the    sides

I’ve been listening to this discussion without much comment. Before I dive back in the middle of it, I want to brag on 3 of guys that are commenting.

None of them are theorists, they are all practioners. Which is odd - because you’ve got 2 engineers and a psychologist. That’s just a recipe for OCD gone wrong. “Let’s figure out every possible angle then re-do the whole thing then maybe let’s draw a plan.”

Not Steve, Wayne, and ME. Over the last couple of years God’s just taken them on a wacky journey. Spiritual, mystical moments in the mountains, starting prayer groups at work, inviting foreigners to live in their house, discipling teenagers to enjoy and experience more of Jesus while they themselves do the same. Homeless, poor, outsiders, and pagans have all benefited from the ‘practice’ of these men.

Now believe it or not - all that relates to this dialogue - would you rather have a willing but ungifted/unskilled person OR a gifted/skilled but unwilling person leading?

Here’s the truth about all OF US who’ve done student ministry at Grace….we’ve refused (rejected) having to make that kind of decision when it comes to leadership. We are all a bunch of hypocrites!!! ha ha. Remember this word - RAFT? Yeah, dig in the archives for that one - but it is how we identify leaders and potential leaders. It is also how we celebrate leaders.

Responsive to Christ
Available for ministry
Faithful to the call
Teachable spirit

That’s it. That is what we look for. If one is missing, we’ll risk unless that one is teachability. We demand vulnerability by bluntly but lovingly pointing out holes and work areas as well as celebration places. We always practically ignored skill.

We assumed (and I would say, rightly assumed) that skills can be tought but if we don’t have these characteristics as a baseline, we are toast. We can’t move them from where they are.

So, I fall back to these 4 markers and I think they are good. But where exactly does that take us in our conversation?