Keeping Leaders Spiritually Healthy- Part 1

The key to most of the success in my life is evaluation. Over the years I’ve learned that only the things I evaluate will grow and bear fruit! I spend a lot of time looking at how I spend my time. Each week if you visit me here in Murfreesboro at World Outreach Church you’ll find me most of the time walking around using my M.B.W.A. degree (Management By Walking Around). Each morning I start my day getting on the scales. When I go to the gym I always wear a heart rate monitor, why? It’s simple one of my goals is for my heart to not jump out of my chest.

All of us rely on gages to make our lives better each day. I don’t understand what all the gages do on an airplane but every time I fly I am thankful the pilot does. When I get in my car I check my gas gage and make sure none of my gages or warning lights are on. I also believe we should monitor certain gages in ministry to keep all of us in leadership spiritually healthy. What’s so important about gauges? Let see what the bible says in Revelation 11:1 “I was given a stick for a measuring rod and told, "Get up and measure God's Temple and Altar and everyone worshiping in it.“ Wow God was saying evaluate or measure my house even my most sacred area as well as everyone who worships there. This is no surprise if you truly believe only the things we evaluate will grow and bear fruit!

Information is power! Gages let us know what changes, or what action needs to take place before it’s too late, this is also true about spiritual gages. Failure or trouble comes from ignoring your gauges. Leaders who ignore their gages on a regular basis are really not leading they are only a leader in their mind. You may be asking yourself “What gauges should a leader be watching in able to stay spiritually healthy?” I’m glad you asked that.

The first gage you should be keeping an eye on is your Joy. Some people in Children’s Ministry become bogged down with to do lists, tasks and they forget the secret of your strength, the joy of the Lord. Neh. 8:10 says “…for the joy of the LORD is your strength." Growing leaders are joyous leaders. We spend joy every day. It seems like life can be full of things aimed at robbing our joy. How quick can you replenish your joy? Pouty leaders are not examples. The silent treatment should never be accepted. You can grow up no matter what your age is. My mom taught me years ago that happiness is a choice. It has nothing to do with your circumstances, it has to do with you thinking as well as your attitude. Don’t let your joy gauge or those who lead with you ever get on “E”

One of the most valuable skills you can ever develop is to learn how to encourage yourself in the Lord!

More to come...