Leadership is upside down

In a season of busyness, I was reminded about something that is sometimes hard to put into practice but it is necessary.

I was in a conversation with a good friend, mentor and professor of mine in Rondel Ramsey. He is a youth ministry professor at Lincoln Christian University and has become one of the best people I know who for some reason will always know what you need to hear.

In a season where I wasn’t sure what is to come, I began thinking that I had to do it all on my own. My ministry, my students, my vision. But in the blink of an eye, I was brought down to earth by good friend Rondel:

“But Brendon, do you really have to do it all by yourself?” 

It hit me like a ton of bricks. Seriously, it felt like a weight was just dropped on my big toe!! It was one of those conversations that I wasn’t really sure what was going to happen, but for some reason I picked up the phone, called Rondel and this was the moment that I was essentially looking for. I wasn’t ready for it, but this was the moment that I needed. Rondel went on to explain that what he see’s in young leaders is that we tend to sway to doing everything ourselves. We do that mainly in times of fear, nerves and anxiousness. I started to think about why I might be falling into that idea of doing it all on my own. I realized that it was exactly what he said. I am in a position for the first time where I have the final thought about where a ministry goes, what is going to happen in the ministry, the trips/services/programs/events that the ministry will do. It is a very scary thought. But what I needed to remember is that I am not alone. It is something that I needed a reminder of. It is so easy for a young person to feel the need to take over and in a sense “prove myself” to the people around me. However, coming out of that conversation, I remembered that it doesn’t really matter what I, myself come up with, what matters is what happens for the Glory of God. It doesn’t matter if I come up with or the quiet volunteer in the corner comes up with it. If it is the best thought/idea that comes out of a brainstorming conversation, then that is what we are going to do.

I was reminded what true leadership is:

Leadership is not about who is front of everyone, what one person says, but about elevating others around you to create disciples of Jesus Christ. When you elevate people to lead others, then you are able to accomplish true leadership. 

For me, that is a big lesson that I have learned, am learning and will continue to learn as a I get older. It is not about me. It is not about how awesome of an event I can plan. It is about the lives that can be changed as a result of a team of people. It is not a one person game, it is a team of people that work together to make the best experience for whoever is attending.

Ephesians 4: 11-13

” It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to PREPARE GOD’S PEOPLE FOR WORKS OF SERVICE, so that the BODY OF CHRIST MAY BE BUILT UP until we reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

My thought is this: if we as leaders, young, middle aged, prime, old, whatever your age may be, it doesn’t change the fact that our job as leaders is to build people up around us to elevate them as leaders. When we elevate the people around us as leaders, then those people will elevate others as leaders.

When you think about it, if we as leaders truly and whole heartedly follow through with the idea that this job is not about us, it is about building others up to lead, could it lead to a catalytic change for the Kingdom of God? 

What kind of conversations have influence the way you lead lately?