Don't Stop at the Top

Mike June 24, 2019 Great and Godly Leadership 0 Comments

My wife and I had the incredible opportunity to travel to the national parks in southern Utah earlier this summer. All five of these parks are spectacular, each in its own way, but my favorite was Bryce Canyon. I particularly enjoyed the way that you are introduced to Bryce. The area by the main entrance is forested, but nothing special. The same is true as you approach the first view point and park your car. But within just a few steps, you’re standing on the rim of the “canyon” (technically not a canyon), looking down on an endless landscape of beautifully sculpted sandstone rock features called hoodoos. 

The views from the rim are breathtaking, but it’s a mistake to stop there. The park offers a variety of trails that descend from the rim into the vast sea of geologic wonders that have been intricately carved by wind and water. It’s these trails that allow a visitor to truly appreciate God’s handiwork in Bryce. 

And that’s where I see an important application for leaders. Leaders need to see the big picture and think beyond the horizon. If not, they can’t steer the church or ministry toward the future. But leaders that only live in the distant future are like the tourists who only see Bryce from the rim. They’re missing a vital part of the picture. A deeper dive shapes a leader’s understanding of current reality. Are certain areas particularly fragile? What are the factors that explain our current reality? How will these forces impact our plans for the future? 

Henry Blackaby’s classic study book, Experiencing God, has the memorable advice to “see where God is at work and join Him.” When you get below the rim of your organization, you’ll often discover places where God is doing something special. That’s a perspective that rarely comes to someone standing at the top, observing from a distance.   

Bryce has a huge network of trails, and we had limited time, so we chose the ones that worked best for us. In the same way, leaders can’t take a deep dive on every aspect of their ministry, but they can make a conscious decision about where they should focus their attention. 

Is it time to lace up your boots and go for a leadership hike below the rim?