The Intuitive Leader—3
Intuitive leaders see potential in people others overlook.
Jesus was the master of seeing what others could become. (He had a slight advantage… being God in the flesh.)
Sometimes the best ministers are not the seminary trained, board approved, denominationally accepted people.
Often the best ministers and servants are average, under-educated, overlooked people—who’ve fully surrendered their whole lives to Christ.
Our ministry is made up of people many churches wouldn’t hire. Our top four leaders were not pastors when they joined our staff. By traditional church standards, none would qualify for man’s ordination. But they qualify for God to use mightily.
If you ask God, He might give you eyes to see ministry goldmines in people that others pass by.
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It is difficult though when you see in people what they do not see. They can be so hard on themselves and then walk into what they see. It is so rewarding though when you are able to look deeper and call out in them what Jesus sees. I am always amazed when I think of the 12 disciples. I so often think they were “seminary trained” and fail to remember that they were quite possibly the middle school drop-outs. And Christ called them to lead His Church? Man, I desperately want His eyes to see His people lead His Church. His Church impacted the Kingdom. Our polished church sometimes hinders the Kingdom. Give me your eyes Jesus!
We at Brand New Church have hired in this same fashion!! God works in and through obscurity!! Henry Blackaby told me one time…”I have met a lot men with many degrees and no heat!”
Craig, Great thoughts! I have watched man’s training hurt and hinder young people going into ministry. Sometimes seminary is not the best street to walk. It is our job as pastors to see potential and help bring it out in people. Isn’t that what the Apostle Paul did for Timmy? The Churches we lead would be stronger if we help the people we pastor to reach their full potential for the Kingdom. Keep swinging the Sword.
This is HUGE… When I worked in corrections, my leadership team was composed of the youn and unlikely. My team at LifeChurch.tv is primarily composed of the young and unlikely. In my first high level leadership role as a Warden; at the age of 25, I was the young and unlikely.
Many times NFL scouts draft guys to quarterback their team based on upside and potential; therefore forecasting results and using leadership intuition.
Ask the question… What is their upside, what is their potential?
I’m thankful for intuitive leaders. I’m glad a had a few people in my life that saw something…and I was going to try and quote one of them until Shannon referenced Henry Blackaby…lol.
See you this week, Shannon! Can’t wait to unearth some diamonds.
One of the best leaders I know of once gave a talk about this very thing! He came out on stage and said “repeat after me: I’m an idiot!”
And then he went on to explain that all of Jesus’ disciples were ordinary, uneducated men. And that Jesus Christ himself wouldn’t qualify to pastor most churches today, because He didn’t meet the requirements we expect our church leaders to meet.
I will never forget that talk Craig. You made me cry. Because at the time I was on staff of a large church, feeling very inadequate for the job because I didn’t have a seminary education (or even a college education). But you made me realize that God uses whomever He chooses, and our limitations can’t limit Him. So here’s a long overdue thank you for that very inspirational talk!
What a great thing to wake up and read first thing this morning! Lead by the spirit…not by the flesh! Shannon’s comment about the “degrees” is RIGHT ON and all of the comments are great!!!
Do you think seeing someones spiritual potential that is NOT on paper when you are interviewing is an intuition gift?… Result of prayer?… God whispering truth? What would you recommend others to do when they are looking to hire new staff? Just a thought…
An old college friend of mine on Facebook was thinking about becoming an ordained minister (able to marry others for extra cash) by taking a course and getting a title and certificate on-line…I was completely stunned that this is possible. People use TITLES way too much to define WHO they are…
I recently met with a guy who runs a dynamic ministry foundation that is involved in mission and leadership development projects both domestic and around the globe. He’s dabbled in a lot of different things - I couldn’t figure out what his “focus” was. When I asked him, so how do you decide what you react to and go after? He said, “I looked through the Gospels and couldn’t find Jesus always doing a consistent dog and pony show. Sometimes he healed, sometimes he preached, sometimes he fed thousands, sometimes he didn’t, Jesus finally said he did everything ‘by the Fathers’ initiative’ and I have tried to keep myself in a place to operate in the same manner as a leader. I don’t jump at every opportunity and I don’t weigh in because I can handle the problem - i go in a direction, regardless of scale, because I sense God wanting to use me in someway.” High risk/reward model there!
In regards to hiring…I recently was convicted of the thought I wouldn’t have likely hired fishermen, and marginal fellas without an education to be my leadership team if I were Jesus…but it seemed to work out for Him!
My leader at church does a great job at this. I have definitely seen the advantage of having “eyes to see ministry goldmines”. I recently made a decision to make one of the guys on my team the point leader. Lot of people were not expecting that but in the last 2 months, he has done an amazing job!
I pray that i develop more in this area.
I LOVE THIS…..as a paid police officer and non-paid pastor this is the most truth I have seen in years about those of us who don’t have the paper but have the heart.
I have been turn down more times than the sheets at the Holiday Inn and most of the time it is related to not knowing how to judge my character and heart outside of seminary or bible college paper hanging. I do agree that a person must always desire to learn and be trainable. Let me say the best teacher in any career is the one who has done the job and has passion for the task at hand. As a pastor, police officer, clerk or teacher don’t we all learn from the University of Hard Knocks when it comes to life? I was in an interview once and the Senior Pastor had not a clue on the real world problems of his community….did not get that one either…lol
I truly believe the more we hire those of Christ’s character vs textbook skill would be an enticement of the non-believers to look and understand the real meaning of Jesus the redeemer. Ok…I need to get my coffee and donut (just coffee but you believed the donut part …lol)
Frank, I love your phrase, “Don’t have the paper but have the heart.”
Txmom, Glad you are an great idiot for Christ! :)
I have found this is true even among the “trained.” It has become a contest over who has the most education and experience and has little to do with what God has and is doing in someone. The men with the credentials get promoted, paid well, or better anyway, and those who don’t have the paper get overlooked. Jesus Himself, would have been overlooked on this scale. This is bigger than has been emphasized by most, good stuff.
I wonder how many Pastors are not called to be Pastors and those who are called are waiting on their pastors to give them the opportunity.
Pastors must learn not to be afraid to call capable people to do the job.
In my area of the planet (El Salvador) many pastors are afraid to do so.
I think those how fail to call people that can do the job are were not called to be where they are.
Blessings!
Some have an education and have no calling. Others have a calling but no education. The reverse could be said.
Sad part, the person with the education gets the ministry position (in most cases) because they meet the competency requirements with a piece of paper.
It’s such a tough call at times. I made a choice 11 years ago to forgo most formal education to dive head long into ministry. I am now the pastor of 2 year old church and loving every minute of it. As I look back I am glad I made the choice to jump in, to work with a great pastor, learn and grow with him, do some formal learning but mostly learn from other great leaders. I would have never been here today if that pastor would not have given me a chance to show my competency. I know I’m outside the box, but God prepares us in different ways. I celebrate those that have years of education! It’s just not the path I traveled.
I am always thankful for a church that focuses on character, competency and chemistry when hiring. Not that education should be thrown out the window, but other competencies need to be factored in.
The hard part for us who are salty and not full of paper…is finding a spot to at interview….just getting in the door is the challenge.
It seems I might be experiencing some cognitive dissonance between Intiutive Leader #2 and #3. #2 is about intuitive pastors, and #3 is about non-traditional leaders. As a hypothetical, let’s say that the pastor of #2 says that we should give our budget surplus to a needy church while the #3 minister senses a decline in giving due to economic conditions. How might we reconcile that situation?
Even though I do hold a seminary degree, I’ve found that it doesn’t impress anyone. My lifegroup does not care about my degree, but rather that I focus on following Christ better and more than the last week. I find more fulfillment in leading people to follow Christ than I ever did being behind a pulpit!
I thought about other kind of leaders that “see” the potential in other people that are not qualified for certain tasks.
I’ve seen many people called to be on the worship team without any clue of how to sing.
Doing this might create a false sense on the person that he/she is called to do what his/her leader called them to do.
We as leaders must be very careful not to call someone based on our feelings.
as a non paper holder ministering to the street folk of whatever place I am at when God chooses to use me I am happy to have run across this site that I may see that I am not alone…thank you Craig for your book “IT” and you other wonderful folks that have shared your words on this blog…looking forward to reading more…Daniel the reminder.
Having been one who was told “You’re too young, get your doctorate, work at a big church, then when you’re in your 40s you can do it” I appreciate this post more than you can imagine!
I’ve led a youth ministry for 7 years. I have had no one in the church that I’m in care one bit about anything that I’ve done in helping their kids grow closer to Jesus but as soon as I began getting my pastor certificate they finally thought that I might accomplish something. Sad.
I was told by my pastor 2 years ago that to stay on staff that I HAD to become licensed, that they would only have on staff people with “papers”. So, I played the game because I love the youth… you know where it got me? Next week, they cut my pay in half, expecting that I’ll still do all that I do because they know I love my ministry and have given everything I can for it. I’m out the money I spent and the only thing I’ve gained is a little more bitterness.
But God is good; and I have faith that I’ll make it through. He knows my heart and why I’ve done it and He is the only one I will ever try to please from now on.
good stuff Pastor Craig!
When I felt the call into ministry in 1982 I wanted to go to Dallas Theological cementary. While in prayer the Lord said NO! I don’t want you trained in the ways of man. I will train you in the ways of MY Word.I was already a good Demonational boy (RELIGIOUS) It took several years of GOD events to dump my theology and replace it with a REAL relationship with HIM.I remember a lesson the Lord taught me by saying,”Be careful to hear me wherever you go, especially in those people who can’t help you. It’s so true that some of the “end-times” ministers are still out in the world with their brains beat out waiting for someone to help them. To bring them in and nurture them to health. I recently got and invitation to a Pastors breakfast in our city and got the “your an idiot” award the first day for my beliefs on this very topic. They were discussing their denominational rules on if divorced people should be allowed to teach. I told them that some of the best qualified are the ones that have been through some stuff and rescued by the Grace of God. The cat fight was on and the fur flew. Still can’t figure out why they don’t invite me back!!??