I have just started reading Unleashing the Power of Rubber Bands by Nancy Ortberg. She suggested starting with a chapter toward the end of the book and that is what I did. I would like to share with you her words.
Not only is the old model of the omnicompetent leader dated, it simply won't work anymore. There is too much to accomplish for one person to be responsible for or capable of handling everything. Too much is at stake and the world is moving too quickly for us to go back. People want to be a part of something together, not just following the leader.
Then she relates a story of her time as an Emergency Room nurse when a frantic babysitter rushed through the doors with a limp, barely conscious three-year-old boy. There was too much that had to be done too quickly so the lead physician began giving direction and each member of the team did his or her part while the Doctor monitored the progress and coordinated the team and adjusted the treatment as lab results began to come back. The child’s life was saved ONLY because the doctor was willing to lead others and allow them to make meaningful contributions so that the end result was greater than any one of them could have accomplished on their own.
You have been selected as a small group leader or Sunday School teacher because there are too many precious lives that need to be reached and so much important truth that needs to be communicated that one pastor or even a small team of paid specialists CAN’T get it all done! YOU ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROCESS!
The people in your class or small group long to be part of something significant like that also. Don’t deny them of the pleasure of making their contributions to your group effort. The spiritual lives of the people you are trying to reach just may require a group effort that is greater than you can pull off by yourself!
Great point.
ReplyDeleteIf one looks closely at the life and ministry of Jesus He - being God Himself no doubt - did not do it all on His own.
His intent and focus was to train, equip and encourage others (the 12 disciples) to carry on His ministry in His absence.
He invested into them with the intent that one day they in turn would invest into others. Jesus has called each of us to "make disciples" as well.
Jesus gave His disciples "hands on" instructions - they served others as He taught them all the while "how" to serve.
What if He hadn't given them these chances to serve and minister to others? Would they have been ready when it was time for Him to leave this earth?
If we do not progressively encourage those in our small group to grow and take these steps, will members in our small group be ready if God were to call us as leaders on to something else altogether one day? Or would the group then fall completely apart?
There is an old saying about how if you catch a fish for someone - you can feed them for a day. But if you teach them how to fish - they can feed themselves (and others) for a lifetime.
Small groups are a great place to teach the "how" of the Christian life. People learn not only from example alone but it often seems they learn best from hands on experience.
Ephesians 4:11-16 explains that teachers (and others) were given to the body of Christ for the purpose of preparing God's people to do ministry (loving and serving others via their unique spiritual gifting), to grow in their knowledge of God and to become mature (more like Jesus).
Paul looked at those he taught as his spiritual children - and his hope was (just as ours in as parents in the natural) that they would continue to mature and grow and one day do what he was doing.....giving his life away in ministry to others for the sake of Christ.