This week I have invited one of my Associate Pastors, Gemma Neill, to share some of her thoughts on developing leaders:

Having served on team with Pastor Tom Rawls for several years now I am continuously inspired by not only his passion for, but his gifting, in developing leaders. I recall a conversation when one church leader asked Pastor Tom where he had ‘found’ so many great leaders for his church, to which Pastor Tom replied, “I didn’t find them, I grew them”.

 

Pastor Tom’s whole hearted commitment to growing us into all we can be means he has intentionally established a clear and effective leadership development system. One of the most impacting strategies I have observed him to use is what I call, the 5 minute coaching moments.

 

Pastor Tom is able to make the most of a 5 minute conversation with us to bring encouragement and instruction to our life, or to provide guidance on strategies and wisdom for HR issues within our area of responsibility.

 

Coaching is a time consuming task and Pastor Tom has invested thousands of hours into developing us, however, coaching doesn’t always have to packaged in a 45minute 1:2:1 meeting at Starbucks! (Although, Pastor Tom does love a vanilla latte with an extra shot!) Significant direction and guidance can be bought to those you are coaching when you stop for 5minutes when you pass them on the stairs, as you share a car journey together, or grab a few moments at the end of an evening.

 

I would suggest that the reason Pastor Tom is able to make the most of moments like this is linked with other systems he has in place in church life:

1. Weekly Headlines – he knows the highlights of what has happened in every area of church life within the last seven days so is ready and able to discuss this with us at any given moment
2. Other reporting systems – Monthly and quarterly reports provide additional qualitative and quantitative detail so he can focus his input on specific issues
3. Personal growth – every member of the team has a personal growth plan, updates from which are provided on a monthly basis enabling Pastor Tom to bring guidance and advice as required
4. Commitment to leadership development – Pastor Tom’s desire to see us grow and develop is clear to see. His earnest desire to bring out the best in us and invest the wisdom he has gleaned in over 30years of ministry keeps our growth at the forefront of his mind meaning he never misses an opportunity
5. Formal and informal socialising – not only does Pastor Tom work directly with us through team meetings, but he and Pastor Denise regularly open up their home to us for meals, they eat at our homes, we go on cinema trips. All providing opportunity to build relationship, from which flows everything else
6. Prayer – Pastor Tom is in regular prayer for each of us and our families enabling him to bring not only practical coaching advice, but powerful prophetic impact, shaping our lives and our leadership.

 

It’s amazing what can be achieved in just 5 minutes!

I am so thankful to the committed and professional kids team that we have here at Proclaimers. This week I have invited the leader of our Kids and Families Department, Mark Hodder, to share his thoughts on why it’s so important for men to be a role model to what’s been dubbed ‘the fatherless generation’:

We are living in a world filled with huge uncertainty, dangerous insecurity and fading integrity; a world where children need their fathers more than ever before, and yet, it is this generation that has been labelled as 'The Fatherless Generation'. Statistics prove that divorce rates are rocketing, single-parent families are becoming far too common and fathers are simply abandoning their children.
 
A devoted father encourages, supports, protects, nurtures, guides and loves. Without these things, how can a child overcome life's challenges, grow with confidence in who they are and fulfil their God-given potential?
 
Never before has there been such a need for men to rise up within the church and lead the way as role models for the next generation. I believe that we can be those role models. Men of faith, strength, love and compassion, prepared to reach out and be an influence for good in the lives of those who desperately need someone to demonstrate what true masculinity is. Men, passionate about the next generation and committed to doing all they can to help these children become all that they can be.