Although I do feel new day after day, I have the good fortune of having been around the block a couple of times regarding church leadership. I've worked with approximately 20 elders where I've served and as many staff personnel; if not more. There have been those exciting ups and then there have been those productive downs; all have been kingdom tools.
I notice a trait among these. It isn't a rule or a law, mind you. It just seems noticeably consistent. It takes ten years for preachers or elders to begin to fit in their own skin. Or, should I say for Jesus to fit into our skin? I think it takes a man ten good years to bump into enough interruptive walls to begin to groom the blend of faith in Jesus and courage for the task.
During those ten years we are more like interns. This process sands off our harshness and judgmental nature and then sharpens our hearts for shepherding/preaching tasks at hands.
Honestly, it took me a bit longer....20 years. I never will arrive, so please don't read this post as such. I am forever resigned to be a clueless kindergartner. Still, we do learn and we do grow.
Whether my view is accurate is up for the guessers and the estimationers. My point is that churches hiring preachers and congregations adding elders might do well to anticipate at least a decade of "fighting in the sand box" style of leadership. All is unintentional, of course, but such may take place because we are very, very fallen men.
We want to lead, desire to lead, and are up to the challenge to lead. But the truth remains, leadership is developed in the trenches of heart-break-and-ache. Flushing out the anger and the disorientation takes time---ditch time.
The solution? Patience with us all...especially toward those as me who are slower than the rest.
What does it take to develop an elder or a preacher? About 10 years.
3 comments:
Just a thought Terry, but do you think it would help if we focused more on appointing elders who were ALREADY shepherding before they receive a title? It seems we focus a whole lot on the "requirements" and picking those who fit all the legal qualifications and we gloss over picking the men whom God has already put in that position with no title. Maybe we overlook the men in whom God's Spirit has been growing & grooming for 10 or so years... Just a thought!
I assume you are speaking in the context of churches of Christ. I don't know the latest research, but it wasn't that long ago that I read our preachers only stay with a given congregation about 3-1/2 years. They are only one third of the way to fitting in when they leave!
Ronna - good thought. I would settle for appointing men who want to shepherd and have a shepherd heart. To often we do stick to the checklist approach and miss what is perhaps the greatest on the list.
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