Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Cheaters Never Win

I can tell I am getting older as I feel like I am constantly trying to give good advice to young leaders. I was told as a young boy playing sports was that cheaters never win. Some of the challenges I have faced through the years are dealing with super-zealous, immature, well-intentioned, under prepared young leaders that do not understand the process. If you are not committed to the process you are cheating yourself and those God has called you to serve.

Its not just young leaders that forgo the process. A disgraced pastor became part of our church some time ago. His immorality coupled with bad decisions had cost him the ability to continue in the church he was leading. He immediately dove into the ministries of our church. Going above and beyond the call of duty. So far above the call of duty that in a short while I had red-flags going up every time I saw him.

At the onset he came to me and asked where do you see me in this ministry? I was honest and told him he just needed to sit back take it in and get ministered to. Wisdom told me that he did not need to jump right in. He began meeting every first time visitor at our front door, and before they could be greeted by the greeters he would have their names and invite them to his house after the service. After a while many told me that made them feel very uncomfortable.

After a while this pastor confessed to me his offense that I did not have him in a leadership position. He attacked my staff, Told me I was intimidated by him. He lied. Ran my messages down in front of others....especially if they enjoyed the message. The list could go on. All this because I told him he needed to wait to re-enter the ministry because he and his new wife were not ready to lead. Then he called me after a service and told me he and someone who I had mentored for years was starting a new church. I firmly rebuked him and took necessary actions to protect the church.

What was his problem? Not willing to go through the process. A problem that many potentially good leaders face. If you don't go through the process you are cheating yourself and those that God has called you to lead.

Recently, Alex Rodriquez, one of the greatest baseball players of all time confessed to using steroids. He said it was out of ignorance, youth, bad influences and more. In reality he knew he was good and tried to speed up the process by cheating. Because he cheated it will tarnish his role in the history of baseball and may cost him his spot in the hall of fame. No matter how good ... how ready...how anointed you think you are don't forgo the process.

CHEATERS NEVER WIN!

2 comments:

Brian Turner said...

Great article man! You are exactly right. We cannot forsake the process. We cannot be what we are not, but we can become what we are not. That works for both good and bad. Hey, check out my new blog at www.guidebyyourside.blogspot.com.

Ken Tuck said...

Great blog Bro. You are exactly right. You have to go through the process. I had a pastor one time whom I loved and respected. After a bunch of stuff happened there came a time when he needed to sit back, take time off, and let God minister to him to get his life back together. He agreed ... for one week. Then it was nothing but he wanted to be preaching again and leading the church. It all ended badly. I hope and pray that if he is ministering again that he went through the process.
God does forgive and He does restore. And, He does have a process for leaders to go through.