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Leading-D.M.Escalante

Leadership is not always pretty. I watched how the movies serve up the hero; smooth, calm and, collective. Calling the shots like a boss.
It makes me want to be like that leader or that coach we see in the movies. I watched the movie Remember the Titans. Do you remember the scene during one part of the movie the football coach was breaking the players individuality down to reveal the need for them to rise as a team. The Coach’s way of discipline may seem brutish however, it was very effective. I later had found out that this movie was based on actual events.

While watching, My friend says “man, I could totally do that!!” I simply chuckled, as I thought to myself. not because of my friends comment. I chuckled because of what I have experienced in my leadership and what I know what it takes to be that inspiring leader.

Because leaders make leadership look easy. We look to them and believe they are larger than life. We may meet them as a character in a movie, we have known them all, but five or ten minutes of the movie and when the movie gets to the climax we are rooting when the leader is victorious. We see leaders rise in emergency situations. We assume no evil befalls them.. They don’t have “craziness” going on in their life.

In reality, it is totally different. Leaders are actively working when others are just getting to work. Leaders are those who bring a solution to the complaint or question they may have.

Leaders are human. They endure family issues they carry struggles with the metaphorical “thorn in the flesh” like the apostle Paul did. They have short comings. they fight with one hand on the battle ahead and yet another building their home. True leaders will admit they are not perfect. True leaders understand that ultimately love patches the wounds in their leadership. But leaders are tough. They push when others quit. They are the ones who thrive when others die-off because they have “grit” and sheer will. Leaders continue to lead while building up their weaknesses.
Leaders purpose their days, and not allow their days to rule them. They fight to complete priorities because LEADERS ARE ones who finish.
If you want to lead, i have given you some good guidance to start.

Here is the secret: You can already do this stuff!!! You might have to square up with the reflection you see in the mirror every morning and choose to be the leader you desire to be.
I bet you have some questions-good leaders always do. I want you to have the courage to ask questions.

How do you lead where you are?

What if no one is following you?
What would Jesus do? ha ha.
what does leadership look like to you?

I hope we can discover together what it takes to lead from a biblical perspective. share you questions.
So let’s pack our bags and go on this trip together. i can assure you we both can use this..

..Thank you for reading my post I hope we can connect in the future. If you have any prayer requests, let’s connect and join in prayer together. God bless you.
-Michael

Have You Given Your Pastor the Option?

Have you given your pastor the option?

I took this picture a couple of years ago. During this time it was uncertain where our next duty station would be (what my new job would be). How would our church family handle the possibility of us leaving them after 14 years? How can we ever find another church when this church is our home?
Oh, dear Lord, who will assist our pastors?

Who is able to attend to our pastors in such a way that no disruption in service is able to be felt? It hit me then and still does: who did I train up so that my pastor would not have to be burdened, did I give my pastor “the option”?

Are you giving your pastor the option? I don’t believe I gave my pastor the option in my opinion because, I did not build depth in the crucial area of servant leadership. As an armour-bearer (aka personal assistant) in ministry I was just beginning. I learned that your ministry as an armour-bearer is unique. I learned that your ministry does not just stop at the carrying his bags or bringing him water before he takes the platform. Rather, it continues when the pastor has finished praying the last prayer with someone, and encouraged the last person at the altar. It even extends to where they get escorted to their car and drive home.

As an armour-bearer you ADminister to the minister; the man or woman of God who is responsible for the flock of God. It is a tremendous honor and yet the most demanding as a pastor. He or She needs your support.

My pastor quoted once in jest that “ministry will either drive you away or draw you to God”. It ignited within me a passion to help any way I could. So I pressed into the presence of God during my times of prayer and prayed for him and his family. I asked the Lord what could I do to help this awesome Godly man fulfill the vision God had given him for people of that beautiful city. Now who could I find that feels the same as I do for what God is doing there?

Armour-bearer, are you building a team of people to support your pastors? Can they call you and ask for prayer in all confidence? Can you make it your focus to pray for your leadership? Are you able to support your pastor by guarding his time? Can you give your pastor the option of an armour-bearer who is able to stand beside him and not behind him as he faces the principalities and powers of this dark world?
If not, you may be giving your pastor a lack of options…….

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