Faith Leaders

Are you the leader of a group of people?  
If you think you aren't, then think again. . . are you a parent?  Then you are a leader.  Are you a helper at your child's school?  Then you are a leader. Are you the captain of your ball team?  Then you are a leader.  Do you have younger siblings or cousins or neighbors?  Then you are a leader.

If you are a person of faith then that makes you a Faith Leader.  Embrace it!  It's your calling!
I'm not just talking about being a pastor or any other office that you've taken responsibility for, like church council or being on a committee or ministry team at your church, I'm also talking about the rest of your life.  All of life is inter-related and you take your faith with you everywhere you go!  The way you talk about your faith, practice your faith, share your faith, live out your faith makes you a faith leader.  Other people will learn about Christ and go deeper with Christ as they witness your love and passion for Jesus!  If you aren't passionate about your faith then those that you lead (your children, your spouse, your colleagues at work, your fellow church members) will not grow in their passion for the Lord.  (That is unless they have another faith leader in their lives that helps to spark something within them-- The Holy Spirit does this work, by the way, but we can participate in the process too.)

Before our son was born, my husband and I studied Tomiki Aikido for 3 years.  Our Sensei used to say to us, "You will never be better at this than I am.  That's why I have to continue to study and work on my own technique."  Jesus said, "A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master." (Matthew 10: 24)  
A leader cannot lead beyond their own capabilities.  
A teacher cannot teach what they do not know.


I've heard of piano teachers who have had gifted students who have, after many years, urged their students to find another teacher who can help them get to the next level.


As a track coach, I cannot teach what I do not know. . . that's why I stick to high jump, long jump, sprints and hurdles and stay as far away from the throwing events as possible when it comes to giving helpful advice!  I'm a good cheerleader for them but as far as technique, I am absolutely no help whatsoever!

So what does this mean?  In a nutshell  it means that if you want to see others grow in their faith, then you have to pay attention to your own faith journey.  If you want to see your church family go deeper with Christ then you have to spend time praying, giving, serving, studying, and worshiping so that those you lead can continue to grow.  This is not about numbers, as in "How many people were in church this Sunday?"  This is not about "How can we get more people to come to this church?"  This is about spiritual maturity, growing in Christ, knowing God more deeply and fully. 


 If you want your kids to have a deeper faith then whose faith do you need to be paying attention to?  If you want your spouse to know the Lord should you lecture and cajole them?  Or would it be better to simply dwell in the Lord knowing that everything happens in God's time and that you have no control over another person's journey?  Meanwhile they see you gathering great joy from our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.  


Be a faith leader-- it all starts with your journey!