The Glorious and Messy Task of Leadership Development

If you’ve been around Hiawatha Church for any amount of time, you probably know that we value developing leaders. It’s a part of our DNA and by God’s grace we’ve been able to invest, equip, and install dozens and dozens of leaders both inside the church (community group leaders, elders, deacons, ministry leaders, HLI teachers, youth group leaders, etc.) and outside (managers, entrepreneurs, business owners, coaches, teachers, church planters, global missionaries, those in the parachurch world, and more). We desire to see all of our people use their time, talents, and treasure to lead people to the gospel in their circles of influence.

We’ve seen the Spirit use our ministry to not just create a culture where members desire to use their gifts to strengthen the church but also where many sacrifice, value, and pursue leadership not for their own gain but for the building up of Christ’s church and the spread of his gospel. Unlike the world around us, the goal of Christian leadership is not fame, power, or importance but rather to use one’s leadership for the flourishing, health, and spiritual growth of others.

Before we answer the how to get started question, we first need to answer the question of why. Why put so much time, energy, resources, staff hours, and ministry bandwidth into developing leaders? New leaders will make mistakes, be unexperienced, and won’t get the results of competent, veteran leaders. It will be messy and imperfect.

Why we develop leaders at Hiawatha Church

Our calling as a church is to equip the saints (all Christians within our church) for the work of the ministry and to build up the church.

And he himself [Jesus] gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. - Ephesians 4:11-13

As the creator and author of the church (which he even calls his own body), Jesus gives each part/member of the body unique roles and callings. This includes leadership. Yet unlike how leadership is often done in our culture, Jesus gives the church leaders for the sake of building up those within the church (2 Cor. 10:8). He could chose to do it all invisibly through the Spirit just downloading holiness and growth into us without any humans necessary but instead he desires to use his people. And, while this means it will be messy and imperfect, because it is his plan and by His power, it is also glorious.

The work of the ministry and leadership is not just for those who are called pastor or who get paid by the church. All Christians are called to ministry. Every Christian is given a spiritual gift to care for, serve, and strengthen the church. So as we empower and train all kinds of leaders within Hiawatha, the Spirit will in turn use them to equip the saints to do ministry and to build up the body of Christ.

Are you interested in leadership at Hiawatha Church? Here’s 5 ways to get started.

1. Take some of our HLI courses. One of the main ministries we offer at Hiawatha is called the Hiawatha Leadership Institute (HLI). It consists of courses (semester long, year long, and J-term), a few half-day Saturday seminars, and our internship program. Like the name communicates, one of the main goals of HLI is to train up and empower leaders. These classes are for everyone and especially important for those who are in leadership or hope to be one day. In these courses we teach people to read and interpret the Bible, learn Christian doctrine, practically apply gospel-truth to all areas of life, and much more.

2. Start serving, volunteering, and using your gifts now. You don’t need an official title or ministry to begin to influence others. Leaders almost always start off by serving where there is a need, volunteering their time and energy, and using their spiritual gifts as the Spirit leads. Often, over time, others will see and affirm how the Spirit is moving, giving the person more confidence and clarity if they should consider and pursue some type of leadership. No one just jumps right into leadership without first serving and giving of themselves to build up others.

3. Ask your community group leaders how you can help. One of the most tangible ways you can begin to experience some type of leadership is by helping out within your community group. Ask your current leaders what they need help with (hosting, bringing snacks, leading prayer, giving someone a ride, connecting with someone in the group, etc.) and offer to do it. Start small, be intentional, and help serve the people that God has placed in your life. If it goes well, ask your leaders for more opportunities as well as ways for you to grow and get better.

4. Let other leaders, staff, and pastors know of your interest. Our church continues to grow numerically as God brings us more people. This is great in many ways, yet also means that the pastors, leaders, and staff don’t know everyone super well. It means that more than ever, we need to hear from those who are interested in leadership. Yes, we will notice it in some people and pursue them but much of the time someone’s journey into leadership starts with them telling us their interest and desire. So let a trusted leader in your life know your interest in leadership, begin a conversation with them, and ask them what they think.

5. Consider an internship. If you feel strongly about wanting to grow in your leadership ability and opportunities, you might also want to consider out internship program. If you can give 10+ hours a week to courses, training, serving, as well as mentoring and coaching from our staff and pastors, then an internship might be a good option for you. We offer an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) shaped around your ministry/leadership goals which will includes courses, ministry/leadership opportunities, and feedback, mentorship and coaching from Hiawatha pastors and staff. An internship might not be the best option for everyone but we do want to equip not just church planters and global missionaries but all kinds of leaders and influencers (think: biblical counselors, Bible teachers, youth ministry leaders, lay pastoral ministers, art-as-gospel-expansion creatives, and those who care about the integration of church and city).

SPENCER PETERSON / COMMUNITY LIFE PASTOR

Singleness: a gift?

At the end of May during a Practical Theology class at Hiawatha, one of the teachers mentioned that both marriage and singleness are gifts from God. This sparked questions from some of the singles in the room as to how this could be.

This post is a response to those questions. We’re going to go to 1 Corinthians 7, where Paul talks extensively about marriage and singleness, and look at three aspects of the gift of singleness and then one more aspect not in the passage. Whether you’re married or single, may your reading of this be encouraging, instructive, and may it point you always to the author of both marriage and singleness – the living, loving God and his Son Jesus Christ, with whom we have the ultimate and eternal relationship.

1. Scripture says in 1 Corinthians 7:1-8 that singleness is a gift from God, and so it is. We so often have a strong desire or self-perceived need to understand the reasons and workings behind the things God says and does. Although it is not wrong to desire to understand God, his judgments, and his ways when we make understanding the criteria for belief and obedience it becomes wrong. God does not call us to understand all he does but to trust him, to believe in Jesus and his work on the cross. This is important to touch on because, in practice, singleness does not always feel or seem like a gift. This can lead us to place our own experience, understanding, and desires above God’s design and working, which ultimately will lead us poorly. We make very poor gods. Don’t forget James 1 where James makes it clear that God only gives good gifts, and that all good gifts are from him. With God’s gift-giving there is no deception, no lack of quality. In this, God makes it very clear that singleness is a gift, that it is good and is from him, that there is no deception or lack of quality to singleness, and that his word and design supersedes our experience and perspective.

2. Although marriage brings with it many benefits and joys, it also brings with it troubles that singles don’t face. One gift of singleness is being spared those troubles (1 Corinthians 7:28). The troubles that come with marriage are many and varied. A few examples are: financial troubles (although married couples may add money due to two incomes, they also take on each other’s debts; also if children are added to the picture that’s more people to feed, more illnesses and injuries that can occur, more doctor’s bills, more clothes and other things to buy, etc.), relational troubles (although all relationships experience conflict, there’s heightened intensity and repercussions to conflict with your spouse; when you live with the person you’re fighting with, daily sharing space, the day-to-day of life, a bedroom, your body, your mind and your heart with them the consequences of conflict become more far-reaching and potentially devastating. Also, the fact that you can’t just healthily ignore them for extended periods of time as you sometimes can with co-workers, friends, and other family can further heighten the intensity and increase the difficulty of resolving the troubles), and also more specific troubles (including sex life troubles, in-law troubles, scheduling troubles, conflicting short and/or long-term visions and goals troubles, different ideas regarding parenting troubles, just to name a few). In this vein, Pastor Chris once mentioned in a sermon on singleness that if he never married he would never have suffered through two miscarriages with his wife Aletha, one of the darkest things he (and she) ever had to experience. If you want more examples of troubles that married couples face that singles don’t, just ask a married person that you know well and are close to for some examples.

3. Singleness frees a person from the anxiety that comes with focusing on how to please their spouse (1 Corinthians 7:32-35). It also allows a person to have undivided devotion to the Lord to a degree that is not possible when married. Paul says that the unmarried man or woman is “anxious” about (or concerned about, or focused on) the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord and how to be holy in body and spirit; the married man or woman is anxious about how to please their spouse, and their interests are divided. When married, you cannot fully focus all your attention on the Lord without neglecting your spouse. This doesn’t mean that people who are married can’t be devoted to the Lord, but it means that some of the time, energy, and activity that would be put towards God has to be put towards spouse instead. How a married person spends their time, money, resources, gifts, and abilities are partially dictated by the marriage, while a single person can have those things fully dictated by the Lord. It’s important to note that the reason those things are partially dictated by the marriage and spouse in marriage is that it is God’s design. It is good, God-glorifying, and gospel-reflecting for a married man or woman to consider their spouse and marriage in their actions, use of resources, plans, and decisions.
   
   One more aspect of the gift of singleness that is not directly in the passage (although it fits under aspect three) but is spoken of by almost all married people is the incredible amount of time and time freedom that singles have. If you are reading this as a single person, you have so much more free time than you think you have. Ask any married person without kids, and they’ll tell be able to tell you how they don’t have as much free time as they used to. Ask any married person with kids, and they’ll tell you how much less free time they have than those married without kids. If you are single, God has gifted you with large amounts of free time (compared to married people). How are you using it for the glory of God and the edification of the church?

I’ll close with two final things, one for married and one for singles. To those who are married, do not be discouraged by this post. Rejoice! Marriage is also a great gift from God (per 1 Corinthians 7:1-7). It is not sin. It is not a bad choice. If you are married, do not seek to end your marriage, do not worry about the choice you made to get married. Marriage is created by God and brings him glory because it reflects the gospel, and so it is to be “held in honor among all in the church” (Hebrews 13:4).

To those who are single, you have been given a great gift from God. Singleness is not just a holding pattern while waiting for a spouse to come along. It is given by God. It is good. It is created by God and brings him glory. It reflects the sufficiency of the gospel. It is also not wrong for you as a single to desire, pray for, and pursue marriage. If you want to be married, great! Scripture informs us that many who are single will eventually be married. Just don’t squander your singleness while waiting for marriage. Singleness brings with it gifts that are lost when marriage comes. Be devoted to the Lord, not to singleness or marriage. To singles who don’t desire marriage, that too is a gift from God. Be open to God bringing you a spouse in the future, but don’t worry about your lack of desire to pursue marriage. Be devoted to the Lord, not to singleness or marriage.

For all reading this, whether married or single, know this is written for your benefit, not to lay a restraint upon you. To paraphrase Colossians 3:17, whatever you do, in singleness or marriage, do it all to the glory of God! All praise to Jesus Christ! Through his death for our sins and resurrection from the grave he gives us a love greater than any spouse, gives new and great richness and depth to marriage, and gives us sustaining satisfaction in singleness.

JESSE SPLAN / LAY PASTOR

Through a Livestream Dimly

When the first big shutdown due to Covid-19 was announced in mid-March of 2020, it was a Saturday. Hiawatha Church’s overseer team, like everyone else, was forced to make difficult decisions very quickly. Ultimately, we opted to comply with the early recommendations to close down in-person gatherings immediately. It was not an easy decision but it proved to be the right one. We quickly communicated to the congregation at large that Sunday worship gatherings were paused indefinitely due to a dangerous pandemic.

Once the decision was made, we shifted focus to what we COULD do. We had never attempted to livestream our Sunday gatherings before. Our belief has always been that the physical gathering of the church is an extremely important part of BEING a church. We’d preached sermons pointing out this fact as recently as 3 weeks before shutdown! And yet here we were needing to find a way to provide connection with our homebound church family in a time of extreme crisis. So we got to work on pulling a very basic livestream together with < 24 hours of notice.

The first few live streams were very, very basic. We used a smartphone on a stand with the Facebook app. Mark Edwards and I distanced ourselves on stage to lead a couple of songs (masks were not yet recommended at this stage!). Pastor Spencer gave some announcements. Pastor Chris preached to the phone. We all felt very unmoored by the whole experience, the only 4 people in the building on a Sunday morning.

And yet, this bargain basement livestream was a huge blessing to Hiawatha Church. In the uncertain and fearful dawning of the pandemic, we needed this connection so badly. Over 200 people tuned in to those first few streams, learning along with us what church would look like for the foreseeable future. Spencer copy/pasted song lyrics into the chat window and we sent links to lyrics too, trying to cover our bases as best we could.

During these first couple of months, we learned a lot more about livestream technology and began discussing how we could plan for a future where we would have an in-person and a virtual church gathering at the same time. It seemed clear that restrictions on religious gatherings would be loosened to some degree eventually, so we needed to figure something out. This ended up being a rather large task and required many hours to build a sustainable system that used our soundboard feed and actual webcams. Even so, it required a dedicated “producer” to control the stream and our sound team needed to create two sound mixes at the same time to serve both the sanctuary and Facebook. By God’s grace and through our amazing volunteers and staff, we settled into a rhythm with it all. We re-launched in-person services in late June of 2020 and continued the Facebook Livestream.

Time marched on, the pandemic waxed and waned, restrictions on gatherings continued to be modified. Finally, the vaccine was developed and rolled out more widely in early 2021. As all these things happened, we monitored the viewers on our livestream and our attendance in person. We watched with joy as God brought more and more people back into our building and fewer and fewer people were online only.

And now here we are: discontinuing the livestream. We’ll still, as always, publish our sermon podcast for anyone who can’t attend (find it on the ChurchCenter app or any podcast platform). We’re back where we started.

This is what we want, we want our people to see each other face to face (at least the top half of the face, for now). We want the physical gathering of the church to be a representation of the physical body of Christ on earth. We want people to laugh together and cry together and sing together and hear the gospel hitting our ears together. It's just not the same doing these things through a screen, especially when it's the same screen that gives you work, school, news and Netflix the other 6 days of the week. When that’s the case, it’s easy to disengage and begin to make church another thing you consume but do not participate in or another task you need to check off each week.

To put it another way: church might just become content, not community.

1 Corinthians 13:12

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

Relying on “virtual” church alone puts us at risk of cheapening what church really is — the family of God. Just as we longed to see our extended families during the quarantine and share a big meal with them without fear, we should long to be with our spiritual family in the same way. Sharing a FaceTime call with our distant relatives is not the same as laughing around the dinner table at Christmas. And moreover, Christians long for the day when we will see Christ face to face. We should not sit back and say to ourselves “the dim mirror is fine with me, in fact it’s preferable because it’s just easier for me today.” We should say, “I long to meet my Savior's face without a glass between!”

So as we turn off our livestream this week, take joy, brothers and sisters, that God has made a way through our sufferings this past year and brought us back together. There is no more need for the dim mirror! See this as a very good thing. See this as a foretaste of the day when we will physical gather with the saints at Christ's table on the New Earth!

And for those who just aren’t ready to re-join us in person, we know this might be difficult. We truly love and value you and we want you to be in our community. Listen to the sermon podcast, email a leader to meet in a safe way and connect, and send us a prayer request. Actively seek the community of the church, to be fully known as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians.

You have a home here at Hiawatha Church because, in love, Christ shed his blood to bring you in. May we find joy in this truth and in the community of believers.

PETER CARLSON / WORSHIP PASTOR