Selecting Leaders

The Ascent Church in Monument, Colorado is in the process of selecting new elders. Two of us, who are currently on the elder board, recently met with one of two prospective elders to gauge whether he would be a good addition to our team.  The process will continue with several more meetings with our pastors and elders and, then if nominated, the congregation will vote to bring them on as elders.  It is a solid method and it works well for our church.
 
Meditation
1 Timothy 5:22—Don’t be too quick to appoint anyone as an elder, and don’t share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
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Selecting strong leaders is an incredibly important task for an organization’s health is dependent upon the quality of its leaders. There are times in the past where I have been too quick to select leaders.  One of my strengths is activator (cannot not act!) and if I like what a person is saying and think his or her resume is solid, I’m very trusting and eager to bring the person on board.  Many times, my wife, who is a deliberator, has cautioned me not to be rushed in selecting someone.  I wish I could say I always listened to her!  Sadly, I have run with initial impressions and suffered the burn marks for my decisions. 

There is another side to Paul’s advice to Timothy on selecting leaders that I had not noticed before.  If verse 22 is taken as a whole, by rapidly appointing the wrong leaders we may actually be sharing their sins.  For example, let’s say I select a leader with an anger problem, of which I was ignorant because of an incomplete background check and insufficient time spent evaluating the person.  When that leader loses her temper and hurts others on the team, I too am culpable.  I share in sin by accepting someone who engages in ungodly behavior. I keep myself pure, by not empowering harmful leaders.  

In choosing someone to hire, don’t rush the process.  Haste is often a formula for regret!  I can think of many general officers who should have never attained that rank but did because those in the position of selecting never bothered to ask the subordinates of the ones considered what they thought of their leaders.  It is not hard to make oneself look good to superiors—we call this “brown nosing.”  Avoid the deception by exercising discernment.  

​Strong leaders take their time in appointing leaders.  This requires a process of prayer. It means seeking feedback from those who know and have worked with the prospective candidate. It means asking the hard and tough questions in an interview to ensure there are no hidden agendas or character issues that might emerge later.  It means honoring the insights and impressions of the rest of the team.  Keep pure.  Choose wisely!  
 
Inspiration
Leadership is getting results in a way that inspires trust.—Stephen M.R. Covey in The Speed of Trust
 
©2018 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)