Lessons about leadership at the 12 year mark (part 2)

OK, here's part 2 of things I've learned in the first 12 years of leading Foothills.
If you missed part 1, you can read it here.

** It is normal and healthy for people to leave.
If you're a Pastor that's just getting started, you need to accept this. It is painful, it is heart-wrenching, and part of you will want to compromise the vision to retain them, but let them go.
When you study the ministry of Jesus, you will see that people left Him on a regular basis. Even one of His hand-selected 12 disciples, left Him. If they left Jesus, they will leave you too, it's ok. Sometimes God leads people to another church where these people will flourish and be able to take some of what they've learned at your church to help the next church. That is a good thing. The last thing you want is someone staying at your church that no longer believes in what the vision is.

** Sometimes the ones who love you when they come in, won't be quite so loving when they leave.
The same crowds who put out the palm branches and shouted "Hosanna", were the same crowds that shouted "crucify Him" a couple days later. This is tough. All of us want people to like us, so it's very painful when people take shots at us and the church when they leave. It's as if they feel the need to justify why they are leaving. I wish people would just say, "God is moving me on. During the time I was here, God did some wonderful things in my life, I wish you all the best".

** As the leader, your best use of time is listening to God.
What your people need more than anything else, is a leader who is hearing the voice of God. It all starts with this. You can't cast a vision, if you haven't first heard that vision from God. You can't grow up your people if you aren't first growing yourself. There are so many things that will compete for your time. Spending time with God (and not just sermon study time), is your best use of time.

** Being "Cool" is overrated
I believe in doing everything with excellence, but I have discovered that I would rather be effective than cool. The goal of our services should not be to see how many people posted on Facebook how "cool" the services were at church today. My goal is to hear people say, "At church, I sensed the presence of God in such a powerful way and as a result my life has been changed"