Yesterday I held our weekly team meeting at a local coffee shop. I try and take a few off-site meetings every quarter, just to get away from the office atmosphere. While at these off-sites I will hit our weekly agenda with a high-speed pace, and try and make time for some teaching and encouragement. So this week I totally stole a lesson from HERE, and adjusted it to fit what I felt our team needed.
There are 4 assumptions I asked our team to make as we headed into our semi-busy fall season of children’s ministry. We’re planning Halloween alternatives (ugh…), Thanksgiving themes, Christmas story lessons, and finally launching into 2009 with some new programs, events, curriculum, etc… Again, the full list of assumptions can be found HERE; but I want to highlight the fourth assumption I asked everyone on our team to put into practice.
Assumption #4: Assume that you are the right person to do your job.
I challenged our team to assume that they are where they are, because God put them there. I asked them to go ahead and assume that they are where they are, because I (the boss) want them there. It’s high time that we all stopped assuming that someone must have made a mistake to put them in the position are in. It’s important that everyone on our team, including me, come to realize that God has us in the right place. I have lived in the past, where I assumed that someday somebody would finally figure out how terribly unqualified I am for what I’m doing. Then my secret would be uncovered!
To state a disclaimer: I also said that if they really feel they aren’t keeping up with the team, that it might be time for a change; but until that proves true we can all assume that they are the right person for the job.
For me this is challenging. I have a very easily comparable job. I can look at those in much smaller churches and think I’m in a better place. I can also look at those in much larger churches and think I’m in a worse place. I can compare myself with those that operate with no supporting staff, or those with dozens of support staff; those with more flexible church leadership and those with completely inflexible church leadership; those with supportive Senior Pastors and those with incognito Senior Pastors. I can get lost quickly in this comparison game, and really it should all come down to this fact: I am where I am, because God needs me to be where I am! When God decides to move me, I’ll know. (And trust me, I’ve heard that voice before; and I’ll know when I hear it again!)
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.
