There are so many talented people in the church...!!
God has gifted so many people...actually everyone is gifted by God to have the ability to do something for God. There are people who have tremendous potential to be leaders in the church; but they simply don't know what to do.
If you've ever had any kind of desire to do something in the church for God...one principle of leadership that I've learned over the years is:
START WHERE YOU ARE
Before God will give you great responsibilities...before He will commit large tasks, or large groups of people to your leadership...you have to be willing to lead from the position that you find yourself in NOW.
START WHERE YOU ARE, LEAD WHERE YOU ARE.
Are you a parent?
LEAD WHERE YOU ARE.
Strive to grow yourself. Become a leader in your home with your children and your spouse.
Are you in a position that you feel is lesser, or simply ordinary?
LEARN TO LEAD WHERE YOU ARE.
In fact, as far as God is concerned...WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW, IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PLACE YOU COULD EVER BE...!!
If you, as a leader, will not learn to lead in your current setting...God will never be able to trust you with greater responsibility.
Why would God send growth in your area of the church if you don't take seriously the need to rise up and lead in the position that you're in now?
Why would God give you greater influence if you aren't learning to use and leverage the influence that you have currently been given?
Too many believers, who have the potential to do great, amazing things for God...have wasted their awesome talents and abilities because they don't think that they have a platform of influence to lead from in their current place or position. NOT TRUE.
Real leaders initiate change where they are currently.
Real leaders start things in their present that lead them down the path towards their future.
Even if you're current level of influence or position seems small...never underestimate the power of God, and it's ability to multiply the effectiveness of your leadership actions.
In fact, let me say this:
YOUR CHURCH, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR CURRENT POSITION...NEEDS YOU DESPERATELY!
They need you to rise up and be what God is calling you to be in leadership.
They need you to see yourself as God sees you.
They need you to take the initiative to lead the people that God has placed under your influence.
One of the dangerous trends in leadership today is the desire to start with the results that took others leaders years to build. A calling to leadership may seem to start small...but that's the thing with leadership and influence...IT GROWS OVER TIME.
As you put in the necessary work to GROW YOURSELF, SEEK GOD'S DIRECTION AND PLAN, INCREASE YOUR INFLUENCE THROUGH TRUST AND RELATIONSHIPS...God will multiply your efforts and in the process, maybe He will even see what He needs to see to be willing to commit more leadership responsibility to you.
Remember, King David was a shepherd long before he was a king.
He learned to lead sheep, STARTING WHERE HE WAS, long before God allowed him to lead people.
David had to face a Goliath, and overcome a giant before people ever took notice of the leadership that God was investing in him.
David learned to start where he was by serving other leaders that God placed in his life.
David learned to build relationships with people.
He started where he was...He grew himself...He kept a right relationship with God...and over the course of time, God committed amazing opportunities to David.
Let me ask you this:
What are the possibilities that God has in store for you, if you start WHERE YOU ARE?
Pastor Larry D. Shankle
