One of the most challenging issues when it comes to leadership and ministry is dealing with people. Other than that, it’s quite simple. 🙂
AND if we are not careful, we will allow ourselves to become so distracted that we will actually begin to care for other things way more than the people that Jesus died for and has called us to take care of.
Recently in an all staff meeting, I shared with our staff three things that we are tempted to love more than people…and how we’re going to do all we can to make sure that because people matter to God they matter to us as well.
Temptation #1 – To Love the Process More than People
I’m a type-A, obsessive-compulsive person, and so I love organization, structure, and systems that make things easier for me to manage. However, not all people are like that.
The danger is that in church we would develop a process for volunteers, discipleship and such, and then expect EVERYONE to “fall in line” and do what we think is best. In other words, we approach people with a scientific approach rather than an artistic one.
(By the way, I believe God IS an artist! Don’t believe me…check out the sunsets for the next several nights; none of them will be the exact same. I like to think He whips out His paintbrush and makes it new every evening!)
Don’t get me wrong, the church NEEDS certain processes and such; however, all too often, I have fallen into the trap of trying to use a process that has been developed rather than really taking the time to find out more about the person that needs to be developed.
When a person isn’t a fit into a process that has been developed, we need to stop and see what is going on in that person’s life. It’s not their job to fit into our system; it’s our job to discover where they are and then lead them to a place where they can grow in their relationship with Christ.
Read Temptation #2 >>
