Ask Them to Implement Their Own Suggestion
Bad Ideas I Learned from Good Leaders #1
I’m never going to identify which leader I learned these things from, because I have deep respect for all of them. Many of them helped me ditch bad ideas of my own, though doubtless I still have a bunch!
The bad thing I learned is this: When someone makes a suggestion for some project in the church, you immediately ask them to lead out in executing that idea.
There is a very good point involved here. Actually two very good points. First, a person who goes to the trouble of suggesting someone is likely fairly passionate about it, and are likely to be diligent in getting it into action. Second, there are numerous people who will tell pastors and other church leaders all the various things they think “the church” should be doing. They have no intention of serving. They just want to complain. “Why don’t you take the lead on that?” will often either slow down the complaints, or in some cases even get someone moving.
That’s the good side.
The bad side is this. Your church is probably already an example of the 80/20 principle: 80% of the work is done by 20% of the people. (Well, you might be more like 90/10, but why be negative?) Most of the good ideas, the ones you should want implemented, are coming from that busy 20%. After all, the 80% don’t really want to go to the trouble of meeting with the pastor to present an idea.
The 80/20 principle is self-sustaining. The 20% are the workers in the church because they’re the ones with initiative and creativity. Some people aren’t like that. Some people are willing to serve, but they don’t have the imagination, the initiative, or perhaps the knowledge of the church to locate a task and involve themselves with it.
Since the 20% generally have those characteristics in various (but substantial) measure, they tend to imagine that the 80% aren’t serving because they’re lazy, apathetic, or don’t really care about their church. Some of them may have these problems. But more of them likely are waiting to be identified.
In my book Identifying Your Gifts and Service (Small Group Edition), I suggest that church members and leaders need to observe one another to learn about gifts and help others find a place to serve that utilizes their individual gifts and also fulfills their needs. Yes, they are serving others, but that service is also of benefit to them, provided they are allowed to use their gifts in positive ways, rather than just being put to work.
Here’s a summary of the points I make about this in that book:
- Listening: Group members identify each person’s gifts based on observations and what they believe the Holy Spirit has revealed. This involves a group discussion where each person shares what they see as the gifts of others.
- Expressing: Each individual expresses their understanding of their own gifts. This step involves self-reflection and sharing with the group.
- Examining: A survey is provided to help individuals think about their gifts and areas of service. The survey is designed to stimulate thinking and challenge assumptions about one’s gifts.
- Fitting: Group members discuss and clarify God’s call on their lives and how their gifts fit into the church’s needs. This step involves prayerful discussion and focus on how to use identified gifts effectively.
- Unifying: The group examines how individual gifts align with the church’s mission. This step involves the participation of church leadership to help integrate members into appropriate areas of service.
The book emphasizes the importance of listening to the Holy Spirit and to one another, and it provides practical exercises and discussions to help identify and utilize spiritual gifts within the church community.
A Look Ahead
One of the key elements in this process is recognizing church members as diverse individuals. They don’t all have the same gifts, goals, personalities, education, or general approaches to life. Learning to recognize these is important. Next week I plan to write about this as a bad idea I learned from otherwise good leaders: Don’t get stuck on expecting one personality type in members of a congregation.
I will reference there the book PERFECTLY SQUARE. You can get a head start with this lovely little book that’s a quick read.
