September 4, 2013

Their Chance to Lead

This morning I was privileged to see a high school senior give a speech to her entire school. I know her to be a person of deep faith – what kind of high school senior invites her priest to this kind of thing? As she spoke she showed grace, skill, and charisma. I thought to myself, what a wonderful leader she will make someday . . .

Then she danced. She held an auditorium full of teenagers and guests like me in silence, spellbinding us as the grace, skill, and charisma from her words was amplified as it transformed into movement. I was very nearly moved to tears by the beauty of the whole scene. After she took her bows, her schoolmates rushed the stage and embraced her in triumph. The shouts and applause were overwhelming. Thankfully, I was reminded . . .

This proud young lady won't just be a leader someday, she is a leader already. She is a leader right now.

This made me think of an experience at a previous parish I served. A similarly proud young adult put herself out on a limb enough to stand for election to the vestry. When the votes were tallied, she lost. In the days that followed, I heard variations on this conversation: “I didn't vote for her because she is too young. She will have her time to lead.” I restrained myself from saying something like, “Yes. She will lead, it just won't be in the Church. She will lead where she is given a chance to lead and if that is not in the Church, that is clearly our loss.”

How many wonderful church leaders we are holding back right now? How can the Church engage those leaders as leaders (where and when they are) and just allow them to lead? How often do we fall into the trap of seeing the easily definable attribute (such as age) and not seeing the whole person in his or her context?

The most effective ministry is contextual. The young lady I saw dance is a leader in her context. The challenge for the Church is to provide the context for yet-untapped leaders like her, to lead. Looks like I have some phone calls to make (or more appropriately, texts to send).