When I was growing up in a small town in the south, we went through the inevitable roller-skating-birthday-party phase of life. Everyone had his or her party at the tiny roller rink in town that was connected to a Honda motorcycle shop. We’d show up on a late Saturday morning, and skate round and round the three poles in the middle of the floor, cruising the wooden floor and trying to get up the courage to ask the fifth grade beauty queen to hold hands on the next slow skate. It was the early 8’s, and disco music was always rolling across the floor.
One of our favorite things to do was “Crack the Whip.” You’ve probably done it if you’ve ever skated with a group of friends. If not, stop reading, grab some friends, and head to the rink right now to try it out. Everyone skates in a line, holding hands with each other. Round and round the rink you roll, faster and faster. Right as you reach maximum speed, you all pull and launch the last person in line as fast as you can. The guy or girl in the back will scream forward at several hundred miles an hour and go several laps just coasting before he or she runs out of steam.
This “cracking the whip” is the picture I have for mentoring other leaders.
I want to pour myself into them, give them everything I’ve got, then slingshot them forward in ministry so they can go faster and further for the kingdom than I ever will myself. Through the years, I’ve found four keys to slingshot our student leaders and interns down the road.
1. Identify humble leaders: The students and interns I choose to invest in need to be humble, relatively speaking. I’ve tried building into those students who live as if they have it all together. They may be extremely talented, have multiple gifts, a winning personality and incredible appeal. They will draw new kids to the youth group for sure. However, if they aren’t humble, they aren’t ready to depend on God. No one can move the kingdom forward unless he or she depends on God first. I want a leader who, regardless of giftedness, has a humble heart. You can develop all the rest in them, but this is crucial.
2. Identify servant leaders: I want the kid who is willing to help clean up, to help plan behind the scenes, who is asking if he or she can help before and after youth group. Jesus tells us that in order to be great in the kingdom, serve the least. If I have a student who is interested in serving others–anonymously–he or she will be able to handle the pressures of leadership.
3. Identify hungry kids: Sometimes the students I look for are the ones who seem to be missing something in life. Honestly, sometimes they may not be the stellar student in your group. This unnamed need may cause them to be a bit disconnected or struggle a bit here and there. There is a difference between students acting out due to fear–or due to sin–and a student who is searching for something more to be a part of and being frustrated at not finding it. The student in the second group often can be a great leader.
4. Pray. Then pray some more: I know, it doesn’t have “Identify” in the subtitle, and that might throwing off perfectionists. However, it is clear. We have to pray. Pray when you are looking for that next student to mentor. Pray before you ask him or her into a mentoring relationship. Pray together when you have a conversation to present the idea. Pray together at every meeting. Pray for your potential student leaders when you are not together. Pray for them once you launched them as leaders. Call them and pray with them after they leave your ministry. When you’re done with all of that, pray a little more. This work is God’s work, pure and simple. Look and listen to what He wants to have happen.
Obviously, there are a ton of other issues in shaping the next generation of servant leaders. It all starts with you sitting down, strapping on those funky rental skates and inviting someone along. When they fly past you and take off, it’s a feeling you’ll never forget. Well, that, and the disco music that’s playing.
