Pages

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Exit Strategies & Empowerment Strategies for Christian Leaders

The best exit strategy is a sound empowerment strategy. If you are unable to empower others to do the job you will never be able to leave well.

I have seen my life change from being a valuable pastor to a disposable pastor. Instead of being needed, I want to be unnoticed. I consider myself a success when I can fade from the picture and others rise to the job before us. This is the true calling as a leader in God’s kingdom. The one who wants to be great is a servant of all. This is the difference between being a doer and being an equipper.

When you exist to help others do the job instead of yourself you have finally matured to the level of an equipper. The more valuable you are the less successful you are as an equipper of others. Ironically, the more disposable you become the more valuable you are, because there are not that many leaders today who are able to do this. We have entered into the day of recyclable disciples and disposable pastors. If you are not willing to give your role to another you do not deserve the role. As a leader in God’s kingdom, your success is no longer to be evaluated by what you do but by what others around you are able to do. You cannot get to the place where you see your life and ministry this way without taking the lonely road through the cross. A crucified leader is an equipper of others.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just wish this type of leadership had been modeled for us more growing up. It's not an easy concept to learn! Thanks for helping me understand what Biblical Leadership truly looks like.

Neil Cole said...

True, for all of us. We have to learn this on our own, but we do have the Holy Spirit and the word of God, so we are not like orphans!