Few Leaders Lead

Leaders lead.  Sounds like a simple enough statement.  If one wants to be a leader, then he or she must lead.  Even though this statement is an easy one to grasp mentally, I have discovered that it is an extremely difficult one for people to execute.  There are a large number of people who are in leadership roles that do not know how to lead.  Now please don't misunderstand me.  Hear what I am not saying.  I'm not saying that people don't know how to lock themselves in their office and come up with some sort of direction for their ministry.  I'm not saying that people in these positions are not motivated to do good and desire to see great things happen.  I'm not even saying that success does not occur on some level.  What I am saying is that a large number of people in ministry have been thrust into a leadership role never having been taught how to lead others, and because of this, a lot of ministries are floundering.

I am going to do a dangerous thing and assume that a large number of ministers in leadership positions are praying for their ministries.  I'm also going to assume that biblical truth is being taught and that your own walk with the Lord is growing.  I'm also going to assume that the vast majority of ministers are frustrated that nothing is happening within their ministries.  I do not claim to have all of the answers, however, I do believe that lack of leadership stiffles growth and can even paralyze a ministry.  What if a couple of small tweaks in your leadership style helped to catapult your ministry forward instead of it remaining stagnate.  Allow me to make a couple of small suggestions:

1. Make long term plans.  Leaders should constantly be asking the question, "Where are we heading."  Unfortuntatly, so many leaders are just trying to keep their heads above water that they neglect to cast vision to their organization.  If you do not have a vision for the future, no one else in your ministry will either.
2. Communicate, communicate, communicate.  If you think that you have overcommunicated something, then people are just starting to hear what you are saying.  Overcommunication is always better than under communication.  Find multiple ways to communicate.  E-mails, social media, lunch meetings, videos, etc.  The more you communicate, the better off you'll be.
3. Recruitment never ends.  Just because you have all of your sunday school spots filled does not mean you should stop looking for future workers.  Constantly be in recruitment mode.  If you are in a smaller church where help is hard to find, this is doubly important.  Find someone and begin investing in them NOW.
4. Encourage your team.  Encourage them during the good times and encourage them during the bad.  Write notes, send an e-mail, take them out for lunch.  Find ways to encourage the team that's around you.