My New Mantra

When is the last time you acted on a dream that could fail?

Six months ago, I made the switch from professional volunteer to paid church employee. Along with my bank account, something else changed too: my appetite for change. With the weight of now being paid for my position, I had lost some of my hunger for being an agent of change at our church.

Intuitively, I knew I had ideas that were worth discussing. I knew it would be beneficial to apply my fresh eyes to the established ministry program. And yet I hesitated to share too much or dream too big. What if it doesn't work? What if people don't like my ideas? What if the leadership above me second-guesses hiring me? What if I'm naive? What if the students don't like it? What if it fails?

My new coworker and I would talk about doing things differently, but fear would inevitably creep in, sliding under the door like smoke and mingling into our creative ideas and dreams. Eventually, we realized that our fear of failing was outweighing our heart and our desire to work hard in the quest to creatively reach others for Christ.

One afternoon, in a fit of frustration, I scrawled a mantra onto our shared office wall in black marker. (Did I mention we work in student ministry? Black marker works.) Five simple words defined our ministry plans for the rest of the year: So what if it fails?

Most churches are pretty skittish about change. When I hear about battles being fought over music styles and Bible study schedules and building usage, I wonder if Jesus shakes his head in disgust. Jesus told his disciples that the fields are "ripe for the harvest." I believe that's still true today, but maybe we are missing opportunities, staying enslaved to the status quo.

"So what if it fails" might be the best perspective to take if we are serious about leveraging our influence as leaders.

When you consider your area of ministry, what have you been yearning to try but you don't because you are worried it will fail? What events and programs do you continue, even though you know in your heart they aren't serving their purpose or accomplishing their mission? What technology do you avoid because you feel too old? What learning do you circumvent because you feel rusty?

If you don't have anything on the horizon that might fail, then you are failing as a leader. If you aren't pushing for innovation and creativity, then you are guaranteed to keep attracting the very same people as last year. But if you are serious about reaching others for Christ, about pushing boundaries, about reaching the next generation with the love and freedom of Christ's way, chances are, you are going to have to try something that just might fail.

So listen to the leanings of your heart. If you run a women's ministry, evaluate your programming. Have you yearned for a way to connect women into the community or serve single moms? So what if it fails.

Do you wish to add creative elements or a new speaker or maybe even try and teach a Bible study yourself this year? So what if it fails.

Do you want to try a new class, run a marathon, or raise money for a cause close to your heart? So what if it fails.

Do you avoid certain people in the church because they're too hard to deal with, keep your mouth shut instead of raising a ministry concern, or keep your ideas to yourself because you don't want to get into something too big? Do something. Say something. Start something. So what if it fails.

And surprise—it just might work.

Getting on God's Agenda

I began my career working for a large secular corporation. In those days I had very little positional influence. I was at the bottom of the ladder trying to climb my way to the top just like every other poor soul my age. But what I quickly discovered was that I was earning influence with my peers in an area that I hadn't anticipated. Some of the people I worked with were also Christians and we naturally gravitated to one another to discuss spiritual things. Out of our relationships flowed the opportunity to speak into each others' lives about what God was teaching us and where he was stretching us to grow in our faith.

But the moments I remember most vividly are the chances I had to share with those who were not believers. As we got to know one another, I learned more about their families, their dreams and their fears. I took it as a great compliment when one of these individuals would show up at my door and say, "Hey, can I ask you something?" This usually was followed with a concern or frustration that they wanted counsel in navigating. Sometimes these were work-related; other times, family issues. Regardless, it gave me an opportunity to share truth—to speak God's Word into their lives.

Henry and Richard Blackaby would call what I was doing spiritual leadership. In their book Spiritual Leadership, they define it as "moving people on to God's agenda."

And according to the Blackabys, "When spiritual leaders have done their jobs, the people around them have encountered God and obeyed his will."

Spiritual leadership is sensitivity to engaging the conversations that help lead people closer to God. It's a unique distinctive that sets us apart from other leaders, and it's the most critical dimension of being a leader, especially for those of us who serve in the church or in other faith-based endeavors. I'm thankful that early in my career I learned the value of this type of leadership. What a unique privilege it is to help others to move on to God's agenda.

Don't underestimate the influence that God has given you. What are some ways you can be a spiritual leader for the people on your team and in your life?

Motherhood and Ministry

Kathy, a friend of mine who serves as an elder at her church, recently shared an issue with me that she and her fellow leaders constantly wrestle with. "We always need more volunteers in our church, but it's so hard to ask moms to get more involved in ministry," she said. "They are already so tired, so busy; I don't even want to ask them to do anything else. Maybe after their kids get older, we can get them involved again."

I wonder how often in our churches we assume that once a woman becomes a mother, she has to put her potential contributions in the church on hold for an indefinite period (with the exception of serving in the church nursery or Sunday school program).

If a mother has multiple children, does she have to wait until her youngest is in school before she can start thinking about getting involved in ministry in some way? For a woman who has three kids, three years apart, that would mean a 14-year hiatus! And life certainly gets only more complicated once children are older and involved in all of their activities, requiring even more of a mom's time to oversee and chauffeur. When is it the right time to ask moms to expand their sphere of ministry beyond their family into new areas of leadership?

This past year I have spoken with numerous mothers who are engaged in a mission to which they feel called and deeply passionate. I've come to a realization: Church leaders would do mothers a favor by encouraging them to stay involved in the church's ministry or in whatever spheres of influence and callings God has given them, especially after they have kids.

In fact, doing so could actually be the most helpful and life-giving opportunity for many women, especially those who struggle with questions of identity and purpose when they become moms, and yet feel guilty if they have dreams and desires outside of motherhood like I did.

Instead of accepting the idea that women should pull back and retreat from service once they become moms, church leaders who can help mothers re-engage with their pre-mom interests and God-given gifts may lead them to a much greater fulfillment and joy in their lives. As women begin to understand how motherhood fits into the larger calling and purpose that God has for them, they realize an important truth: motherhood is critically important, but even the role of being a mother cannot come before our commitment to God and the particular mission he has designed for each and every one of us. And more often than not, that mission includes—but also goes beyond—the walls of our homes to the greater world around us, echoing the mission that Jesus imprinted on his followers thousands of years ago: "Be my witnesses...to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8).

How about you? Are you following God's calling and mission for your life? What are the ways you can help mothers in your congregation better understand and embrace their gifts and callings? How does your church help moms grasp what their God-given missions are?