I’ve never traveled alone…
EVER…
Not even when the church met in a living room!
A part of it is accountability for sure…
However, another part of it is investing in people.
One of the questions I’ve been asked in the past few years is why, when I travel, do I “roll with an entourage?”
Honestly, I’ve never fully understood that question because…
#1 - The people who travel with me on trips are my friends, I actually like being around them.
#2 - Like I said, I have ALWAYS traveled with groups of people.
It’s not about rolling with an entourage but rather investing into the lives of a group of people that you actually care about. A group of people who you want to see and experience some of the things that you are seeing and experiencing.
Honestly, I learned this from Jesus!
Seriously, as I read the Gospels I have NEVER found a place that He did anything alone (except to pray, Luke 5:16!) Anytime He did ministry, anytime He was teaching, anytime He was going somewhere that his disciples had never been He was always taking them with Him.
If you want to do life and ministry like Jesus, you can’t do it alone.
Unfortunately some pastors and ministry leaders are selfish. Stingy! They want to travel. They want to experience new things. They want to see new places. They want it for themselves…they just don’t want it for the people who are serving Jesus with them…
So they go at it alone, and when someone else comes in with a group of people they automatically play the self righteous “entourage” card. They see taking people with them on trips and such as an “expense;” however, leaders who care about the people who they serve with actually see taking people with them as an investment.
Every time I have a chance to travel to a new church and see a new ministry I take a crew of people with me!
The first time I traveled to Fellowship Church in 2002 to attend the C3 conference I took five people with me. (And church planters/pastors, I did not call them and ask for a discount, we were poor and broke but I found the money and paid the price. As long as you poor mouth your condition you aren’t going to improve!)
The next year I took 12 people!!!
The first time I was invited to speak at the Dream Center in LA I took five people with me!
I’ve taken a crew of people every time since!!!
When I was invited to Hillsong back in 2009 I took five people with me.
I could go on and on…but the reality is that…
#1 - I was able to invest time and energy in the people I traveled with, we were able to have great conversations and learn from one another.
#2 - They felt valued and invested in!
#3 - We were able to learn things, have some great experiences and I didn’t have to experience it all alone.
My advice, anytime you get to go somewhere new and see/hear something that you think is going to be life changing…DO NOT GO ALONE, take as many people as possible with you…
And when someone accuses you of “rolling with an entourage,” OWN IT…I would much rather be accused of investing in people than being a self righteous selfish leader who wants great things for himself, but not for the people He is called to love and lead!