The other day I was on twitter and came across this quote:
“If the local church wants to build young leaders, we must give them a place at the table and we must be willing to clean up some messes”. -pastor brady
I sat and thought about it for a while. This has rang so true in my heart.
I have been involved in Ministry since I was 16. I have been a Youth Leader, a Worship Leader, a Mentor, a Prayer Leader, an Intercessor and have served under alot of phenomenal leaders. I have been criticized by some for being a “female, youth pastor” , “too young to lead worship” and “too young to really know how to pray”. When I read this quote I was so excited to see that it is Gods heart for the younger generation to serve in Ministry!!! This is His heart! I know that I am young and do foolish things, I screw up sometimes and dont always make sure I am God’s Will before I say “YES” to things. I realize that I am hungry tho and I am willing to learn and grow. I know that my heart is to be in full time minstry someday leading worship and pastoring youth. I am not yet fully equipped for these leadership roles. I “want a seat at the table” and I want leaders over me who are willing to “help clean up some messes” as I am not perfect and am still growing and learning in my leadership abilities.
A few things I have learned in my journey so far:
1. The Bible is the best teacher.
Christ is the ultimate leader. Read the Word for guidance on the road to fulfilling your call as a leader. Dig in! Imagine the Bible is your only guide to finding a pirates ship full of treasure. You would seek that treasure like nobody’s business til you got what you want out of it. The Bible is the same. You want to seek out what the Bible has to offer about leadership, seek it out! Some good people to study are King David, John the Baptist, Deborah, Moses, and Joshua to just name a couple.
2. Be who You are
How can you have a succesful ministry if you arent being true to who God created you to be? God has placed individual talents and quirks in us that make you as a leader different from other leaders. Misty Edwards, Kari Jobe, Pierre duPlessis, Bob Sorge, Stuart Greaves, John Maxwell,etc are all phenomenal leaders that I know are Godly examples of Leaders. God has placed a differnent calling/gifting in you. So be you to the best you can and allow God to bring the sheep.
3. Be able to delegate and receive help
I have learned from my own experience that this is a hard task to do sometimes. When I was a Youth Pastor at 20 I was building a Youth Center, Directing a Youth Conference and running a Youth Group and had a full time job and I was trying to do everything my way and on my own. That is a very wrong attitude to have. I had leadership frustrated with me, I had friends frustrated with me and even some of the kids in the Youth Group were frustrated because I was not delegating and playing way too many roles. After 4 months of this I hit burn out and was sick for a week.
Part of being a leader is to bring in a support team and delegate different jobs to different people. Things will get done easier, people will want to serve, and that will leave you as the leader a little less stressed. Because I was burn out things were not getting done as well as they could have been but once I started delegating things were getting done so much better and smoother. This isnt about power trips or “look at me” time but a chance to allow other people to serve and come serve with you not just under you. This gives others a chance to use the gifts God has placed in them and allow them to come along side and support the vision God has given you as the Leader.
4.Remember you are being watched
As leaders we are constantly being watched. I remember a time about 2 years ago when I was leading Worship and someone came up to me and said, “I just want you to know that my daughter loves you. She watches you. She learns from your example as a worshipper.” I was blown away. I had never noticed this young 13 yr old girl before but she was watching me and I had touched her without even intending to. As leaders and Christians in general we need to walk in holiness. Be found blameless. We are leading others in the way they should go and people follow by example, not just because your words tell them something they should or should not do. As a leader we have opportunities to impact lives and to be a good influence on those who have no one to look up to.
These are just a couple of the things that I have learned over the last couple of years and when I saw the quote that I posted above it moved me. God desires young leaders! Young leaders especially have the power to influence the generation behind us. They are watching us! Be an example!
I am personally in a place of allowing God to just work in me and do what He needs to do so that I can be the leader He has created me to be. I am so far from perfect but God’s grace keeps me motivated. I fall so many times and I beat myself up and say, “God, how on earth did you pick me to be a leader?” But I know that I am growing and as I grow and learn God will continue to work on me. As a leader you will have to clean up messes. I have had people have to clean up after me before and I have had to clean up after people as well. Its all about grace and mercy. God is faithful to complete the Work He has started!
