{"id":2633,"date":"2012-05-03T03:45:21","date_gmt":"2012-05-03T07:45:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/simplelife\/?p=2633"},"modified":"2012-05-02T09:49:17","modified_gmt":"2012-05-02T13:49:17","slug":"wiggle-room-going-together","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/05\/wiggle-room-going-together.html","title":{"rendered":"Wiggle Room–Going Together"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Within every ministry or business, there is wiggle room. \u00a0Before we examine \u201cthe how\u201d for learning about and becoming comfortable within your ministry\u2019s culture, there are several things where there can be no wiggle room.<\/p>\n

Jesus\u2019 disciples knew that he was not only their leader. \u00a0He was their example. \u00a0Before he sent them out in two\u2019s, he traveled with them, showing them the way. \u00a0At his death, these men had experienced survival because the Lord had sent them out to experience the Holy Spirit\u2019s working through them.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>If any ministry is going to succeed, it is vital to learn how to work as a team. \u00a0Jeffery Lay in his book,\u00a0Top Gun on Wall Street,\u00a0<\/em>says \u201cWe don\u2019t send anyone, anywhere. We all go together.\u201d \u00a0Lay was a top gun pilot who transferred the leadership skills learned from the military into the business world.<\/p>\n

Leaders cannot lead from behind. \u00a0If you are in a leadership position, you must not only be willing to go before but you must be the first to venture into new avenues.<\/p>\n

There is a fatal notion that leaders don\u2019t actually do much work. \u00a0They learn to delegate. \u00a0The problem with that philosophy is that few people willingly or happily work for a leader if their leader does not fully understand the concerns of the workers. \u00a0Before delegation can successfully happen, there must be example.<\/p>\n

Within a ministry, you must have the good will of all your volunteers and paid staff. \u00a0That doesn\u2019t mean that you need to know the nuts and bolts of every single activity. \u00a0However, you must do more than walk though the ministry space, looking, pointing and asking stupid questions. \u00a0The person who is following you must know your commitment to the people you are serving.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>They need to understand that at any time you are willing to pick up a broom and sweep the floor or make the refreshments. \u00a0Each week volunteers need to see you moving chairs, teaching or doing some physical ministry. \u00a0Volunteers and staff must know that you are willing learn the bookkeeping or the desk-top publishing or a new data base. \u00a0You want to be able to venture into the new activities demanded by your ministry.<\/p>\n

When The Special Gathering was having some concerns with our bookkeeping, the head of our ministry, Richard Stimson, went back to college to learn the fundamentals of accounting. \u00a0While he didn\u2019t need to learn how to be an expert in accounts receivable, he wanted to be able to have an overall vision regarding this area of ministry. \u00a0I was impressed with his willingness to venture beyond his comfort zone to learn how to lead in this vital area.<\/p>\n

Years ago, I visited a large ministry in southern Florida. \u00a0A bit shocked, I listened as the director of the ministry spoke to her fellow volunteers. \u00a0She was more than stern as the men and women listened. \u00a0They nodded and smiled, agreeing with her admonitions. \u00a0After the meeting, I asked her how she could be so stern with her volunteers. \u00a0\u201dI\u2019m also a volunteer,\u201d she said, laughing. \u00a0\u201dMy teachers know that I am doing as much or more than they are every day of the week.\u201d<\/p>\n

She and Stimson live what Lay advocates, \u201cDon\u2019t send anyone, anywhere. \u00a0We all go together.\u201d \u00a0Without a team no ministry will not be successful. \u00a0However, without a leader, there will be no team.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Within every ministry or business, there is wiggle room. \u00a0Before we examine \u201cthe how\u201d for learning about and becoming comfortable within your ministry\u2019s culture, there are several things where there can be no wiggle room. Jesus\u2019 disciples knew that he was not only their leader. \u00a0He was their example. \u00a0Before he sent them out in…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":387,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,3,40,186,49,16,4,41],"tags":[690,21,688,7,699,715,701,694,709,689,6],"class_list":["post-2633","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-christianity","category-developmental-disabilities","category-faith","category-hope","category-inspiration","category-intellectual-disability","category-simple-truths","category-spirituality","tag-autism-spectrum","tag-christian","tag-christianity","tag-developmental-disabilities-2","tag-faith","tag-hope","tag-inspiration","tag-intellectual-disability","tag-leadership","tag-mentally-challenged-community","tag-simple-scriptural-truths"],"yoast_head":"\nWiggle Room-Going Together - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/05\/wiggle-room-going-together.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Wiggle Room-Going Together - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Within every ministry or business, there is wiggle room. \u00a0Before we examine \u201cthe how\u201d for learning about and becoming comfortable within your ministry\u2019s culture, there are several things where there can be no wiggle room. Jesus\u2019 disciples knew that he was not only their leader. \u00a0He was their example. \u00a0Before he sent them out in…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/05\/wiggle-room-going-together.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2012-05-03T07:45:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2012-05-02T13:49:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/specialgathering.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/05\/thomas.jpg?w=157&h=158\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Linda G. 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