CentriKid

Leadership

Leading Well: Clarity

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As a leader, you must be clear. Despite having to balance leading a team, getting details checked off your to-do list, and actually accomplishing results, taking the time to cast a vision of clarity can seem impossible.
Andy Stanley puts it this way in his book, Next Generation Leader:
“Uncertainty is a permanent part of the leadership landscape. There will be very few occasions when you are absolutely certain about anything. You will consistently be called upon to make decisions with limited information. That being the case, your goal should not be to elevate uncertainty. Instead, you must develop the art of being clear in the face of uncertainty.” 
Here are 3 tips to have clarity:
  1. Know your purpose and vision. You must know the vision of your ministry or program and be able to clearly communicate it to your team. What is the vision for your ministry, event, or program? 
  2. Repeat your vision. Do you remember step one? Repeat it, repeat it, repeat it. Every time you speak or communicate with the people you lead, point them back to the vision. You’ll know that it is catching on when you hear the people you lead talking about the vision in their every day language.
  3. Reward the vision.  Did you hear a volunteer share the gospel with a kid and her parent at the door? Celebrate it! Did you see your kids ministry intern take an extra measure to ensure the safety of the kids? Celebrate it! I’ve heard the phrase “What is celebrated is repeated.” 

In your leadership journey, there will certainly be times of uncertainty. How will you grow your ministry? What week of camp will we attend? How will you get enough volunteers for next Sunday? Not knowing all of the answers is okay, but in all cases, you must have clarity when leading your team.

Taking Risks in Leadership

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The word “risk” can send shivers up your spine or can invigorate your curiosity. These steps toward “what’s possible” can, at times, feel impossible. Whether it’s a financial investment, a new ministry, or a different model for your team, risks ultimately mean change. In leadership, responsible risk taking looks a lot less like gambling and a lot more like calculated chess moves.

As a leader, you must be willing to guide your people into the unknown. Not on a careless journey, but one with promise to benefit all. Though the path will be new for your footsteps, as the leader, you must be willing to forge the trail. With risk comes both uncertainty and possibility; we must face the risk before us with both hands open wide. As you begin this endeavor, consider the following:

1. Count the cost
Consider the potential benefits and drawbacks of your possibilities. Make a pros/cons list. Sit down for discussion over coffee with people you trust. Consult your mentors and teammates. And most importantly, seek the Lord’s guidance through meditation and prayer.
2. Make your move
Once you’ve decided to move forward on this new road, set your eyes on what lies ahead. Map out a game plan and stay faithful to your calculations. Heed not the words of naysayers and unbelievers. With peace from the Lord, take each stride in confidence.
3. Stay focused
A bare bank account, a tough day, or words of opposition will be discouraging. Resolve to stay resilient. When pursuing the call God has for you, continue to run your race. Face the obstacles as they come and move on to your mountaintop.

Leaders are seldom remembered for simply what they intended to do. Leaders take action. Taking risks will not always mean success, or improvement, or reward. But, without taking that chance, you’ll never know what could have been. Don’t meekly evaluate your choices. Recognize your goal, and take that leap of faith!

Thankful Reflections

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As I notice the leaves changing outside and the trees as they seem to shift their stance, I posture my heart to a place of quiet thankfulness. In this new season I’ve taken a bit of time to reflect on those who invested in me in different seasons of my life. By the Lord’s grace, I was surrounded by some who loved the Lord and showed His love to me. I was steadily demonstrated the Lord’s character as it flowed so freely from these folks, even in the midst of the everyday. Today I lift prayers of gratitude and sing a song of thanksgiving to our Father because of this crowd.

Remembering the people who sang their verse, no matter how big or small, into my song fills me with overwhelming gratitude. I think of the monotonous mornings spent by my faithful nursery teacher; I remember the countless hours poured out by my youth pastor who later baptized me; I remember my college basketball coaches who instilled in me the love of the game and the greater value found in serving Christ; I think back on the memories shared with my first CentriKid camp director who took time to show me more than just how to solve logistical issues; I rejoice in the patient moments shared at the lakeside or on beaten-down field path with my grandfathers. These folks didn’t just pass their time, they shared with me their life. In both times of great excitement and in the dull day-to-day, these people showed me Jesus.

Use Your 60 through Thanksgiving
At CentriKid, we challenge leaders to “Use Your 60” by making the most of every moment with their kids. Why waste even one opportunity? I’m grateful for those in my life who saw the value in investing in me. These folks were heroes in hindsight. I’m sure few felt their importance in the moment of impact, but the waves of their intentional moments are felt today and into eternity. Let me encourage you, leaders. You may not feel like you’re bringing life-change in any given moment, but what you do in these moments adds up. Take for granted not a single one!

Spend a few moments today thanking the Lord for those who invested in you. Reach out to these heroes and remind them of their significance in your life. Ask yourself how you’re spending your moments. Time is fleeting, friends! In an overflow of thankfulness, be challenged to “Use Your 60” and make the most of every moment today.

Leading Well: Leading with Prayer

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Leading your team, whether it be three people or 300 hundred people, is huge. As Christian leaders, we want to serve Christ faithfully and steward the opportunities He has given us well, but how do we do this best?

I’ve learned (and am still learning) that one of the primary ways to lead your team spiritually is through prayer.

Looking at the life of Jesus, consider just a few of the times we see Christ pray to the Father. We see Jesus praying in the solitude of the wilderness (Luke 4 and 5), praying for guidance and help in the garden (Matthew 26), and praying for His disciples as He knows His time is soon drawing to an end (John 17) .

We serve a Father who is faithful to listen to His children. Scripture shows us this —
1 John 5:14 says, “Now this is the confidence we have before Him: whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (HCSB)

As we step out in leading others, may we remember our God who never fails and may we, in humility and with boldness, go to our Father in prayer. In leading your team spiritually consider these ways to pray:

PRAY FOR THEM. Before the throne, with genuine devotion, intercede on your team’s behalf. We have a Father who listens to the prayers of His children. Knowing this, create a routine to continually pray with your particular team in mind. No matter the circumstance, you can always remember your tribe in a loving, Christ-honoring way when you go to the Lord.

PRAY WITH THEM. It’s important to be a leader who prays with your team. Your team should be comfortable to pray with you and quick to come to you with their needs. Be mindful to create an atmosphere where authentic prayer is paramount.

PRAY OVER THEM. As the shepherd of your flock — be it an entire congregation or a volunteer group of four — you should regularly pray over them. This means to visibly, boldly, honestly pray over them, standing at their sides. Lead your team in group prayer and ask that the Lord would guide you all to walk together in faithful obedience to Him.

PRAY FOR YOURSELF. Remember that before you can lead anyone else spiritually, you must first be in a place of pursuing Christ. This does not mean you have to be perfect. As a spiritual leader, you do not need to appear as one who has “arrived”, as if you’re pulling others to meet you at your destination, but you have to simply be walking toward a life that looks more like Jesus.
“May you look more like Christ when you lay down tonight than you did when you got up this morning.”

Leading a team spiritually is an important task, but it is not a complex one. Rest in knowing that leading others spiritually is a gift – a simple and genuine gift. Your care and devotion to this gift in which you’ve been entrusted will reap great reward when you humbly and wholly present it before the Father.

Leading the Next Generation

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Leading the Next Generation is all about investing in the leaders of the next generation.  To lead them well, we must invest in their future.  This investment will have ministry benefits for you right away, but also shape the trajectory of a young leader in ways that can benefit the future of this ministry and kingdom work for the future.  It is about them … Young leaders require energy… But they give a type of energy also… Working with them helps keep you younger, but the focus is on them.
This summer at CentriKid Camps, we asked some intentional questions about using teens and college workers in your kids programs.  We asked:
  • Do you have teens and college workers in your kids program?
  • What wins have you experienced with them in your ministry?
  • How have you seen them be successful?
  • What challenges do you encounter with them?
We had some great feedback and I’ve collected all those discussions and ideas in this “mind map” document.  Click the image to open and download the full-size version.

2016_centrikid_discussion_with_leaders

Leading the next generation could mean plugging in teens to work in your kids ministry or it could mean that you are preparing to hire a college student as an intern.  In any case, these principles can help make the investment beneficial for next month and the next decades of kingdom work.  Your intentional investment can last long after the time you have with these young leaders.
Acclimate them to your team.  Don’t just take whoever shows up and throw them in to ministry.  Implement a selection process and train workers on your team. In some cases, you may not be interviewing for a full-time position but you are looking to fill a specific role.  Take the time to have a conversation about what the role entails and the expectations are.  The level of formality for this conversation needs to fit the role.  After selection, train you leaders for the skills and for the culture you want your team to have.
Develop their competency.  Helping young leaders grow their skill set through practical experience is amplified when you provide them with feedback along the way.  We use a reading plan with our CentriKid office team and after serving as a summer staffer or office team member, I hope that young leaders catch the vision for being a life-long learner.
Expose them to new concepts.  New team members need a behind-the-scenes tour.  Young leaders who have potential for growth need to be exposed to working within a budget, professionalism, and excellence.  You can help them develop an understanding of the balance between ministry training and business principles.  They need to learn about evaluation, making tough decisions, and serving behind the scenes before moving to a new setting with greater responsibilities.
Propel them forward to their next steps in the journey.  When leading the next generation, keep in mind that they are with you for a season, but will continue in kingdom work long after they serve in your ministry.  Encourage them, keep the lines of communication open, and you can even continue to coach them (when they ask!).  The baby bird only flies when it leaves the nest, so prepare, train and then equip them to move on to new things God has for their journey.
This post is adapted from the breakout session I led at the ETCH Conference in Nashville.  If you were unable to attend the 2016 ETCH Conference, you can still purchase the ETCH16 digital pass that contains all the Main Session speakers and audio from each Breakout Session. [Available 10/21/16]