| Personal Growth
by Joey Ellis
Taken from Fanning the Flame, "Lessons in Leadership," Volume 7, Fall 2001
The Bible tells us that "Jesus grew in wisdom, and in stature, and in favor with God and men," (Luke 2:52). If we want our leaders to be all they can be, then we need to model personal growth for them.. I want to stress the importance of personal growth and development through reading.
Leaders are readers. One characteristic of great leaders throughout history is their appetite for reading. It widens our sphere of knowledge, stimulates our minds, and assists in the creative process.
Above all else read the Scriptures. Daily reading of the Bible should be the cornerstone of our reading. Read the Word for your personal growth in the Lord, not just to prepare for the next week's lesson. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path," (Psalm 119:105). We cannot lead others if we do not know where we are going.
Read widely. Books about our favorite subjects are the easiest to read. Expand your horizons and read from other subjects. Choose areas to target your reading, such as spiritual growth, marriage, parenting, leadership, missions, kids' ministry. Set a goal for your book reading. If you are already an avid reader, one book a month may be a good target. If you are just jumping back into it, read a book every two months. If you have Internet access, subscribe to e-newsletters. As they are delivered to your computer, print them and place them in your "To Be Read" folder. You can read articles contained in newsletters in minutes. Set a goal to read one article a week.
A big question for most of us is, "When do I find time to read?" It is a matter of priority. If you value it highly enough, you will make time for it. I am an early riser. I enjoy getting up early and reading before the rest of my family awakens. My wife is an evening person. She enjoys her reading time just before turning in at night. Lunch is a great time to read. Read while you travel. Believe it or not, you can get a lot of reading done even while waiting at traffic signals.
Another great way to enjoy a good book is to listen to it on tape while traveling in your vehicle. Zig Ziglar calls this "Automobile University". Some of us may spend up to an hour or more each day getting to and from work. Take this time, that is usually spent frustrated in traffic, and turn it into an opportunity to learn.
An active reading plan will help to develop you as a leader. As you grow, take your ministry team along with you. As your team grows, your children grow. Make reading a part of your daily routine. Most importantly though, employ the Nike principle, "Just do it!"
Joey Ellis is the Ministry Development Coordinator for the Assemblies of God National Children's Ministries Agency. |
