Are You Building, Empowering, and Equipping Others?

I would like to highlight a few questions our Board of Directors asked during my performance review and evaluation:

• How are you managing and balancing your mission leadership activities and your personal/home activities? What does it look like?
• Do you try to take time to nourish your soul either daily, weekly, monthly or on retreat? If so, when and how often?
• Are you building, empowering, and equipping a team of leaders around you so you can focus on your primary leadership assignments? If so, what does that look like?

These are some of the BIGGER questions that caused me to reflect much on my past ten years with Scriptures In Use. It reminds me of the times in the Scriptures when the Lord addresses the type of leaders He desires for His Kingdom. There is a Bible Story that I am resting in and sharing with others right now. It really hits the point that an effective leader must be willing to entrust capable men and women around them to lead well. Let me share a bit of context before we go directly to this story in His living Word.

Jethro Offered Advice

Moses had just led the Israelites out of Egypt, and they were camped in the desert.  Moses’ wife Zipporah and their two sons had been with Jethro, her father, and were then invited to come to the Israelite camp.  When they arrived, Moses told Jethro all that God was doing and the miracles the Lord had performed on their exit from Egypt. Upon hearing this, Jethro, a priest of the Midianites (a non-Hebrew priest by the way) praised the greatness of the Hebrew God and then offered sacrifices with Aaron, the priests and all the Hebrew people!  What happened next is significant. I will share this word for word from Exodus 18: 13-27 (NLT)

The next day, Moses took his seat to hear the people’s disputes against each other. They waited before him from morning till evening. When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What are you really accomplishing here? Why are you trying to do all this alone while everyone stands around you from morning till evening?”

Moses replied, “Because the people come to me to get a ruling from God. When a dispute arises, they come to me, and I am the one who settles the case between the quarreling parties. I inform the people of God’s decrees and give them his instructions.”

“This is not good!” Moses’ father-in-law exclaimed. “You’re going to wear yourself out—and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself. Now listen to me, and let me give you a word of advice, and may God be with you. You should continue to be the people’s representative before God, bringing their disputes to him. Teach them God’s decrees, and give them his instructions. Show them how to conduct their lives. But select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. They should always be available to solve the people’s common disputes, but have them bring the major cases to you. Let the leaders decide the smaller matters themselves. They will help you carry the load, making the task easier for you. If you follow this advice, and if God commands you to do so, then you will be able to endure the pressures, and all these people will go home in peace.”

Moses listened to his father-in-law’s advice and followed his suggestions. He chose capable men from all over Israel and appointed them as leaders over the people. He put them in charge of groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. These men were always available to solve the people’s common disputes. They brought the major cases to Moses, but they took care of the smaller matters themselves. Soon after this, Moses said good-bye to his father-in-law, who returned to his own land.

Moses Listened…Do You?

Jethro gave some great advice to Moses. Moses listened and put that advice into place.
So,

• Do you listen to the suggestions and advice from your close circle of trusted relationships? If so, what was the result?
• Can God use even non-believers (remember Jethro was a Midianite Priest, a non-Hebrew) to recommend changes for good?

I am interested in your response.

How About You?

Fortunately, my performance review ended well, and I will continue in my role as CEO & Executive Director.  I hope to be known as a good listener and one who seeks our God and seeks good counsel and input from others.

How about you; What type of leader do you want to be known as?