Shane Ash

Here is a short article I wrote awhile back…thought I would share it with you:

I just finished my rookie year of pastoral leadership and whoa…I have a lot to learn. I am still learning how to lead by asking the right questions rather than knowing all the right answers, how to tell God’s story rather than my own, and how to love others more than I love myself.

But perhaps the greatest lesson I have learned during my first year as a pastor is to consistently ask myself this question, “What is my real ambition?” In every moment of life and leadership, what is the true motive behind my choices and actions? Is it desire for recognition, security, acceptance, or comfort? Or is my single-minded ambition to live out the values of Christ and His Kingdom?

I wish I could say the answer is always clear cut. But, the truth is that I must continue to ask myself this question because the people-pleasing tendencies I have developed make it necessary. I want people to like me, and as a result I too often only lead where my ego takes me. I find it easier to lead with words than with actions, easier to receive than to give, and easier to talk than to listen. My leader-ego is most visible when I am afraid to take a ministry risk because I can’t bear the potential embarrassment of failure or when I am unwilling to sacrifice my comforts for the sake of those who have far less.

Maybe I am the only one to struggle with the temptation to ego-lead rather than example-lead…but I doubt it. As leaders, we must constantly measure our real ambition; it is the only cure for the ego-centric leadership disease actively eroding the effectiveness of the Church today.

Author and leadership guru Jim Collins often writes about “Level 5 leaders.” These are leaders who have a unique combination of both personal humility and professional will. “It’s not that Level 5 leaders have no ego or self-interest,” Collins says. “Indeed, they are incredibly ambitious—but their ambition is first and foremost for the institution and its greatness, not for themselves.”

Even though Collins is not writing specifically about pastoral leadership, it seems to me he overlooked giving credit to the original source. Jesus said it like this: “Seek first the Kingdom…”.

As a pastor and seeker of the Kingdom, I am learning my first and only ambition must be to live out the values of the Christ and hope others will follow my example. My desire to live for Christ must be so clear and compelling that others cannot help but follow.

True ambitious leadership comes at a great personal cost because it depends on the integrity of our own example. Others will give generously because we have modeled generosity. Others will love unconditionally because they have watched us love. Others will befriend their neighbors because we have introduced them to our neighbors.

So, let our willingness to live the example in real and visible ways be what we are known for…let those who follow our lead, be led by the truth of our actions, not just the conviction of our words.