Dr. J. Robert Clinton, senior professor of leadership at Fuller Theological Seminary estimates that few leaders finish well (he posits that only 1 in 3 leaders from the biblical narratives finished well and that even fewer leaders today finish well). I know that there will come a day when I no longer work for the CGGC and I want to finish well in that season. I also know that there will come a day when my heart stops beating and I want to finish well as my life draws to a close. I hope both of those days are a long way off, but I try to live my life with the end in mind: what does it look like for me to finish well?
Dr. Clinton has identified six characteristics that were evident in the lives of leaders who finish well. (Taken from the article, Finishing Well – Six Characteristics by J. Robert Clinton, 2007.)
- They maintain a personal vibrant relationship with God right up to the end.
- They maintain a learning posture and can learn from various kinds of sources – life especially.
- They manifest Christ-likeness in character as evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit in their lives.
- Truth is lived out in their lives so that convictions and promises of God are seen to be real.
- They leave behind one or more ultimate contributions (legacies).
- They walk with a growing awareness of a sense of destiny and see some or all of it fulfilled.
Read – Leaders are readers. Never before have we had access to the information we now have. What are you reading these days? I have a regular list of blogs that I follow that stretch my thinking, inspire me or expose me to resources that are typically new or unknown to me. I usually have 2-3 books that I’m working through from a variety of subjects.
Reflect, Process and Debrief – Slow down long enough to learn from life’s experiences. I’m often guilty of flying through things too quickly and miss learning opportunities along the way. This morning I was just processing a recent situation from my life and observed some significant learnings that will help me be more effective in the future. These kind of learnings typically only happen when we slow down long enough to reflect, process and debrief the events of our days.
Stay Curious – I love asking questions, learning about what makes others tick and even learning about their lives, their work and other disciplines.
Mentors – Who is pouring into your life so that you can continue to help shape the lives of others? I’ve been blessed over the years by many generous folks who have graciously shared their wisdom, insight and experience with me so that I could grow and mature. If you don’t have anyone like that in your life right now, who do you need to ask to spend some time with you over a cup of coffee or lunch (think broadly here – it could be the most Christ-like person you know, a wise and experienced leader, a parent who’s raised Godly kids or a business person who’s created a culture that develops great people).
Seminars, Workshops, Trainings, Podcasts, etc. – Do something that invests in you and your work. There’s no lack of opportunities these days, but it does take the commitment to actually do it. Put it on the schedule and invest the time, effort and money in something that will stretch you, give you greater competency, or build your character to look more like Jesus.
Unlearning – What do you need to unlearn? We often don’t spend enough time unlearning the things that need to be left behind. There’s much that we need to unlearn in our understanding of what it means to be the church in order to live as God’s people on his mission.
I’d encourage you to spend some time this coming week reflecting on your own learning posture? What do you need to do now that will help you finish well in the future?
Lance
Pastor Ed Rosenberry and his wife Linda have been hired on a part-time basis to assist in recruiting students at the Scotland location. Ed just retired as Churches of God Director and has experience as a pastor and adjunct professor at WTS. His wife, Linda, will graduate August 2015 from WTS with a Master of Arts in Practical Theology. She also currently works for CASA (Pennsylvania Court Appointed Special Advocate).
We welcome Steve, Ed and Linda to the WTS family to assist in the ongoing effort to enhance the mission of preparing servant leaders of the Lord Jesus Christ for effective ministry in the Church and the world at the Scotland location.