I am currently leading two men's groups, one on Tuesday and the other on Wednesday mornings at 7:30am. I selected 6 guys in our church with leadership potential and hunger for growth. This combined with a small group one night a week, preaching, leading our staff, plus connecting with new people is proving to be too much. I am working to shift my mornings to be more focused on message prep. I was sharing this with one of my men's groups discussing the possibility of moving our meeting to the afternoon for the sake of my schedule and sanity! One of the guys made a comment that made me have so much more respect for him. He said, "bro, if you need to just do one group we can continue on and you can focus on the other group, we want you as our leader to stay healthy." This is the kind of attitude every senior leader wants to have on their team.
Here is something I was thinking about after that conversation. Every leader like Ed Young, Andy Stanley, Bill Hybels, Craig Groeschel has people who have: been with them from the beginning, jumped on mid train, and left mid train. When I think of Ed Young it is hard to think of him apart from thinking about Fellowship Church. When I think of Bill Hybels I will always simultaneously think of Willow Creek. I think that this is the right way to see these men because what has flowed out of their lives is merely an extension as who they are at their core of their being. Their vision was there in their hearts before it ever became a reality. Often people from the leader's inner circle struggle when things grow and access changes. They would rather have their pastor burnout than lose access. There are other guys on the other hand like the guy from my men's group who is more concerned about building the kingdom and their pastor staying healthy! I want to be surrounded by guys who are excited about our church reaching more people. I want men who can think big enough to allow my leadership style to shift even if that means they don't get to spend as much time with me. These are the kind of people you end up wanting to spend time with because they understand leadership and the kingdom and have a heart for more than just being friends with the pastor!
May God give our team and I the grace to shift our style of operation as He gives us more influence in His Kingdom!
