how to grow your leadership.<\/p>\n 5 Great Ways to Grow Your Leadership:<\/strong><\/p>\n 1) The fastest way to grow your leadership is to solve problems.<\/strong> Step one, clearly identify the problem.<\/p>\n Since there is no end to problems, the next step is knowing which problems to solve and when.\u00a0<\/em>It may surprise you that the best leaders know what problems to ignore. Solve the big ones and the little ones take care of themselves.<\/p>\n Solving problems leads to momentum, and momentum is one of the best helps we have to solving the problems we face. (Momentum is often known as a leader\u2019s best friend.)<\/p>\n 2) The most inspiring way to grow your leadership is to cast great vision.<\/strong> The common styles of inspiring others are through relationship, competence, passion, strategy, and coaching. Which one is yours?<\/p>\n The big picture purpose of inspiration is to motivate the people we serve to embrace the vision God has given us. It\u2019s how we encourage them to push past their comfort zones and open their hearts to new possibilities.<\/p>\n Great vision is clear, compelling and focused on a better future based on God\u2019s truth and promises.<\/p>\n Whether you lead the whole church, a campus, a department or a small group, vision always begins in your heart, with a burden to see something better for the lives of the people you serve. That fire is what breathes life into inspiration.<\/p>\n 3) The most enduring way to grow your leadership is to maintain trustworthy character.<\/strong> Character brings validity to spiritual leadership; the more we are tested and prove ourselves trustworthy, the more our leadership grows.<\/p>\n High-capacity leaders are disqualified by a breach of character. The reasons are different, but the patterns are the same.Things such as insatiable hunger for more, pride, unhealthy pressure relief practices, and envy can take us out. The goal of growing as a leader isn\u2019t perfection, but authenticity, humility, and a commitment to keep growing as a leader in ways that please God and help people.<\/p>\n A genuine heart to help people always grows your leadership.<\/p>\n 4) The most expansive way to grow your leadership is to develop other leaders.<\/strong> Few investments of your time and energy will grow your leadership and expand your reach more than raising up and developing new leaders. Developing leaders is the great leadership multiplier.<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t have much experience in developing leaders, keep it simple. Find one apprentice and teach him or her what you know. You can start this week.<\/p>\n Pray about who that person might be.<\/strong>\u00a0A maturing Christian, faithfully serving in ministry, who loves God and people. That\u2019s a good place to start. Then ask questions like are they good with people? Do they possess solid character and competence?<\/p>\n Don\u2019t look for a perfect person. None of us would qualify.<\/strong>\u00a0Start with who God has place in your circle of relationships and responsibilities. Maybe go through a leadership book together, but most important, practice leading.<\/p>\n 5) The best way to grow your leadership is to love people.<\/strong> We learn how to care about people, shepherd them, sacrifice and love unconditionally from the example God has set for us.<\/p>\n To love someone doesn\u2019t mean you are leading them, but to lead someone without loving them is empty, void and missing the point entirely.<\/strong>\u00a0We have to want the best for those we lead.<\/strong><\/p>\n Pure, simple, unconditional love is the best way to grow your leadership. It requires the other elements, but without it, we are nothing more than \u201ca resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n My prayer is that the five ways to grow your leadership is an encouragement to you and provides a simple and literally lifetime plan.<\/p>\n Copyright \u00a9 2024 Dan Reiland<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Dan Reiland In order to grow stronger churches, we need to become better leaders. It\u2019s a continual process and we never arrive. How are you growing and becoming better? Simply because we are actively leading doesn\u2019t mean we are becoming better leaders. It\u2019s easy to be busy in doing good, but not getting better. <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":83063,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3380,4661,276,266],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-83066","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-leadership-articles","category-resources-ndi","category-sunday-school-and-discipleship"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesonaz.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83066","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesonaz.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesonaz.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesonaz.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesonaz.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=83066"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesonaz.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83066\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesonaz.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/83063"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesonaz.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83066"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesonaz.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=83066"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesonaz.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=83066"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nThis can seem daunting with the idea of \u201cnothing new under the sun\u201d in our minds. But if we remain curious, learning new things comes naturally. The new things aren\u2019t always about the church or leadership; remaining open to a larger awareness always enhances your leadership.<\/p>\n
\nI read a book by Adam Grant titled\u00a0Think Again<\/em>. What an eye opener to the idea of unlearning ideas that aren\u2019t true, or are not accurate, and keeping our mind open to a more accurate perspective. For example, as medical science makes progress we unlearn what we once thought was the best practice and embrace more accurate (often life-saving) information.<\/p>\n
\nThis is the most common need. We have a broad base of leadership skills from communication to recruiting, and from conflict management to empowering new leaders, and many others. But we must constantly relearn the leadership skills we already know at higher, more complex and nuanced levels as culture shifts and our churches grow.<\/p>\n
\nFinally, there are many things we already know but don\u2019t practice. I know that\u2019s true for me. How about you? What do you already know that you haven\u2019t yet put to good use?<\/p>\n
\nThe leader who can see and solve problems will always be in need. Leaders who can clearly identify and solve complex problems that others cannot see or solve will more consistently lead organizations to breakthroughs and into new territory.
\nProblems come in a wide variety and form from relational conflict to financial shortfalls and from clarity of vision to uniting the team.<\/p>\n
\nInspiration is not a responsibility attached only to the top leader, all leaders must inspire, each in our own way.<\/p>\n
\nThe leadership journey is a long one for most of us, it includes mistakes, setbacks and some failures, but a trustworthy character keeps us in the game for the long haul.<\/p>\n
\nAny great vision requires more and better leaders to see it become reality. Jesus started with 12, and its amazing where we are now. How is your church developing leaders to advance the cause of Christ?<\/p>\n
\nThe greatest gift we have to give is the love of God.<\/p>\n