Support Your Leaders
10 TOP WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR LEADERS…
Picture the scene: Lord of the Rings – pt 3 – Frodo and Sam are struggling up Mount Doom when Frodo collapses, unable to go any further. Sam then proceeds to carry him up the mountain, professing that while he cannot carry the Ring, he can carry the Ring-bearer, hence the quote: “I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you.”
It reminds me of Aaron and Hur holding up Moses arms when Joshua was fighting the Amalekites. Only when Moses arms were held high did Joshua and the army prevail.
Here are the 10 top ways that as Pastors, Ana and I have been carried and our arms lifted by the team around us, as we all serve on the battlefield, sharing the gospel, building church, raising disciples, developing leaders. I pray these thoughts inspire you as you support your leaders:
1) Praying: Your pastor/leader needs your prayer – whether they ask for it or not. When our leaders tell us they are praying for us, they are not just ministering to us, but they are partnering with us. Romans 15:13
2) Family Matters: Whether it is babysitting, loving on our kids, offering lifts to the kids so they do not have to do the long hours we do, or providing meals when we have been in challenging seasons, our team have wrapped their arms around us.
3) Generosity: We have lost count the times where we have been on the receiving end of the generosity of the leaders in our team. Every time it has been an answer to prayer, a blessing, and an encouragement.
4) Friendship: This is about seeing beyond Church and Ministry, this is about noticing them, taking time to get to know them, and letting them know you value them beyond just what they do in Church. Do not just assume they are ok because they are leaders. They are just as human as you or anyone else. They need friendship, laughter and someone looking out for them.
5) Accountability: We regularly share with our leaders what is going on in our world, it provides an opportunity to be open and honest, to pray together and to bring a few people close enough for them to hold us accountable.
6) Boundaries: For example, in our team we do not deal with relational matters or conflict over text. We do this in person, and we do not respond to (work) messages late at night (unless urgent – we have 3 levels of urgency). These gradings help us to assess the appropriate response, protect our downtime, and manage the feelings of worry or uncertainty that can come with messages like: ‘Can we talk.’ Get a message like this at 10 pm and it can play havoc with a leader’s wellbeing.
7) Make their leadership joyful: We have worked with team members who are difficult to lead, unteachable, self-focused, and spikey, and it is a huge life drainer and ministry killer. We have been most fulfilled and most effective in teams that are full of joy and with people who fill the tank, not just drain it. Hebrews 13:1
8) Encourage them: Here are some things that encourage us.
• Kind Messages
• Sharing what you appreciate about them/their leadership
• Vocal response during preaching
• Taking initiative
• Bringing solutions to problems and not just problems
• Turning up with a great attitude and smile on your face
• Arriving at every service or meeting with something to share or give that adds value.
9) Ownership: Here are two 2 ways you can take ownership of the vision.
• Be consistent. Your consistency is one of the greatest gifts you could give to your leader. Being consistent tells your leader that you are grateful for the opportunity you have been given to serve the vision.
• Be productive. There is nothing more encouraging than to hear about things that are being accomplished without my instruction. If you need someone to constantly tell you what to get done, find a boss. Being productive shows your leader that you believe in what you are doing and that you are excited about where you are going.
10)Protect them: Our leaders protect us when:
• They do not share every problem in the organisation with us
• They notice errors, oversights, or mistakes we have made and lovingly bring these to our attention
• They correct behaviours or attitudes they see in the church that are contrary to the culture we are building
• They pray for us
•They are close enough to notice when we need help, support, and encouragement
Ps Chris Williams