There are many things that leaders do in order to develop as a mentor. I have registered for the Kairos Conference through Gateway Church in Texas–this is an annual conference and is part of their ministry for spiritual healing. I consider myself healed from any emotional trauma from my past, so why would I run after something if I think I’m already holding it in my hand?
THE BASICS FOR ADVANCEMENT
Spiritual healing is often step one for church leaders, but it is something for leaders to consistently pursue the basics, even when it feels like something from an early chapter in their book. There are several reasons why a mature Christian leader NEEDS to make time to go back to the basics:
- Cleaning out your closet. I know how much people can always benefit from pursuing healing because we aren’t always aware of unresolved issues. This is a risky and, let’s face it, SCARY, thing to intentionally pursue. You can go to your closet to pick out items to make yourself look cute and still find skeletons in the back that you seemed to overlook all this time.
- Model out growth. I don’t want to be a leader over people who never change, never grow, never become a better person. If I want to be a leader of people who pursue healing, even when it’s painful, I have to show them what it looks like. Simply seeing someone else do something can remove so much of the pressure we’ve placed on the experience.
- Remember old battles. I don’t want to forget my testimony and all the things I’ve overcome. We can so often place ‘healing’ into a category that should be titled ‘forgetting’. Repressing or never thinking of pain does not equate accepting an experience. We should be able to remember and be brought to tears over our former battles.
- To aid others’ battles. I don’t want to be a leader that is only in charge of tasks, events, or departments. I want to be a leader of PEOPLE and that means getting my hands dirty. Even on the off chance that I am unable to personally apply the content of this conference to my own life, it will equip me in helping those under me who are facing a need for spiritual healing.
For these reasons, I know that I can be confidant in facing any emotional or vulnerable moments that will inevitably be present this upcoming weekend.
So, fellow leaders, don’t forget to hit up the basics!