Coach’s Corner

We continued today in our effort to understand how Jesus builds his team through spiritual gifts. It’s been an enlightening journey for me personally. Sure… I know about spiritual gifts. Sure… I’ve taken the inventories. Sure… I know “we need each other”. But to some degree that has been the problem for me. I “know” these things, but I haven’t lived these things. That’s an ongoing challenge with so much of our faith. We are full of knowledge, but still short on the doing…. still lacking the personal application of putting it to use in our own lives. I may be the Head Coach of The Grove, but I’m no different than anyone else. My faith is every bit as much of a journey of learning and discovery as anyone else’s is.

Today we discussed two gifts that work in tandem. In some ways, they involve people on opposite ends of the scale, but one will never be fulfilled without the other. Since they typically involve people from opposite ends of the scale, it requires a great deal of maturity to allow one to shape and impact the other. But unless they do, neither will ever reach full development.

THEY ARE LEADERSHIP AND ADMINISTRATION.

As a leader (and if you’re one also, you will know exactly what I’m talking about here), I tend to rely on myself. My heart is stirred by the passion of a vision, of what can be. As a leader, I’m ready to take the bull by the horns and wrestle that thing to the ground and make it cry “Uncle”. Since any vision worth pursuing should stir passion, this is a common malady among many leaders. But leaders are often ineffective without someone to help them turn those visions into reality. I’m sure that there are a few out there that have both gifts, (I believe Nehemiah did), but that is the exception. I am reminded again of how spiritual gifts are designed not only to build the team but bring the team together by forcing us to rely on each other.

We took a look at the example of Moses this morning. He had a big vision from God. And in the early stages of vision, it can often be accomplished by one or a few people. But as vision grows and expands, administration must be brought to bear. In Exodus 18:13-27, we see Moses was trying to do it all (leaders… are you identifying with Moses here?). Interestingly the Bible tells us that his father-in-law advised him that he was not only wearing himself out, he was wearing the people out. Ultimately Jethro describes leadership by explaining what Moses SHOULD be doing. He then describes administration by describing what Moses SHOULD NOT be doing, by allowing others to do it instead. It’s a brilliant insight into the difference and the need that each has for the other.

While all of that was taking place, I tried my hand at decorating a cake while Martha Huebner, one of the owners of Trefzger’s Bakery decorated another. I described to her what I wanted and we both began. She finished hers far quicker than mine, and there was no comparison in the quality. The point was that I offered a vision… and I was able to accomplish something on my own. But it was far less and of far lower quality than someone who was skilled at it. That’s a lot like what happens in churches as leaders (pastors and coaches) receive a challenging and inspiring vision from God. They share the vision with others, but still try to administrate the details. In the end, you get something, it’s just probably not what it could have been.