The Journey From The Carpet To The Couch

When I first got the job of Children's Pastor, I thought "Fantastic! I'm going to sit on the carpet with kids and colour and do craft and tell stories about Jesus, this is going to be great" Six years into the job and  I hardly spend any time on the carpet with kids and more time sitting on the couch with leaders.

This has been the foundation of my personal leadership journey. I have been challenged and learnt more about God, people and myself sitting on that couch then I ever would have sitting on the carpet colouring in.

The truth is I already knew how to sit on the carpet and tell kids about Jesus. What God was calling me to do was take a step up and use what I already knew about kids ministry to inspire, encourage and empower others around me. When I finally settled into this new call I realised that my passion to see kids come to know Jesus hadn't disappeared (I don't think it ever will) but the most joy I was experiencing was seeing young leaders under my stewardship realise their potential and stepping up  to discover how God had gifted them and placed them in the world to make a difference.

I remember when I was searching for a teaching team for our Sunday morning program, my inner most desire was just to do all the teaching myself but I knew God had called me to more. So I sent out some cards to leaders I thought my be interested in having a go at teaching a couple of hundred kids about Jesus.

On the card I had a few tick boxes where I wanted leaders to indicate their interest in different aspects of leadership. One particular young, male leader filled in the card and gave it back to me. He had ticked the "I would like to join the teaching team" box but then put a big question mark beside it. When I saw his card I felt the whisper of the Holy Spirit say to me "Yes, this is it, push him, encourage him, empower him. I knew in that moment that God had a significant purpose for this young man and what was really exciting was that I going to be a part of it.

I approached him and asked him to join the team, I gave him some training, resourced him and then gave him one more nudge on his big Sunday debut. He got up on stage, nervously took the microphone and... absolutely nailed it. I don't think I have ever watched any communicator (in the world of kids or otherwise) do better their first time on stage. He was a natural and I had the absolute privilege  to continue to work with him, nurture him and see God use him more and more in powerful ways. I had the amazing opportunity to see God work in him and through him to see young lives changed and to extend the Kingdom of God.

This for me, is what starting up in leadership is all about. Taking a step back and seeing those around you who have the potential to take a step forward.

When Jesus ascended to heaven he said to his disciples "you will receive power when he Holy Spirit come on you; an you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts1:7) He said to a group of ordinary people "Go! It's your turn now, I'll be with you to the ends of the earth, but it's up to you now. Go and build my kingdom."

The greatest joy in my leadership is to see others developed into leaders. I continue to step more and more backward in ministry, to give more and more opportunities for others to step forward. That has been my journey from the carpet to the couch.