Leadership Tips & Training Developing a First Place Team

Being the leader can be a lonely position, especially if one is without a network of support. Leaders may find themselves burnt out and feeling overwhelmed when faced with the burden of leading and coordinating a First Place ministry on their own. When a leader feels lonely and discouraged, they become ineffective in leading their First Place flock. Maintaining effective leadership is contingent upon the leader receiving encouragement, support and counsel from other effective leaders. There are a few areas of the country that offer area leader meetings, where First Place leaders come together on a regular basis for encouragement, sharing of ideas, and for prayer.

If you are not aware of a leader support group in your area, may I suggest that you reach out and find other First Place leaders who would be willing to meet together for support. When a group of leaders get together they form a team. A team represents a group of individuals who come together to accomplish the same goals and purposes ---- usually to win or to seek victory. Just like an athletic team seeks victory over their opponent, a First Place leadership team comes together to seek victory --- to be victorious over discouragement, and in the process become effective leaders. To reach this goal of effective leadership a First Place team needs these four elements of teamwork:

• Training. Although training is not required to lead a First Place class, it is beneficial. Leadership training is available at First Place workshops, conferences, and FOCUS Weeks. Many times area leaders will attend these events as a team, further increasing their effectiveness. If these First Place events are not available to your group, then use Bible-based leadership resources as training materials. John Maxwell, an expert on leadership and the founder of INJOY, an organization dedicated to helping people maximize their leadership potential, has many resources available on CD, tapes and books. To look at some of these resources, visit the website at www.injoy.com. These resources are not First Place specific, but the leadership principles taught apply to any leadership position. Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Community Church has said, "When a leader stops learning, he stops leading." Training is essential to continued leadership.

• Encouragement. John Maxwell has said, "Encouragement is oxygen to the soul." We cannot survive without encouragement and we certainly cannot lead without it. When leaders meet together, they share common struggles, challenges, and concerns. Usually, in a group of leaders you will find that as one leader is experiencing a specific situation, another leader has just come through a similar circumstance and can give encouragement. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 tells us, "Two are better than one. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion." When leaders are part of a team, they have others who will lift them up when they fall. The prayer partner request forms, located in the leader materials, can be used by leaders to share their needs with one another, opening up the opportunity for prayer and encouragement.

• Affirmation. A confident leader is one who has been affirmed by others. I would define affirmation as receiving confirming comments regarding ones actions. Leaders call First Place and have concerns about a situation and want to know if they handled it in a proper way. Many times I have the pleasure of saying, "You did exactly what I would have done!" The sigh of relief is heard over the telephone receiver and I know that they have been affirmed. This leadership article is one way to affirm leaders that they are doing the right things or making the right choices. Leaders become tentative and discouraged when they are unsure in their leadership abilities. A team of leaders will affirm one another in their respective ministries, building confidence in their leadership abilities. One word of caution however—ultimately it is not our wisdom, strengths or gifts that make us confident, it is the daily leaning on God and His Word that gives us confidence to lead effectively.

• Maintenance. "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:58 As leaders, we need to maintain a level of balance in our lives so that we can persevere in our leadership, even during stressful times. The support of a team of leaders enhances our motivation to remain faithful in our ministry to others. It is hard to maintain leadership without the other elements of teamwork: training, encouragement, and affirmation from others. Just as Paul exhorted the Corinthian Christians to stand firm, and fully execute their ministries, I exhort all First Place leaders to stand firm, let nothing keep you from maintaining an excellent level of leadership.

Dear First Place leader, I pray that you will find that group of leaders in your area who will be willing to learn ways to become better leaders through training; have words of encouragement and affirmation to share with you and be there to insure that you maintain an effective level of leadership.
That’s teamwork!

Seeking Christ First – TODAY!

Love,

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.