Tag: Jim Wideman

Mentoring/Coaching Opportunity

infuseLooking for a mentoring/coaching experience that will challenge you?  Check out Infuse with Jim Wideman!  Hurry…spots are filling up quickly.

Jim writes about Ten Fundamentals of authentic leadership in his book.  Here are the Top Three that most resonated with me.  Get the book and read about the other seven for yourself.

Leaders set an example – Jim says to give others something worth following.  This is so true…and not just regarding ministry work.  The way you and I tangibly live out our personal lives will greatly impact the trust level people have in us.  The people we lead need to observe zero difference in our personality and character inside and out of the office.

Leaders grow spiritually – This is a topic I’ve personally come to understand & respect more in the past year than in my prior 20 years of ministry.  Ministry doesn’t just begin with the Spirit moving us toward Kingdom work.  The Holy Spirit lives in us as believers.  If our lives are spiritual, then shouldn’t our work and leadership be reflective of how close we are growing toward our Father?  It is absolutely critical that church leaders constantly revisit the spiritual disciplines to keep themselves sharp and useful.

Leaders are lifelong learners – This is as valuable to the young seminary grad as it is the 70 year old pastor who has been leading the same church body for 50 years.  Read books on leadership (even some from secular authors).  Study examples of Jesus and how he led the disciples.  Attend a conference once a year.  And finally, find yourself a life coach (mentor, or accountability partner).  You and I don’t know everything, and the things we lack will limit the effectiveness of our leadership.

Comments are welcome below, or you can leave me a voice message HERE.  God bless.

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Ministry Leadership, part 2

photo by: thejoshuacollective.com

I’m continuing to blog through Jim Wideman’s, “Children’s Ministry Leadership.”  In chapter 2, Jim throws a barrage of key leadership traits at the reader.  They are concise and their truth is deafening.  Here they are.

Authentic leaders must…

1. Being willing to change.  This is true today of church leaders, and it was true one hundred years ago.  Show me a pastor who hasn’t changed anything in their leadership approach or how their church carries out the Great Commission…..and I’ll show you a church that rarely bares any fruit.

2. Have integrity.  I love this line Jim writes on integrity.  He says, “It’s not about your being right;  it’s about God being right and you leading the way to him.”  So, it’s O.K. to not have all the answers.  Humility is absolutely vital to having solid integrity.

3. Be faithful in small things.  This can often be a stumbling block for many leaders in the church.  Many times I think we can gravitate toward the BIG events or responsibilities, but God equally calls us to the smaller things.  Look at Luke 16:10.  This is Jesus process for promotion (so to speak).

4. Be a person of vision, and communicate it.  This is basic, but SO important.  If you don’t have a clear vision for the direction of your ministry or church it won’t go anywhere.  Additionally, however, in you’re the only one who knows and understands the vision…you’d probably be better off not having one.  Everyone needs to know your vision, and it needs to be clearly communicated often.  People forget, and there’s always new people who haven’t ever heard it.

5. Be willing to follow others.  Every leader requires a higher authority to learn from and follow.  Modeling HOW to follow well is one of the best examples of leading.

6. Be unpopular at times.  Ministry leadership is not a popularity contest.  This is hard, because most of us really do like being ‘liked.’  But if being liked by our church becomes more important (or more easily done) than having God smile on our ability to obey His Spirit’s guiding….we’re in BIG trouble.  Do the ‘right’ thing, not the most liked thing.

7. Be someone people see as a leader.  Two words on this:  OWN IT.  Be who God has call you to be.  Sure, remain humble in your position…but take hold of what God has placed in your hands.  If you don’t really know what kind of a leader you are, chances are those around you will experience difficulty figuring it out too!

Which of these areas is the larger challenge for you in leadership?  We all have areas to grow.  Leave a comment.