Hope for the 21st Century Leader
Photo by Jack Sharp on Unsplash
The 21st Century leader needs three things we don’t often discuss: rest, delegation, and mentoring.
1. Rest
“Please don’t start with this one Dr. Dee. Everyone keeps telling me to rest, but I have so much to do.” My answer every time to this is: I think the Lord can handle the universe without you for a 24-48-hour period … maybe even longer. The reason we don’t Sabbath is clear. Our EGOs are too big!
But Hebrews tells of a different kind of rest: Sabbath Rest.
There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:9-11, NIV)
This is a perpetual rest. A rest knowing that we are saved and loved and don’t have to strive for those things. When we have this kind of peace, it affects our everyday lives. In His rest we cease from our own efforts and rest in Christ’s redemptive, finished work. God is calling us to “BE” but we focus on the “DO.” In His rest, we can let go of anxiety, stress, worry, and lean into the grace of God for our work, lives, families, churches, the totality of life!
YOUR TURN: This week, pray this passage in Hebrews along with Matthew 6:25-34. Speak these words over your work and your family and watch how your mood and mind changes. Renew us God by your word!
2. Delegation
I remember when I was a college basketball coach, I put more pressure on myself than anyone else could have ever put on me. Doing things right and winning were everything! Often as ministry leaders we do the same. We self-impose pressure to hear from God to lead the people. But, didn’t God make us to be in community? Didn’t God send you helpers to help and not just for you to micromanage? Don’t other people beside the pastor hear from God? This is EGO again my friend! Our egos won’t allow us to open our hands and release the power that we have to empower others to do the work.
Micromanagement is not the answer. You would get more rest (and not have others call you while you are vacating) if you would train them, give them responsibility, and not micromanage them. Do you remember the advice Jethro, Moses’ father in law, gave him when Moses was judging all the people in Exodus 18? We pick up the story at verse 17:
Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him. Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”
Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves. (vv.17-26, NIV)
Delegate, friends. You can do it. If you die, will your ministry die with you? Empower others and raise up leaders who can take over one day. Don’t do it alone.
YOUR TURN: This week, pray and ask God to send someone you can mentor who might someday take your place. This takes humility, but do it anyway and watch how God responds.
3. Mentoring
Yes, we as leaders are called to be mentors, but what about having a mentor ourselves? Some don’t want to hear this for many reasons, but everyone needs a coach/mentor/and to be discipled no matter how long you have been working or in ministry. Moses mentored Joshua. Elijah mentored Elisha. Jesus mentored the 12 and was very close to Peter, James, and John. Recently I filled out a denominational survey that asked if I had been discipling/mentoring at least 3-5 people in the past year. Thank the Lord I could say yes. But what is just as important is that I have people who are speaking into my life as well. Who is mentoring you? It could be a friend, ministry buddy, a coach, or your pastor.
YOUR TURN: Get a mentor or coach who can help you work through some issues in your life and ministry. I also highly recommend a therapist. Find someone this week.
I have given you a lot to think about and challenged you to do much. Make a plan and stick with it. You may not get all of this done this week, but plan accordingly and work on these things. Your life, mental health, family, and overall well being will benefit greatly.
