Leader Burn-Out

Leader Burn-Out

Mark 6

 

Have you ever run out of gas in your car? Embarrassing huh? But did it just happen or was there a little gauge on your dash that said you were low? In our lives we have gauges that tell us when we are low. There are signs that we are about to hit the “brick wall”. If you feel tired, have no emotions, or get bothered by the littlest thing, these are all symptoms that tell us we are about to run out of gas.

 

“Do not ruin your friends, family, or faith for your career.” –Chris Emmitt

 

Get away. Vs.45. Jesus had hit the brick wall. He had been running 100mph and was out of gas. He took time to get away by himself. It is ok to turn your phone and computer off and to generally unplug from the world. It maybe hard to believe but the world will continue to revolve even if we aren’t responding immediatley to every contact.

 

Get recharged. Vs. 46. Jesus got away to pray. He was constantly being asked for things by people who “just needed a moment” of His time. Ever feel like that? People are constantly asking you for favors and shooting you emails asking for just one thing. When you get away by yourself, get reconnected to the scripture and to your heavenly Father. He is the only one that will fully recharge your batteries.

 

Get back to work. Vs 56. It would have been so easy for Jesus to stay on the mountain top and not come down. Instead He got away, got recharged, and got back to work. He knew His mission was to change the world and it wasn’t going to happen on the mountain top. Sometimes when we get away it is easy for us to want to stay on the beach and watch the sunset. Life seems so simple and less hectic when your email is not going off every five seconds. But God has given you a talent in your area and it is your job to use that talent in Jesus name.

 

Next time you feel one of the common symptoms start to come on and the brick wall is getting closer by the hour. Take time to get away, get recharged, and then get back to work.

 

 

 

 

March 10th- The Carlyle

Beginning March 10th, Leverage will be meeting at The Carlyle High Rise Condos on Broadway in the community center. 

We’ll still meet at 6:30. Click here for the map.

Carlyle High Rise Condos :: 7887 Broadway, San Antonio 78209 (Broadway & Sunset in the Alamo Heights area)

Fellowship Night!

Join us this Tuesday, March 3rd for a fellowship night with the group. We’ll meet @ 6:30 @ Panchitos Mexican Grill (Corner of Basse & Jones Maltsberger, right across from Quarry Golf Club).

They’re offering 25% off large groups, so join us for a night out to get to know the members of Leverage. If you’re new to the group- still come and enjoy Christian fellowship after work!

Panchitos Mexican Grill:: 7310 Jones Maltsberger::290-8066

email with questions: leverage@communitybible.com

Leverage w/ NSIDE magazine

Join Us! Tuesday Feb 24th @ 6:30

@ the Quarry Golf Club for a mixer hosted by NSIDE magazine to honor Dr. David Marks.

Donations will be accepted to go to Family Services Assosciation

Additional parking will be available at the Methodist Church, with a shuttle service.

to join the Leverage Mailing list of weekly reminders, email us: leverage@communitybible.com

Notes from Feb 17th

Empowerment of Others
2 Samuel 10:1-6 & Mark 6:6-13

We are talking about empowerment of others. I would much rather talk on don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal. Those are easy for me to say don’t do, empowerment is something that I struggle with. Today’s world does not promote empowerment.

Finish this phrase: If I want something done right….

How many of you have said that before?

Here is what empowerment does:
1) It grows others
2) It grows yourself
3) It grows your (work, org., ministry, family, faith)

We are going to look at empowerment in the OT and NT long before Maxwell or Drucker ever wrote about it.

Jesus was a master at empowering others. He didn’t have time to set up savioroftheworld.com, get conf. table, water cooler, ping-pong tables in break room, key cards, and flat screen. Empowerment of others is how He changed the world in 3 years, and made it last 2000 years later.

Mark 6:6-13 – Jesus sends out the disciples to do ministry.

Here is what He gave them:
1) Leadership – do you show or tell?
2) Authority – do you micro-manage?
3) Instruction – do you define a win?
4) Support – do you look out for people?

Who do you empower?
1) Your employees
2) Your co-workers
3) God – Ouch!

Do you give up control of everything in your life and give it over to God? If we really believe that He is the Alpha and Omega and the all powerful being, then why in the world would we try to control our lives? Especially in these times we try and control it all, when it is in these times that we need to let go the most.

Notes from Feb 11th

February 11, 2009 Source

 

Ecclesiates 1:9-14

That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one might say, “See this, it is new”? Already it has existed for ages Which were before us. There is no remembrance of earlier things; And also of the later things which will occur, There will be for them no remembrance I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.  I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. 

Solomon wrote the book of ecclesiates toward the end of his life.  The fresh words of proverbs seem to lose some of their shine as he recounts the days of leadership and kingdom building.  It’s easy to see in his writing, Solomon is worn out.  There is a bitterness contained in his words to his children.  It would appear the balance of wisdom, following God, and building a worldly kingdom with 700 wives has taken its toll and left the wise King with some difficult truth as his days come to an end. Dylan would say, “you who philosophize disgrace” at Solomon’s words, “there is nothing new under the sun.” 

Despite the burnout evident in his writing there is a depth of understanding to the human condition we can connect with and learn from.  If in fact there is nothing new under the sun then…

There are things I don’t need to pray about

The scriptures have outlined a great deal of how our lives should be lived. I don’t need to pray to God about whether I should murder someone, the answer is no.  The answer is always no.  We don’t need to ask God if we should live with integrity or many other questions.  He says in Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? Following God isn’t a moving target it’s a steady walk of behavior bringing honor to God.

 

Others have experienced what I am experiencing

When we are trying to follow God we are connecting with 1000’s of years of History of people following the same God.  The stories of  Abraham, Noah, Moses, Elijah, Micah, and others are our stories.  Whether you are in the depth of despair or the heights of joy there is nothing new under the sun and you can find fellowship with the saints of today and those of old.

 

The principles that have guided previous generations still guide ours

The main thing is the main thing and the main thing hasn’t changed.  We aren’t writing new books of the bible or uncovering crazy translations which refute the current scriptures.  Even though the bible can seem a little overwhelming at times it can be read and applied to our lives.

 

In His Grip,

Scott

Details…

Leverage Professionals Bible Study

who: featuring Scott Austin and Chris Emmitt (for more information visit their blogs)

what: relevant biblical applications for your professional life.

when: Tuedays @ 6:30, starting Feb 10th

where: Quarry Golf Club (444 E Basse rd)

contact: leverage@communitybible.com or 477-1760 for more details.

Leverage

Leverage [lev-er-ij, lee-ver-] –noun 3.power or ability to act or to influence people, events, decisions, etc.; sway: Being the only industry in town gave the company considerable leverage in its union negotiations. 4.the use of a small initial investment, credit, or borrowed funds to gain a very high return in relation to one’s investment, to control a much larger investment, or to reduce one’s own liability for any loss.

We started kicking around ideas for a new bible study, one with real people who have real jobs.  Our bible study grew to the idea of a community where those real people could connect with one another and encourage each other.  Somewhere along the way the word leverage started coming into our conversation.  “Let’s create a place where those real people, with real jobs, could learn to leverage biblical principles in a professional environment,” we thought.  

I love this word leverage.  Whether it’s the ability to influence people or making a small initial investment to gain a very high return it’s exactly what we are going for.  Welcome to a new bible study where by making a small investment, one hour a week, you can anticipate very large returns.  Welcome to a new community where scripture plays an active role in our daily decisions.

Scott Austin

Buckingham

I just finished listening to a speaker by the name of Marcus Buckingham, and what he talked about on leadership was fantastic. He spoke for a little over an hour so if you want to hear the whole thing buy the 2007 Summit Leadership Conference DVD that was put on by Willow Creek or go to marcusbuckingham.com. But here are three truths that he said that stood out to me.

Marcus’ whole speech was on playing to your strengths, and he gives three myths that can keep us from focusing on what we do great.

Myth #1 – As you grow your personality changes.

He joked, “just go to a high scool reunion, did anybody really change?” Here is the truth:

Truth #1 – As you grow you become more of who you already are.

Myth #2 – You grow the most in your areas of your greatest weakness.

Tiger Woods revamped his entire swing just to get better and when Shaquille O’neal went to the Lakers they focused on his abilities to play in the paint rather than to shoot free throws. Here is the truth.

Truth #2 – You grow the most in the areas of your greatest strength.

Myth #3 – A great team member puts their strengths aside and does whatever it takes to help the team.

He says that the team becomes well-rounded be cause each member is not. You help the team by taking each others strengths serious and playing to them. Here is the truth.

Truth #3 – A great team member volunteers their strengths to the team most of the time.

Marcus delivers his talk much better than I could ever blog about it, but I really like these three truths that he laid out and the idea of being a leader who develops a well-rounded team by recruiting members who are not.

–Chris Emmitt