Leadership Foundations Part 1: LF Overview
Leadership Foundations Part 2: Why Are Leaders Needed?
_______
In the last two posts of the Leadership Foundations series, we covered the definition of leadership and some leadership principles, and answered the question – Why are leaders needed?
In this post, we’ll explore a question that many aspiring leaders ask: how do I know if I’m a leader? What does discerning a role of leadership in missions look like?
Discerning is a Process
Discerning whether God is calling you to be a leader is a process and shouldn’t be taken lightly or done too quickly. Many times on overseas field teams and in ministry in general, there is a ‘next man up’ view of leadership, meaning that whoever is available to be the leader will be regardless of calling, gifting, capacity, or character. The benefit of this reality is that there are many opportunities for leadership overseas because of the great need for leaders among the unreached – many leaders may need to return from the field for a variety of reasons (health, conflict, visas, etc.). The downside for this ‘next man (or woman) up’ view is that there can be very little discernment, clarity, preparation, or support for people who find themselves in a leadership role all of a sudden. This can lead to missed expectations, disappointment, and burnout for the leader and their team – and then, it’s the next next man up, perpetuating a cycle of poor leadership transitions and unprepared leaders.
In many biblical leaders’ lives, there is a process of testing, discernment, and development that God uses to help those leaders grow into the person that is prepared to lead, and for that leader to gain clarity and confidence in the role of leadership that God is calling them to. Between the time that David is anointed by Samuel to become King at around age 15, and when he is actually crowned as King at age 30, David endures 15 years of continuing as a shepherd, fighting Goliath, becoming one of Saul’s commanders, and even running for his life from Saul. During that time, I’m sure David may have asked himself the question, “Am I really supposed to be King?” Through all the testing and trial, God solidified David’s confidence in his calling to be King, as well as developed him into the person he needed to be God-glorifying in that role. Similarly, Paul had 13 years between his conversion on the road to Damascus where Jesus tells him that he is the “chosen instrument” to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles, and when he is sent out with Barnabas from Antioch on the first missionary journey. This time was filled with testing (Paul had to escape persecution), development, and discernment as well. For the record, we’re not saying it will take over a decade for you to discern whether you’re a leader, but just wanted to provide some biblical examples of the discernment / development process that God has many leaders go through before they step into the position of leadership.
In our opinion, your calling towards field leadership should be as solid as your calling to go overseas. The burden and responsibility of leadership can be as challenging, if not moreso, than the stressors of cross-cultural life and ministry. If this is true, then your calling towards leadership, and your preparation towards it, should be considered and pursued with intention!
Questions For Discernment
Here are some aspects to consider in your discernment for your preparedness and calling as a leader:
- Have you been leading? How did that go, and where do you have room to grow? Have you ever led – anything? Experience leading in ministry settings would be great – this could include the welcome team at church on Sundays or a small group or a discipleship group. Even in non-ministry settings, have you ever been a leader on your sports team or in your workplace? How was your experience of leading – did people follow you? What was good and bad about that?
If you haven’t ever led something clearly and you have an aspiration to, talk to a leader or mentor in your church or ministry. See if there are chances to lead by SERVING in your church, or by inviting others to join into a disciple-making team. (If you’re interested in how to start a disciple-making team, please contact us! One of the resources we use to help people get started is this book: Spiritual Multiplication in the Real World.) - Does your community (those that lead you, work alongside you, or follow you) affirm leadership in you? Ask your discipler, mentor, or leader and those in your church that know you if they sense or see leadership in you. Tell them, ‘I’m sensing that God might be calling me to step into a role of leadership in going overseas: what do you think? How can I grow? What are my strengths and weaknesses as a leader?’ It takes a lot of humility and a lot of courage to ask these questions. Be humble and receive the feedback – even if it is hearing, ‘you haven’t really been a leader yet and need to develop quite a bit before you can step into that role.’ The timing of entering into leadership is up to God.
- Reflect on your motivations of being a leader. Is it for recognition or approval? Or to be faithful to God’s calling, and to serve others? In 1 Peter 5, Peter gives the elders and shepherds, spiritual leaders of God’s people, an exhortation for what motivations they are to have as leaders – ‘not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.’ A lot of leaders will struggle with pride, and it’s super dangerous. Just two verses later, Peter says that God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Ask God to give you a humble heart, and to help you surrender any prideful motivations to instead be a humble and servant leader.
- Spend time in prayer and listening. Ask God if a role of leadership is what He has for you. Ask Him how you need to develop. Submit to God’s calling one way or another, even if He is saying that you aren’t ready or just not yet. Ultimately, the best place to be is submitted to whatever role that God has for you. But I’m willing to bet that for many of you, He may be calling you into a role of serving through leading.
- Count the Cost. As you discern whether or not you have a calling for leadership, it’s imperative that you take time to count the cost. Leadership is a heavy responsibility, and if leadership truly is serving, then it requires you to be thinking of your people and their needs, often even above your own. Are you willing to longsuffer with your people, and bear their burdens with them? Are you willing to sacrifice time to yourself or with your family for the sake of those you lead? Are you willing to go first, which many times includes failing first, in many ministry endeavors? Are you willing to engage in conflict and hard conversations as you develop those God has given to you? Will you give up your sleep and your free time and your preferences? Are you willing to take responsibility for the health, thriving, and direction of your team and teammates? If some of these things feel difficult to say ‘yes’ to, then process that with the Lord and ask him why you feel tension. Sometimes, this might reveal where we need to grow, and sometimes it might show us we aren’t quite ready for leadership yet.
In our first year, Jenn and I were dealing with all the same cross-cultural stressors and difficulties of transitioning to the field. Learning a new language and culture is certainly a significant enough challenge! But as leaders, we were responsible for helping our teammates through those transitions as well. Whether it was helping a couple on our team through marital issues, staying with a teammate who was in the hospital for over a month, or mediating a conflict between team members, as leaders, we were called to be present, serve, and lead those that God had entrusted to us.
Counting the cost does not mean just considering all the difficulties – the cost includes the reward. In that very same passage where Peter exhorts the spiritual leaders, he points us to the great and lasting reward given to those faithful in leadership.
“And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”
1 Peter 5:4
Ultimately, our role is to point those that we lead to the chief Shepherd – who shepherds those on our teams but also shepherds and cares for us! Are you willing to respond in obedience to God’s call on your life to not only go, but to lead others? The reward is to reign and rule with Christ in glory for all time.