Insulate, not isolate

For years I struggled with two competing values. On one side was my desire to be available to my folks; the folks God was bringing to me to shepherd. On the other side was my need to get above the fray and gain vision, energy, and insight to lead the sheep I had and to find more sheep.

I saw guys in other churches, particularly those that were growing, increasingly remove themselves from being accessible to all but a few of their members. I also saw some guys make themselves always available to everyone and their churches, families, and health suffered.

I decided I would insulate, not isolate. The way I did it was to set a time aside when any person, for any reason, can call and get a 30 minute appointment with me. For me, the best time is Wednesday afternoons. From 1:30 until 5:00, any person for any reason can call and get a 3o minute appointment. That's all they get. My assistant steps in at the appointed time and ends the conversation with something like, "Your next appointment is here." Even if I have an opening, it only goes 30 minutes. The person may have to wait 3 weeks before they can get the appointment. If it is urgent, my assistant hands them off to a staff person. If they have to see me, that's too bad: 30 minutes in my next available opening. It's amazing how many 'urgent' requests to see only me end up getting handled (better!) by another staff person.

Even in three services with well over 2,000 folks, I still walk around before and between and after the services just chatting with as many as I can. It's incarnational.

I need to be insulated so I can lead the church. But I shouldn't become isolated--or I can't be a good leader. I'm leading people, not sermons; people, not programs; people, not budgets; people, not buildings; people, not calendars. Great leaders know, and are known by, their folks. Insulate, don't isolate.