I consider myself a novice leader. Looking back to when I was 17 years old leading a youth ministry to today I have come a long way, but leadership is now learnt in a day, nor is it learnt in fifteen years, it’s only something that takes a lifetime to get a grasp on.
As a leader I have found that if I am open there is always something new to learn. This last week God taught me some huge lessons in leadership, lessons that I hope stay with me for life. Here they are:
- I am my biggest doubter and biggest critic. If I can overcome my doubts I have the opportunity to do great things.
- The church is not mine, has never been mine and will never be mine. That means the people, the resources, the structures, the ministries and the vision! Guess what? They’re God’s! Any leader that’s gets territorial is in for one big fall!
- There is more I do not know about myself than what I do know about myself. So glad there is one who knows Alex way better than Alex!
- A leader can not do it alone, you can not control others or even control the future. A leader has to have others they can trust in, others they empower and others they believe in. If you don’t believe in the people you are leading, maybe you shouldn’t be leading them.
- God will often let your fears become a reality in your life to show you that fears are not to be feared! He is way bigger than all your deepest darkest fears.
- Leadership is not for everyone. Just because you may not be a leader doesn’t mean you will one day get a lesser crown in heaven. God has a purpose for you that only you can fulfill!
- Leaders have to show the way! If your church is not reaching out to a broken world, it is because you are not. Having outreach events does not count! A leader has to personally interact and invite broken people into their lives, if not your church will never reach beyond where it is today!
- Your version of success is very different to God’s version of success.
- God is always on time. A leader cannot push open doors that are not ready to be open. Don’t worry, you may have a whole nation panicking because you are not in promised land, but as a leader you have to KNOW that God will open the way at exactly the right time.
- If you have a God-given vision, it will become so overwhelming there will be times you just want to give up because it is so big you won’t be able to get your hands on it. That’s why it’s a God-given vision. It’s his vision that he is sharing with you, enjoy the ride and watch how he’ll blow making it happen in front of your very eyes!
