I love Larry Bird! Partly because he is white and I am white and it gives me hope as a basketball player!
My favorite story of Larry Bird is when his team, the Boston Celtics, were at Seattle playing the Seattle Supersonics. The Celtics were two down with six seconds to go and they had the ball. They called a timeout.
Larry walks to the huddle and says ‘Guys, here is what we are going to do. You get the ball to me, get the hell out of the way and we will win!’
The Coach, KC Jones said ‘Hey Larry, I am the coach I call the shots! Ok guys here is what we are going to do. Get the ball to Larry, get the hell out of the way and we will win!’
After the timeout, Larry walks over to the guy who was marking him, Xavier McDaniel, a guy who was 6’7 and who could go bear hunting with a twig and come back with seven carcasses. Larry looked McDaniel in the eye and said ‘X we both know what’s going to happen, I am going to get the ball here I am going to fake left dribble right and shoot a three in your face. It will go in swish and I will look you in the eye and say I told you so!’
The ref blows the whistle, Larry gets the ball, he fakes left dribbles right and shoots a three in McDaniel’s face. It goes in swish and he looks McDaniel in the eye and says ‘I told you so!’
After the Game KC Jones is asked is he ever nervous when the Celtics are in that situation? There are a few ticks of the clock left down by two and Larry is taking a shot that will either make or break the whole game, is he ever nervous?’ KC Jones smiled and said ‘ No, cause Larry always comes through’
I think the essence of Character is someone who always comes through. Who always does what they say they the will do. As a leader, character is essential, the Bible speaks of leaders of the church having great character (1Timothy 3). So what about you have you got great Character?
Do you always come to places on time?
Do you confront people or talk behind their back?
Do you own up for your own mistakes when it is your fault?
Do you tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
Do you look after your family well?
Are you accountable to people?
Do you work hard or bludge a lot?
Do you always do what you say you will do?
As a leader Character is essential!
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As a Christian, character is essential, particularly against the criteria you've listed!
ReplyDeleteIncidently, I've made some more detailed comments on 'leadership' on my own blog; feel free to drop in.
As a free service, I've given a link to a suggested organisation diagram for a parish church.
I was thinking more about the I Tim 3 passage. Interesting how the biblical concept of overseer has become the worldly concept of leader, with the notion of service being implicitly downplayed while the implicit solitary laudation of the individual occuring.
ReplyDeleteIt is also worth noting that Timothy is given Paul's advice for the local church: its ministers are drawn from it, to brought in like consultants from outside the congregation (and like most churches do it these days).
The lack of other comments gives me much encouragement that few people are taking notice of the worldly notion of leadership in churches. I hope they are off reading ministry blogs instead.
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