CREDO part 2

First post in this series

Goal #2 - Expand and empower others in leadership - Reading through all the materials and responses I began to see a pattern. A very bad pattern which resulted in me taking on more and more of the leadership for the ministry. This is bad for me because it wears me out and it's bad for the ministry because it limits what we can do. I promise you it started from a good intention but it's clearly gone beyond that. So this goal calls on me to give up leadership roles, to give up control. This will create more places for others to express their gifts, will allow me to focus on those areas that match my gifts and will give us a deeper, more talented pool of leaders and vision in the diocese.

The objectives:

Spiritual - To allow others to express their gifts. I do that by releasing control.

Health - It removes the burden of me being "The Guy". Yes it's a self inflicted burden but I need to eliminate it anyway. Not only will I be healthier but the ministry will be healthier.

Vocational - To develop programs that recruit and empower leaders. My goal is to have that up and running within the next 12 months with the first parts of it happening this fall. For this to work I need folks who are willing to step up in large and small roles. It also means not just handing people jobs and walking away but creating ways to really help them feel like they can succeed.

Financial - Many hands are able to do much more and do it more effectively. That means our dollars stretch farther. In times when money is tight anything we can do to be better stewards of what we have is what we need to do.

If you feel like I've kept you from a leadership role over the last couple years, or that I've hindered your ability to do that role please accept my deepest apologies. It is NOT because I don't trust the folks I've worked with. You are a wonderful, talented, Spirit filled group of people and I have been blessed to been at your side. In trying to make your life easier it's clear I haven't always succeeded. Now I need to ask for your trust to step up again with the promise that I will get out of your way. Plus I give you permission to, with Christian love, tell me when I'm not letting go. I can only succeed if you are willing to take that step.

I know going in that this will probably be the hardest one of my goals for me. I have to break habits and patterns of behavior that are fairly ingrained right now. Please know that I want to change, that I know I need to change.

Part 3 coming later this week.

Peace