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February 07, 2005
Skills
A couple of weeks ago I had a leadership thought bubble to the surface.
To grow in devotion to Christ is to make one qualified to lead. To grow in necessary leadership skills makes one capable of leading. Qualification and capability do not go hand in hand. I think there is some overlap, but by in far, you must be developing both skills simultaneously. And as always, any good church will prefer qualification over capability. But as we are young leaders at the Rock, besure you are growing in both! :)
Posted by mtriley at February 7, 2005 11:00 PM
Comments
So devotion...does that include spiritual maturity? I think you're on the right track, but qualification includes some maturity. A day old believer who is devoted to Christ (and growing in Him), is not yet qualified to lead, is (s)he?
Posted by: dan at February 8, 2005 11:24 AM
I'm assuming that by qualified he is speaking of 2 Tim. qualifications? Or at least biblical qualifications in general, which include maturity.
Also remember that anyone who has taken 1 step is qualified to instruct someone who has taken no steps (at least in how to take a step...)
Posted by: Matt at February 8, 2005 01:58 PM
Just thoughts:
I don't think possessing leadership skills makes one capable of being a spiritual leader. They help, but what's most important is having the heart of a servant.
I Timothy 3:1 -- the word aspire doesn't mean ambition. It means longing or heart desire. It's the same word used in Hebrews 11:16 for the OT saints who "desired" a better country. And it's not really the office to which one is aspiring, it's the work.
So the question is, what is the work of an overseer?
Matthew 20:26-27 -- Great saints will be servants; those who are first will be those who by choice make themselves slaves. (Hmmm, sounds like a guy we know who hung on a cross.)
So I think if we focus on the work of serving people and making the choices -- i.e. dying -- to put others ahead of ourselves, then the office part will take care of itself, which is what I think you maybe were alluding to when you mentioned growing in devotion to the Lord qualifying us to lead.
In close, I would spend 10 times the amount of time on learning to be a servant compared to the time I would spend on acquiring leadership "skills."
Posted by: Different Dan at February 8, 2005 04:50 PM
Capability- simply is 'ableness'- are you 'capable' to lead translates to are you 'able' to lead
Qualified- translates to 'meeting of expectations in order to proceed'
Those who are capable of leadership sometimes are not qualified (strong leadership skills, lots of knowledge- internal strife in family) etc.
Not all who can lead should.
Posted by: Katie Jo at February 8, 2005 10:06 PM
I think Dan B. hit it best when he said, "I would spend 10 times the amount of time on learning to be a servant compared to the time I would spend on acquiring leadership 'skills.'"
Posted by: dan at February 9, 2005 05:25 PM
Yes, yes, but developing your servant skills, in a Spiritual Context, you are in fact developing your leadership skills. I implied no seperation in the two as some have taken it. The point is to illustrate that more than simple devotion to the Lord is required to skillfully lead people and the church in the way of the Lord.
Posted by: Michael Riley at February 9, 2005 06:39 PM
"more than a simple devotion"
really?
Posted by: Matt Heerema at February 10, 2005 01:52 PM
Well, well well. I guess I need to write and essay on the topic. Keep your eye's pealed for "Skills 2".
Posted by: Michael Riley at February 10, 2005 02:36 PM