Church

Seven Things Staff Members Wished Their Senior Pastors Knew—Part Four

Oct 31, 2008

#6 - Let Me Take Things Off Of Your Plate

Pastors, let me make you a promise—there are things that you are doing RIGHT NOW that some of your staff members are begging God that you would stop doing them because…well…your not that good at them!

BUT…the reason you don’t want to release them is because you fear that your burden might be someone else’s burden, not understanding that the thing that may weigh you down actually energizes someone else.

One of the most informative and freeing meetings I’ve ever led was the day when I walked into our SMT meeting and asked this question, “Guys, what is the ONE THING that I am doing that you sit around and say, ‘I wish Perry would stop trying to do that and just let me have it?’”

That meeting seriously set me free on some things!

#7 - Ask My Opinion

I said this earlier in the series…but when we limit our church to our wisdom and insight…they’re screwed!

God placed me as the pastor over this staff for two reasons…to lead them AND to listen to them.

AND…the only reason a senior pastor would not value the opinion of the people he serves with is because he is insecure (and an idiot!)

I am so blessed that God has placed so many incredibly gifted and passionate people around me…people who are much smarter than me…and there have been times when I have been stressing over how to solve a problem and someone else will come up with the answer as if it were nothing to them!

Pastors—we’ve GOT to ask those who serve with us what they think…about everything.  They see things we don’t see.  They have a perspective that we don’t have.  And God has placed them around us to serve with us…but also to prevent us from making bad leadership decisions.

BUT we don’t know that unless we actually take the time to ask them what they think.

One of my favorite questions to ask around here when people bring me a problem is, “What do you think about that?”

What I have found is that the best and brightest leaders ALREADY have thought through the solution.  ASK their opinion…you might be surprised with who God has placed with you!