Leading Leaders.

So this role I have been entrusted with as the Lead Pastor of a church plant called The Roots Community (www.TheRootsCommunity.com) is a blessing but a very heavy blessing! I am faced with the challenge on a weekly or almost daily basis of not just leading people but leading leaders. It's one thing to round up regular people who want to follow someone, but it's a totally different thing when you are motivating and vision casting for a group of people that are leaders in their own right.

Almost 9 months ago a vision was cast for several leaders about an idea to move to a new city and do a new, fresh work of God for the kingdom. Over time these leaders began to make plans and move the pieces of their life around to get on board with God's agenda. It was all very exciting. Today, The Roots Community has an amazing group of leaders that serve each other and this community. I have often referred to them as a Super Team. Honestly, I am dumbfounded as to how it all happened. Am I a leader of leaders or is God up to something bigger than my abilities?

That is the real issue here. Could God be up to something so big, that even my own abilities and gifts matter so very little? Has He gifted me? Sure. But, if God needed my gifts and abilities, then as a broken, sinful man I would be tempted to think that it was my doing. And if we are going to make room for God to do miracles than that means we have to get out of the way.

I was reminded of this tonight at our impromptu staff meeting. I called a staff meeting because I needed to get my leaders back on track with where we are headed with an upcoming event. Many of us had lost focus and let the other important things in life get in the way of what we were doing, better yet, what God was doing. So the night before the staff meeting I spoke with my coach (Chan Kilgore) and I asked him how I should approach this meeting. He gave me incredible wisdom and insight. He said "Jesse, the purpose is not to pull off a great event...it's to grow people" I left that conversation feeling so encouraged, because I knew that the most important thing for me was to keep my eyes on the bigger picture that my people mattered more than the details of that event we have been planning.

Now, I must admit...leading leaders is tough. Leaders are smart, opinionated, thinkers, and often have their own agenda. Our staff meeting did not go as I had envisioned it, but one thing did go right. I led. I led them to see what the BIG PICTURE is all about. Transformed Lives! If we are doing our first event as a church for this community and it's not about seeing Transformed Lives...than we are wasting our time. Our meeting ended on this note. And so now...my leaders have a choice. To follow, or not to follow.

You see, leading leaders is not about convincing people to do what you want. I learned that it's more about following God. At our meeting, in front of my leaders, I believe that I was able to cast a vision...a vision about partnering with God in seeing transformed lives happen in this community. And whether I do it solo or with 100's I will continue to follow God in that mission He has called me to.

John Maxwell says that 'leadership is influence', and although I believe that is true I want to leave you with this thought. My experience so far is this...I am a leader of leaders, but God has done all the influencing.