Fred

Have you ever had that friend that has a job, but you have never really figured out exactly what they do? You even ask them what their job title is and at the end of their answer you’re still standing there thinking, “I have no idea what that means.” Seriously, who comes up with these job titles anyway? All my life I have always had this friend somewhere in my life whether he lived next door or across the country. This morning I woke up and realized… I’m that guy!

I was just recently hired on at Church Staffing Company called HelpStaff.me. And believe me, I have a great job. It’s just that people ask me everyday (whether it be people I’m friends with or complete strangers), “So what exactly do you do?” My answer to this question is seems to be getting better everyday. Sometimes the question turns from what I personally do to what we as a company do. Whether you’re working for a church or business, what your organization states as their mission and vision is what any consultant will tell you… is huge! But why is it that so often we find ourselves doing other great things that don’t necessarily line up with our organization’s mission or vision. I think it’s because mission and vision don’t always account for all the changes in the economy, the culture, or technology. Due to the constant changes in all of the above, what we do as organization takes on new vehicles.

As part of my job this week, I had to place a job posting for a Senior Pastor position on three websites in which the contact person would be myself. Instantly, I received about 30 resumes within the first day. The following day I received a call from a prospective candidate pastor simply requesting some information on the church the job was posted for. I did my best to thoroughly answer all his questions and then he replied with, “Well, do you have a few minutes?” Common courtesy is to obviously say, “Yes”. He began to tell me his story of how he arrived at the place where he presently stands. He let down his guard and began to vent to me about his frustrations with different things going on in his life. A couple minutes turned into ten. Ten turned into twenty. Before I knew it, this “Pastor” was no longer a pastor. He was human. Midway through the conversation I realized we didn’t even know each other’s names. It’s amazing what happens when you can just vent to a complete stranger. It makes me wonder what we’re all not saying to the people we communicate with everyday. Before this pastor knew it, he was sitting in a parking lot of a McDonald’s just letting out some of those things I think we all hold in or say under our breath. Bishop T.D. Jakes said in one of his recent sermons, “I need people that I can be ‘Bishop’ with and I need people I can be not ‘Bishop’ with.”

As I hung up the phone with this pastor, I realized that I gave him something we rarely ever get: an opportunity to take the mask off. As leaders and entrepreneurs we often gain some sort of reputation that often leads to us feeling like we have to hit the ball out of the park every time we perform. In essence, we become our own critic breaking down every little thing we do to maintain the status quo we’ve created for ourselves in our own minds. We have got to become people with no reputation, because as long as we think we have one, we are going to do everything in our power to defend it. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a person or a group of people that allow you to take off your cape every now and then? Taking off the cape isn’t saying you’re not fit for the task. It’s saying I’m not fit for the task everyday. People will shout your praises for the amazing things you do, but the minute you spend your mornings and afternoons protecting those praises is the same minute you’re in bondage to it all.

So Ryan, what is it that you do? Today, I helped a human, and his name was Fred.