We often set personal and professional goals about what we want to accomplish rather than what we want to learn, but Scripture suggests that learning is a lifelong pursuit: “Give instruction to the wise, and they will become wiser still; teach the righteous and they will gain in learning” (Proverbs 9:9). Congregational leaders who are busy with the details of running the church may not always create the necessary margin to invest in learning, which is essential to cultivating a thriving organization and sustaining one’s commitment over time. Specifically, leaders benefit from learning more about themselves, learning or improving skills and deepening their understanding of their context.
We cannot say enough about the importance of self-awareness. It’s important to learn about our strengths and weaknesses. Being aware and honest about these qualities guards us against thinking too much or too little of ourselves. Personal inventories, self-assessments, good therapists, spiritual directors and truth-telling friends are great ways for us to see our blind spots and claim our giftedness.
It's important to learn new skills, too. God calls us into ministry, but we need to cultivate professional competence to do the work well. It’s true that a minister cannot be an expert in every area. At the same time, what does the congregation need from us in this season? What competencies should we hone to provide our most faithful leadership right now?
A third opportunity to learn has to do with understanding our context. Congregations change over time, and the longer our tenure, the more they change. The community around the church changes, too. Perhaps what’s needed now is for us to reassess the church as an organization. What are its strengths? What are the challenges? What aspirations do we discern?
What do you want to learn?
