Leadership...

That word sometimes terrifies me.

It conjurs up things like organizational skills, using that skill for others - not lording over others, using good judgement and common sense, to be a servant to all, having an idea as to where you are taking others, being wise and humble, allowing others to have their "say", being an example, keeping an eye on things and thinking ahead. A couple of these things I'm not bad at, but all the other qualities, I am sorely lacking and I become fearful.

The Annual Meeting of our church is this Saturday. I've been nominated to become a member of Council, the team that takes on a leadership role and moves the church hopefully, forward. It's a difficult time in the life of our church in that we are presently without a pastor. The year ahead will be challenging and it will be exciting too, as we transition perhaps into a new phase at Gateway.

I feel totally inadequate. I know I don't have all the qualities that are needed to take up this role and so I shake with thoughts of all my insecurities. There are words from Scripture that we need to take seriously not only as members of a church leadership team, but members of Gateway, the Body of Christ. They come from Ephesians 4:1-6 where the Apostle Paul is telling those in Ephesus how they are to live their lives in the Name of Christ. This is what he says in a letter to them while he himself is imprisoned:

- from The Message:

"In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.
You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness."

This is the call to us, as the Body of Christ, the Church. To work together as one. To be one - in unity and love.

Oh God....help me, and all of us, in our attempt at being You in this world....as one body. And lead me God, and in your leading, teach me how to lead. I need to learn. Amen.