2. Become a Student of Human Nature
To be a compassionate spiritual leader requires more than merely heart to consistently care about people, we must also understand human nature to truly connect and care.
If we are distant from the realities of everyday life because we’re consumed with the inner workings of the church, it’s easy to lose touch with what’s happening around us and therefore lose relevance.
We then lose our salt and light.
We need to take our heart for people and add to it time with people who are outside the church, think and live differently. That will always change the direction of our ministries.
Engaging new friends through kindness and meaningful conversation creates a hunger to do so all the more! It’s a gospel-centered way to lead a church toward outward in nature.
3. Focus on Forward
There is a unique leadership nuance that tethers us to the truth that outward must also be forward.
Why?
Because progress is always forward. That’s not so easy to see when you are in the trenches of daily ministry. It’s far too easy to be busy but not productive, and surprisingly common to work hard but stand still.
This is nuanced because there’s a subjectivity connected to your definition of forward.
The definition and measurement of forward must always aligned with your purpose and vision, or again, you may fall into the not so apparent trap of busy but not moving forward.
Here’s a good starting point. It’s difficult for most of us to say no and cut favored but unproductive projects and ministries. Nonetheless, what are the irreducible essentials that cause forward motion toward the fulfillment of your mission? Focus there. That list is nearly always shorter than you think.
4. Invest in the Mission Over the Machine
The larger a church grows, the easier it is to become over-organized and under-evangelized. This results in feeding the machine over the mission.
The machine of the local church can become a monster that is always hungry and growls for more food.
We understand the nature of machine, the necessary but draining functions of operation. More policies, more meetings, more money, more systems, more staff, more stuff. You get it. Just more. Soon all your time and energy goes there — machine over mission, inward not outward!
The remedy isn’t easy, but it’s clear.
Mission over machine.
If we discipline ourselves to feed the mission, that is putting our best thought, time, effort and money there, we eventually move both outward and forward.
This is not to disregard the operations of the church (the machine); it is needed and necessary, but the responsibility of leadership is to keep the mission first.
The machine must always serve the mission.
One great way to do that is to elevate your ministry to the next gen. A subject for another post.
This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.
