What I've Learned about Leadership from Carpooling (Part 2)

We've all been there. Driving behind a friend on your way to this new restaurant that's "supposed to be" amazing! The problem is they think this is Fast and the Furious and they're weaving in and out of traffic. Just keeping them within view is tough enough, let alone staying right behind them. At those moments of insanity, what is it that keeps us going? What keeps us from turning around and going back to the Taco Bell we just passed? Why do we stick with it? If we understand why we continue to follow that person, we'll have a better understanding of why other's continue to follow us as leaders. I know it's a stupid, random thought. But follow me here.

We follow that friend for these reasons:
1. Because we trust them.
We trust that they know where they're going. We trust that they at least have a moderate understanding of where they are and what it takes to get there. If we didn't think they knew where they were going and how to get there we wouldn't be following them.
2. Because the destination is worth the frustration of following.
The restaurant is "supposed to be amazing!" If this was some dump, of course it wouldn't be worth the effort of following. But this is a "great restaurant!"
3. Because our friend is taking us somewhere we've never been before.
It's a new experience. It's something different from what we've done before. If you were just following them to some little fast food place thathttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif you've been to a hundred times, you wouldn't be so concerned with following. But this is new. It's adventurous. You're blazing a trail!

Now I know, that probably doesn't all run through your mind when you're following a friend, but think about it - it's true. As leaders in the church the same things apply. The only difference is that we are leading people to a place far greater than Red Robin or Cheddar's. We're leading them to new adventures and experiences in Christ.

In order to accomplish that, though, we must:
1.Earn the trust of those following.
2. Maintain our spiritual walk and make sure we are taking those following to a place of eternal value.
A place where they experience God in a way that brings value to their lives. A place that actually lives up to the hype! A place that's worth the effort of getting there.
3. Lead our people to new experiences.
And I'm not talking about having a 'snake handling' service. But allowing them to experience God in a deeper way than they have before.