I've been up close to far too many leadership train wrecks! Whenever ministry “train wrecks” occur, we talk about the OUTCOMES. But a far more important discussion is pin-pointing the specific ON-RAMPS that led to these moments. I've highlighted six that I think we all need to be aware of.
1. Realize soberly that SPEED kills.
a. Often the people who are fastest to “MAKE IT” are the fastest to “FALL.”
b. BUSY = “Being Under Satan’s Yoke”
c. The bad news is that in life, YOUR TIME WILL FLY. The good news is that you will always be the PILOT.
d. “Lives lived frantically are QUICKLY FORGOTTEN.”
2. Surround yourself with 2-3 key people who consistently DARE TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH...even when you don’t want to hear it.
a. We want people to be “real” around us...but we would prefer if the “real” is AFFIRMATION.
b. Accountability will always be a FARCE apart from your painful, humiliating choices to remain PROMPTLY AND BRUTALLY HONEST with one or two other people you deeply respect spiritually…people who have exercised the ability to HELP YOU MOVE TOWARDS PERSONAL GROWTH AND FREEDOM.
3. Become intentional about CONSERVING YOUR EMOTIONAL ENERGY and determining your personal “ADRENALINE PATTERNS.”
a. Energy is RENEWABLE…but not LIMITLESS. It comes in CYCLES and WAVES…not in a CONSTANT STREAM.
b. ADRENALINE is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, especially during times of STRESS and HIGH EXERTION (I.E. the reason people can have almost supernatural strength and endurance during times of crisis…like the mom who lifts a car off her child who is trapped below).
· But after an “ADRENALINE HIGH,” there will invariably be an “ADRENALINE LOW/CRASH.” Let me give you some possible things you’ll experience during that period, if only on a minimal scale after minimal exertion:
o Easy anger and frustration levels
o Sadness or “feeling super blue”
o Easy vulnerability to sin
o A magnifying of negative comments or “what went wrong”...beating yourself up.
o Overall emotional state that easily wants to say, “This isn’t worth it. I’m out.”
o A blah-ness, flatness, and/or general apathy towards even things or people that matter to you.
c. Nolan Ryan was a historic starting pitcher for the Texas Rangers. He was prominent in baseball from the 1960’s through the 1990’s…and is considered one of the greatest pitchers of all times. Listen to his profound observation about his personal “ENERGY PATTERN” when he was on the pitching mound:
o “I became a great pitcher when I realized that there would only be about FIVE TIMES A GAME when I needed to pitch at 100% force. I learned that conserving my energy for those moments was the key to sustained and unforgettable success.” —Nolan Ryan
d. Determine what you are willing to FAIL in...not giving 100%.
· Too often we’re willing to fail at “BEING A CHRISTIAN” because we don’t want to fail “PERFORMANCE-WISE.”
e. Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message), “Are you TIRED? WORN OUT? BURNED OUT ON RELIGION? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a REAL REST. Walk with Me and work with Me. LEARN THE UNFORCED RHYTHMS OF GRACE. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
4. Make sure your definition of success lines up with what you see as a repeated definition of success in the WORD OF GOD.
a. Often even the church describes “success” as “performance.”
