7 Components of Jesus Leadership Development Strategy, Pt 2

Component #2 Display a high confidence in peopleI love the oral Hershiser story.  The legendary pitcher for the LA Dodgers says he got a rough start to his career.  In his rookie season his easy going nature and geeky looks earned him the nickname Howdy Dooty Hershiser.  Dodgers manager, Tommy Lasorda, seeing Hershiser's lack of confidence and poor performance called him into his office and said, "Hershiser you have incredible talent and could have an amazing future with this team, but you have to start believing in yourself.   So I'm changing your name.  From now on you will be known as Bulldog Hershiser."  Hershiser says that day changed the trajectory of his career because Lasorda helped him see what he could be.Jesus did the same thing with his disciples.  In Matthew 4:19 he said to Peter and Andrew, "Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men."  Jesus took hold of these two ordinary men and did extra-ordinary things through them because he had a high confidence in people. I believe we have potential leaders in our churches that go unutilized because we look at their low spiritual maturity level, lack of knowledge or lack of experience and deem them unready for leadership.  Of course their not ready for leadership...they have not been developed yet.  But I tell you I thank God for the leaders in my home church that took hold of me at age 13 and put me in leadership roles despite my immaturity.  I thank God for those leaders who took a risk and hired me for my first ministry position despite my inexperience.  I thank God for those leaders all throughout my career who took a chance on me despite my lack of readiness for the new role.  That said something to me...it spoke to my potential..it created a desire within me to live up to what they saw in me.If we are serious about developing a thick leadership culture in our church then we must be quick to spot potential and quick to take risks on people.  One of the things I love about Seacoast Church is the high confidence in people.  We hire primarily from within, so our Campus Pastors are men who came up through the church.  There's a former dentist, electrician, school teacher and even a former farmer.  These are men who love God and love people.  These are men who found an environment where someone believed in their ability to be used by God in mighty ways. Take some time today to look at the talent pool in your church.  Is there anyone you may be overlooking as a potential leader?