I was reading Andy Stanley's book Next Generation Leader and I came across this line, "Only do what only you can do". My first thought was, "Is that original with this book?" I wasn't doubting that Andy wrote this line, he is, after all, very smart! It's just I would have been less surprised if I had read it in Proverbs 29:19. Over the past two years I have heard that line said (and I have said it) so much that it feels more like a proverb...
After I got over this initial shock, I started thinking about all that this line has unpacked in my life and leadership. I agree that every good leader should only do what only he (or she) can do, but (and Andy says this later in the book) as I have been actually leading there are plenty of things that I have to do on a daily basis that someone else could do. So naturally, as I was reading this line I began to feel discouraged as a leader. I thought, "maybe I don't have what it takes..."
Then I remembered what I read yesterday morning in Acts 6:2, "So then the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "it would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the work of God in order to wait on tables."" Even the Twelve had to learn to let go of some things. The net result of their decision: Steven becomes a waiter, gets killed as the first Christian martyr and "Saul was there giving approval to his death" (Acts 8:1). If the Twelve had not gotten out of the way the believers would not have been dispersed and Saul would not have needed to get a round trip ticket to Damascus!
Now I'm encouraged...It's not that I need to clear my schedule of everything that someone else could do today -- that would probably seriously hurt my ministry and get me fired --but I can begin the process of moving toward my area of greatest strength. The higher up the leadership pipeline I climb, the more I'll be able to focus, the more affective I'll become as a leader and the more profoundly God will be able to use the lives of the people I lead.
I guess this is a pretty good principle. Thanks Andy (or Luke...)
(Don't worry, if you're reading this and you serve under my leadership I am not expecting that you become a martyr. It was just an illustration!!!)
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Martyr?! Pfft! I wish! That'd be the easy way out! I guess there's some other stuff I gotta do first.
Only do what you can do – is also what keeps small group leaders from burn out. We owe it to ourselves, as Andy Stanley states in that chapter, to identify the areas we can add the most value to our group. Know what your are good at and when the demands of being a small group leader start pulling you off track you can identify it before you get burned out and discouraged. In my small group several women have gifts in areas of my weakness and I know that when I get out of the way they are taking our group to the next level.
I agree! Here is my public confession (don't fire me) I don't have the gift of hospitality. I will be one of the first to jump waist deep into the Jordan and encourage others to join in, but if someone else can bring the chips and salsa my stress level would drastically reduce. It's great to have people w/ different gifts bring them and use them to their fullest potential. It is powerful and it is what God intended! As leaders we should also recognize the gifts in others and draw them out so they can be a blessing to our group & the body of Christ!
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