Leadership Tips & Training New Creation: Some Assembly Required!

Have you ever had "one of those days?" You know the kind I am talking about- nothing seems to come easy and you are faced with one challenge after another. This past Saturday was "one of those days" for me.   It had been two weeks since I had cleaned my house, and I scheduled the entire day for dusting, vacuuming, and cleaning bathrooms, and getting some holiday decorating done. An hour into my "schedule," I began the task of vacuuming, in hopes of removing all the black dog hair that had accumulated. As I was vacuuming, I noticed that the hair was only being redistributed throughout the living room. Soon, it became evident that the vacuum cleaner had seen its last day of work! I made a quick phone call to my husband, who was running some errands for me, and let him know the bad news. He said he would buy a new vacuum cleaner and be home as soon as he could. About an hour later, my husband appeared with a new vacuum cleaner, unassembled, of course! 

I waded through the ambiguous assembly instructions with anxious anticipation of my new creation! In my rush to put the machine together, I found myself pushing when I was supposed to be pulling, and shoving instead of sliding. Then I realized that if I not only looked at the pictures, but read the instructions, the assembly actually went rather smoothly!   Finally, I was able to vacuum my carpet with great efficiency, even though I was now about two hours behind schedule!

January marks the beginning of a new First Place session with new members. Leaders make their plans and schedule their activities for the session in anticipation that everything will go smoothly! Wait a minute! Hold the phone! Things do not go smoothly; you can count on that! Each member is a new creation that is delivered to your First Place class, with some assembly required ! In other words, each member requires special care and attention throughout the session. When you make your plans, take into consideration the new member and their needs.   Here are some assembly instructions that will help your new session go a little smoother:

• Take advantage of all the resources in your Group Starter Kit. Carefully read through the Leader Guide, noting the weekly lesson plans and the leadership principles. If you have been unable to attend a workshop or conference, make full use of the Leadership Training DVD, which will offer you creative ideas and problem solving tips.
• Subscribe to the email newsletter and the leader email newsletter. These will be a lifeline for you as the leader of a classroom of new creations! Encourage your class to subscribe to the email newsletter, as well. 
• Make copies of the Member Survey and have the members fill this out on the first day of the session. This will give you a snapshot into the life of your members and enable you to minister to their individual needs. 
• Pray for each member, specifically, using scripture. Pray for wisdom and understanding into their needs.   The Word tells us in James that if we lack wisdom, we are to ask God and He will give it to us in abundance. 
• Major on the basics. New members must have a good foundation if they are to continue in the program.   Communicating the importance and practicality of following the Nine Commitments is essential to laying that firm foundation. Review some aspect of the food plan weekly. Give them tips on how to effectively memorize scripture. While evaluating their CR, encourage them in the areas that need improvement, while praising them for any progress they have made. 
• Make contact with area leaders through an area leader meeting, workshop, or through the community page of the First Place website. This will give you encouragement, support and the resources needed to maintain an effective First Place ministry.

Something I learned Saturday, or shall I say re-learned, is that I must stop and get full instruction before assembling something, instead of rushing through the process in an attempt to meet a time schedule. This lesson can be applied to new First Place members. Take the time to get to know your members and seek to learn more about First Place leadership, so that you can lead these new creations to a more complete life. This lesson is summed up in the First Place leadership verse, Colossians 1:28, "And we proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ." As you greet the new members in this new First Place session, remember that some assembly is required !

Lead on!

Nancy Taylor
Leadership Training Director



Nancy Taylor is the First Place Leadership Training Director and joined the First Place staff in 1997. Nancy teaches leadership principles to First Place Leaders throughout the country and at Houston's First Baptist Church where she coordinates all the First Place groups. Nancy also speaks at First Place workshops, rallies, retreats, and conferences, where she delights her audiences with humor and encourages them with boldness. She writes a monthly article, which includes helpful tips for leaders, for the First Place E-newsletter, and was a contributing writer to the Today is the First Day devotional book. Nancy is the resident First Place Bible Concordance because of her love for Scripture memory.