lonliness…
January 29, 2008
A couple other seminary students were sharing with me yesterday about how lonely things can be as they’ve began working in leadership in different churches.
I wrote a while back about how ‘leaders need community‘. I want to take this further as not only an acknowledgment, but as a request, on behalf of leaders.
Certainly there are times when leaders must go it alone, but does loneliness in leadership really need to be simply ‘part of the job’, ‘just reality’, or something we need to simply ’suck up’?
Can we really just assume our leaders are okay, “they’ve got Jesus”?
I’ve read that bouts of depression are normal for leaders - but should it be, with a healthy community around them?
How are we as a body of believers, responsible for our leaders?
Are we setting up our emerging leaders for failure when they’re feeling like this right out of the gate?
And yes, this is me sometimes.
True community... by Lon on December 21st, 2007
Leaders need community by Lon on January 31st, 2007
My book… by Lon on March 9th, 2006
Reclaiming youth at risk… by Lon on October 2nd, 2006
Posted in Community, Leadership, seminary
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January 29th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
It’s great that you’re writing about this because I have dealt with an immense amount of loneliness myself even in the midst of being surrounded by great friends, a strong small group, etc. I believe a lot of this is spiritual as satan puts these thoughts in my head, but I have to continue to remember what Jesus said to his disciples, “Watch and pray so that you do not fall into temptation.”
Great post.
Ken
http://www.MissionaryRoad.com
January 29th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Lon thanks for this post.
Do you mind in I link my blog to your “mushrooms” post?
aaronhavens.com
January 29th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Ken - thanks for commenting … interesting how that quote of Jesus was during one of his loneliest moments…
Aaron - go for it dude!
January 30th, 2008 at 9:42 am
Is it that we all go through Lon-lessness or lonliness?
I use to push back on those who said this is a reality. I didn’t get it. I thought they were throwing in the towel. I’ve changed my mind though. It is a reality. Maybe not one people like and definetly not a constant reality but a reality none the less.
January 30th, 2008 at 9:49 am
thanks Lon i’ll be linking to your “mushrooms” tomorrow.
January 31st, 2008 at 10:45 am
Hey Marty… totally agree that it is a reality… and i guess i’ve always had the perspective that leaders need to do something about that.
hang out more, open up more, be more vulnerable, create community, but lately i’ve been wondering if it’s something people around leaders really understand, and if there’s something more they should possibly be doing on their end?
course, that just might come back around to us leaders…
February 1st, 2008 at 2:29 pm
We have a shepherd pastor who oversees all the lifegroups and lifegroup leaders’ activities. He has gathered a trusted team together whose only task is to minister to the lifegroup leaders. The old cliche about being lonely in a room full of people is true. Everyone has a need to be encouraged, loved, and listened to - especially when they busy themselves with the Father’s business. Jesus needed community time, Paul needed it, David needed it - why should anyone else be different. Didn’t God make us in order to love us? How can one be loved in isolation?
February 3rd, 2008 at 5:59 pm
thanks for sharing that hope… that’s just amazing that you have someone dedicated for a task like that… i wonder if it someone isn’t dedicated to ministering to leaders, it might be the first thing to naturally go… since we often assume leaders have to at least be okay…
February 6th, 2008 at 1:52 am
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