Honoring Leadership Pt. 2

I remember the conversation like it was yesterday. My boss came to me and let me know that leadership needed us to change our ministry to teenagers and go to a different programming method.

COVID made us shift and innovate to continue to reach students in the season of chaos and… it was working! Our numbers of students plugged in an connected has never been higher. Our numbers of engaged caring adults was high at a time when churches were trying to figure how to get adults to jump in and start serving again. We were seeing God do incredible things.

The news of needing to change and doing something different when what we were doing was working and leading the way for the rest of the church, was hard to hear. There were lots of questions, lots of head shaking, lots of internal thoughts that probably weren’t very productive.

We were left with, how do we move forward with the kind of attitude God would have us have towards the situation? COVID magnified some of these situations but if we are honest it can happen at any time, about anything and with any leader.

Ask Questions of Yourself

Why are you feeling like this right now?

Are those feelings justified and are you being rational?

Is the ask that leadership is making unrealistic?

Do you trust your leaders?

A lot of times our initial response is emotional and we do not consider the other side. When you take time to see if from a different perspective, you often will understand and move forward accordingly.

You can’t stay in the emotion filled state about the decision. If you do, you will say, email, think things that are toxic to your organization.

Rally

Time to rally the troops. Get on board and then get going. The people that are following your leadership need to see you with the proper attitude towards the change. Vision, Enthusiasm and attitude leak. Make sure what is leaking out of you is something you want to see in those you lead.

Do Your Best and Evaluate

Give the new direction your best effort with the best attitude. Continue to evaluate the state of ministry and then offer evidence based conclusions, that may lead to a new strategy later on. Top level leaders want to trust those in their organizations. Give them a reason to trust you by doing the best job you can and then offering possible solutions if you aren’t seeing desirable results.

Above all else, PRAY. Divisiveness is toxic and ruins great staff culture. Guard against cynicism and apathy. Ask God to give you what you need to do your best, to give you the attitude worthy of your calling, to allow you to have wisdom and discernment through the conversations you will have with leadership.

God is good and will see you through whatever you are going through. He provides what you need when you will need it!