I have what I would like to think of as a giving personality. I’m always willing to do something to help someone else. Well, usually.
But sometimes, my willingness to serve and to help may be the thing that prevents me from expanding my leadership influence.
Most areas where I serve, whether at church or somewhere else, my willingness to help may actually be harmful. My desire to equip those around me may actually be undercut by my desire to serve.
What about you? Are you someone who is willing to let go of something?
Think about it like this: I really enjoy running sound on a Sunday morning. Because of a few shifts in our congregation over the past year, I have gladly taken on a much larger role in the sound operation of a service. I have a few people who I have shown how to run sound, established some work-arounds to make it easier for someone else to do the job, but because I enjoy it, I haven’t fully let go.
This would be fine if I weren’t on staff, on stage, or regularly distracted by other responsibilities on a Sunday morning. So, what I’ve managed to do is handcuff anyone who might be willing to take a larger leading role.
So, what if I handed off that responsibility to someone else? What if I was willing to fully equip someone else to fulfill that need?
Are you unknowingly holding on to something in your ministry or at your work that might be holding those around you back? What do you need to let go of in order to let someone else shine?