Spiritual Leadership becomes ever challenging when we are called to lead a team or teams (plural) of ministry leaders. Whether you are a senior pastor leading a team of staff associates, an elder shepherding a team of interns, or a deacon mobilizing a team of faithful volunteers, you face the difficult task of leading others, as you—yourself—are seeking to be led by Christ. Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet, magic formula, or quick-fix strategy for leading vibrant ministry teams. There are, however, simple reminders and God-centered rhythms that can guide you along the way. Leading with God’s love is one practice that I constantly need to be reminded of as a ministry team leader.
Leading with God’s Love
God has given you not just a team to lead, but also a people to love. Leading with love is a simple reminder, but one that is often forgotten amidst our busy schedules. In reality, loving well and leading well go hand in hand. Good leadership is motivated not by self-interest, but by a love for the people you serve. At the same time, love for people compels you to provide them with good leadership.
Your team members must believe that you care for them as individuals. They must be convinced that you care more about their personal growth than what they can produce for the ministry. How often do you inquire about their physical health, spiritual vitality, and family life? Through simple everyday-conversations, you can choose to communicate God’s love or possibly miss out on a divine-opportunity to lead well.
Busyness does not equate to productivity
On many occasions, I’ve walked into the office ready for a day of meetings and God-willing, sermon preparation. As I pass by the offices of my team members (with their doors open and no signs of “do not disturb”), I say “hi.” Then that inner voice nudges me: “don’t just say hi, engage them in conversation; ask how they are doing.” Suddenly, that all-too-familiar voice of anxiety screams at me: “no, your first meeting is in half an hour and that gives you one minute to use the restroom, four minutes to make coffee, and twenty-five minutes to answer emails; you’ll be lucky if you get any sermon prep done today!” Hiding behind the excuse of busyness, I walk straight to my office, failing to capitalize on an opportunity to love well. Sadly, I also missed an opportunity to lead well.
Sure, my shortsightedness reflects our fast-paced culture, which is defined by production. But I can’t pretend to be a victim of a stressful work environment. Truth is—I like to be busy because I find joy and satisfaction in getting things done. So, the root of the problem is not external, it’s internal. It has nothing to do with work and everything to do with my soul. God needs to be my greatest source of satisfaction, not work. In the foreword to a book on productivity, John Piper describes what happens when our joy is rooted in God:
The power of this joy is released to love people better in the midst of the current, very challenging environment of our modern, technological, constantly interrupted work era. 1
Thus, productivity in God’s kingdom is defined not by how busy we get, but by how well we love people.
Don’t get me wrong, work needs to get done; but within the matrix of ministry, the most important work is the mission Christ has called us to: discipleship. We are called to make disciples (Great Commission—Matt 28:19-20) who love God and people (Great Commandment—Matt 22:37-39). Ministry is God-centered people-work. And people are changed by the love of God—in Christ Jesus. God’s love carries a transformative power that can shape not only our approach to leadership but also the very people that we lead.
God’s love is transformative
Slow down to love well. Just imagine the possibilities and implications of how God’s love can shape and transform the people you minister with. What if your team members begin to experience God’s love through your daily words and actions? Might they be inspired and motivated to show the same type of love towards others—namely the people under their care? Imagine the ripple effect that could shape the church’s culture over time. But it all starts with the spirit of love that’s being cultivated among the ministry leaders. Hence, part of leading well is remembering to love well. At the same time, loving well means taking the effort to lead well.
This article is part of the Leaders’ Line blog, written by various leaders and geared specifically toward those serving in leadership. Our email newsletter goes out twice a month. In addition to Leaders’ Line articles, each newsletter includes news and notes curated especially for ministry leaders. Sign up here to receive it directly in your inbox.