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So Now You're the Leader
The struggles and joys of taking charge.
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Back on the playground, tag was a fun game—fun until the sound "You're it!" rang in my ear and I felt a rude slap on my shoulder. Being tagged meant feeling a panicky self-consciousness as my friends ran squealing away to the schoolyard boundaries. But the feeling was short-lived, ending as soon as I could catch someone else unawares and pass on the mantle of "It!" At times, leading Bible studies and church committees can bring on the same feelings. When you first are selected or "volunteered" to lead a group, you may feel you're squirming under the hot lights of examination. Can I do this? Will people accept me? At least, I felt those feelings when I first began leading a women's Bible study. Along the way, though, I learned some important lessons about being a new leader. Following a Class Act"Sharon's group"—that's what we called our weekly women's Bible study. I remember Pastor inviting her to the front of the church to announce the group. Tall and blond, Sharon reminded me of an Olympic skier. With sunny confidence, she described how a Bible study had changed her life and how she hoped to begin such a study at our church. I wanted to be like her; I wanted to be in this group. The lengthy sign-up sheet in the narthex proved I was not alone. For over two years, seated weekly around Formica tables in Founders' Hall, we earnestly shared our thoughts about Ephesians, then Galatians, the Gospel of Mark, and Psalms. The number of tables grew. We broke into smaller groups and rotated discussion leadership. But Sharon would always close, summarizing our feelings about the text and adding a challenging word of encouragement. Increasingly, and with pride, I became Sharon's right hand, organizing materials and making announcements. From time to time I wished I could be in her shoes, I could be the leader, but then I'd see her handle a tough question with grace. I couldn't imagine myself coming through the way she did, so I was glad for the status quo. Sharon always called it "the Bible study," but we always called it "Sharon's group." We did until one spring day when Sharon announced her husband's transfer and their impending move to California. Out there she would undoubtedly start another group. But what would we do? Thinking about her moving, I felt as though Founders' Hall itself was to be yanked from the church. But Sharon had no qualms about us. It was time, she said, that our group generate its own leadership, that we even branch out and start a second group. That's how she saw things. But we envisioned our Bible study falling apart. I tried to picture Shelley or Rose as the new leader, and I tried to picture myself. Over the summer we talked about it and prayed about it. But in our minds' eye, Sharon's presence overshadowed us. All we could see was a leadership gap. |             |
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