Anaheim 07

I participated in the Leadership ministry track. While it was different than I expected, it was better than I could have imagined. Chuck Taylor, the speaker, did an amazing job. He has been a youth pastor for seven years and serves in leadership roles on various committees.

One of the first things he shared was a quote from The Servant Leader: “It’s an influence process. Anytime you are trying to influence the thoughts and actions of others to accomplish a personal or professional goal, you are engaging in leadership.” This was a revelation to me. This quote helped me realize that everyone everywhere can be a leader. Even if you don’t intend to be a leader, anyone can be a leader because all that is needed is for one person to influence another.

After this discussion, we did an activity as partners. One partner was blindfolded and led around the hotel by the other partner. After 10 minutes we traded roles. This activity demonstrated the difference between leading and following. When we led we were in control, but we also had to keep our attention focused on where we were leading and ignore the many distractions. When we were the followers, we were required to have complete trust in the leader, that they would not allow us to run into anything while navigating the complexities of the hotel. The most important thing as a leader is to follow Jesus as we lead.

Toward the end of the session, Chuck shared what he called “Simple Lessons.” I liked these “Simple Lessons” because they are applicable not just to leaders, but to everyone.

One of the lessons was to erase excuses. Specifically, know your weaknesses (lack of organization) and then do something about it (go out of your way to be more organized.) For me this means searching for the good in every situation. I tend to be overly critical at times, but I’m working on it.

Another lesson was to embrace change. As a leader it is essential that we are able and willing to adapt and be flexible in whatever situation arises. To illustrate this we watched a clip from the movie “Happy Feet.” In the clip, the ruling elder refuses to accept that aliens (humans) exist and insists that the traditional path is the only way. This led to a conflict. Unfortunately when leaders refuse to accept change, they lose their credibility and more importantly, the people lose faith in their leaders.

I enjoyed the Leadership ministry track because it contained excellent information and advice while also being fun. I really feel that I can take what I learned and apply it. The speaker was great; the discussions were engaging; the activities were entertaining; but best of all it was an experience I will remember and put into practice. My one regret—it was too short.