Leadership isn’t just about being the person in charge. In order to make a point of difference as a leader, you must embrace the role and strive to bring about the best in those who follow your lead.
Church is the perfect place to make a difference and members look to leaders for guidance. From your actions to your words, everything you do is a chance to make a lasting impact on your members.
You’ll know you’re leading the way God intended when your members express how they’ve changed in positive ways and start to become leaders themselves.
Be A True Shepherd
Making a difference as a leader means becoming a true shepherd. Part of being a great leader is making sure people want to follow your lead. Think of it as sheep following their shepherd. They trust him and feel safe following his lead.
Church leaders must strive to be true shepherds. It’s one of the most important leadership qualities, which means loving the flock as much as Christ.
Avoid The Devil’s Favorites
The Devil likes to employ tactics that can derail even the best church leaders. To make a point of difference as a leader, you must learn to recognize and avoid the Devil’s favorite tactics, such as divisiveness and self-pity. You lead by example and should you fall victim to these tactics, your entire church family could fall too.
No leader is perfect. However, recognizing potential problems is key to being a better leader and one who makes a lasting difference.
Know Your Members’ Worries And Needs
No matter how small or larger your church is, you can make a difference. You just need to better understand your members’ worries and needs. Sometimes talking one-on-one with everyone is impossible. This is where technology could become your new favorite leadership tool. For instance, your sermons have the chance to drastically change how members think, act and believe.
For instance, your sermons have the chance to drastically change how members think, act and believe. But, what are your members’ most pressing worries and needs right now? During church, members might hesitate to speak out. But online, they feel safer. Set up polls on your website or social media. Set up an anonymous tip form for members to request certain topics in your sermons.
Even if you can’t get to every request during your sermons, you can address many of them in blog posts. Either way, you’re better equipped to lead to make a difference.
Understand The World Around You
Being a church leader doesn’t mean you only know about your faith. You also have to be well-rounded and understand the world around you. Which current events are affecting your members? What trends are leading your flock astray? What’s happening that may make members question your church, their faith and all the good they do?
Make a difference as a leader by addressing the issues your members are facing based on what’s going on in the world right now.
Be Proud To Be Flawed
You’re not perfect and you don’t have to be. In fact, members are motivated and uplifted by knowing that their leader makes mistakes too. Let your members know that you’re proud to be flawed. Only God is perfect, but He still embraces the flaws of humanity. This helps make a difference in how members see themselves and each other.
Encourage And Guide
Your main goal as a church leader is to encourage and guide. You encourage them to explore their faith and guide them along their spiritual journey. Along the way, you’re also teaching them ways to become a better version of themselves, help others, become leaders and spread the word too. Think of yourself as a parent teaching their children to thrive as adults one day.
Create A Vision To Follow
Finally, make a point of difference as a leader by creating a vision to follow. Every leader needs a vision for members to connect with. It creates a common goal for everyone to work towards. In The Leadership Challenge, leaders are considered at their best when they “inspire a shared vision.”
When leaders help their members become passionate about a vision, they make a difference in not only the members, but in the lives of the people who interact with those members. It’s a difference that continues to affect positive change.
Are you already making a difference, but want to extend your reach? See how our expert team can help you create a website to make a difference in even more lives.
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