Monday, February 23, 2009

Personal Renewal

This week I'm teaching a class at VFCC in Phonexville, PA. This class has both undergrad Bible college students and seminary grad students from AGTS. 

We are off to a great start of our 42 hour marathon. It's going to be a full week - kind of like taking a drink from a fire hydrant. The title of the class is Missional Ministry: Growing Healthy Churches in the 21st century. 

Today we spent a lot of time talking about personal renewal. Healthy churches are led by healthy leaders. So, we talked a lot about what healthy leaders look like and what they do. I've learned that my personal growth will always proceed my churches growth. The great axiom of leadership says: The speed of the leader determines the speed of the team.

Another concept we discussed was that the interior life of the leader will eventually, over time, become the exterior life of the organization he/she leads. So, if you, as the leader, possess an anxious presence, overtime that will be born out in the life of your church/organization. On the other hand, if you are one who trusts in God and maintains a peaceful presence - so too will your people/church.

This is my first time ever to teach a class and I'm loving it. It's refreshing to me to pour into other leaders. I don't know who's getting more out of this - me or my students.