Ministry can be overwhelming. There will ALWAYS be more to do than we have time to do it. One of the most common issues for leaders revolves around priorities. Busy ministry schedules cause leaders to not prioritize their family, their health or other important relationships. We could spend a week exploring several things every leader needs to prioritize, but over the next few days we’re going to explore the area of personal growth.

As a ministry leader, you have a responsibility to grow. The kids, families and volunteers that you lead need to you to grow as a leader. As you grow, you’ll have more to offer.

This week we’re going to dive into five areas of personal growth. I don’t recommend diving into all five areas at once. However, perhaps you will commit to one of these for the next several months. Once you see specific growth in one of these areas, take on another. Even just 10 or so minutes every couple of days can be significant.

So, which area should you focus on first? Let’s take a little quiz. For the following five areas, rate yourself from 1-5 (1 being that you don’t do this at all and 5 being that you do this all the time).

  • Structured Learning (growth from conferences, seminars, workshops, college)
  • Intentional Networking (growth from meeting/connecting with others who do what you do)
  • Reading (growth from books, articles and related blogs)
  • Mentoring (growth from an intentional relationship from someone who is better than you)
  • Spiritual (developing personal practices that strengthen your relationships with God)

Be honest with yourself. Which of these did you score a 4 or a 5? Which of these did you score a 1 or 2? Any 3’s?

Simply rank these from your lowest to highest. There is your growth plan. Consider how you might commit the next 4-8 weeks on investing in the area where you scored the lowest. What might your calendar need to look like if you were intentionally developing in one of these areas.

Don’t hesitate. Don’t stay as you are. Move.

Here are three steps to lead you toward action.

  1. Have a conversation with your spouse, family member or trusted friend. Share your results and explain how you’d like to grow in one of these areas. Ask for their point of view. Ask for accountability and encouragement. How can they support you in this area of growth?
  2. Set up an appointment with your manager. Share your results and explain how you’d like to grow in one of these areas. Ask about their expectations and desires around your growth/development. Ask about how they might be able to invest/fund opportunities for your growth.
  3. Adjust your schedule. Something I’ve learned recently is that if something shows up on my calendar, it actually happens. All too often, our calendars are filled with meetings, appointments and events. What if we actually scheduled times to develop/grow on our calendar for the next 6-8 weeks?