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MikeWaters · 10-11-2010, 02:41 PM

This is something that seems pretty apparent to the casual observer. Observant members that are successful in secular work tend to be overrepresented in church leadership at the local level, and above.

There are a couple of arguments that are made here. One, that it shouldn't be this way, that the Lord will make "simple things" strong. Who cares if someone went to college? Or has a professional degree.

The other argument is that these people are often more administratively skilled and better suited to running organizations.

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A Bishop has so much on his plate, that the last thing he can deal with is someone is unreliable and flaky.

You may pray all day, read your scriptures 30 minutes every morning, have a testimony that causes random lawn furniture to explode into flames of Godly fire.....but if you won't answer emails and return phone calls, who honestly gives a damn? If you don't do the job you said you would do, if you aren't reliable, if you cause your leaders to have to babysit you in everything you do, then what?

If you can't connect the dots in your work life, and you can't connect the dots in your interpersonal relationships, the chances that you can do it in your church leadership calling goes dramatically down.

Doesn't mean you are rich. Doesn't mean you have a prestigious job, position, or extensive education. You just really ought to be able to work hard and connect the dots in whatever you do.

And one other thing: if you don't really intend to fulfill your calling, do everyone a favor and don't accept it in the first place. You will lose those opportunities and blessings either way, but at least if you refused it, someone else can do it and thus those other people don't have to suffer because of your sloth. But better yet, just step up and do your job. 99% of these jobs merely require showing up.

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I don't know if I was the best Scoutmaster. But I showed up. And that's what I hope those boys think about when they were adults. Br. Waters wasn't the best, but he was there. And now I have a choice of whether to be there or not.

10-11-2010, 02:41 PM	#1
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	Correlation between church leadership and work history This is something that seems pretty apparent to the casual observer. Observant members that are successful in secular work tend to be overrepresented in church leadership at the local level, and above. There are a couple of arguments that are made here. One, that it shouldn't be this way, that the Lord will make "simple things" strong. Who cares if someone went to college? Or has a professional degree. The other argument is that these people are often more administratively skilled and better suited to running organizations. ------------ A Bishop has so much on his plate, that the last thing he can deal with is someone is unreliable and flaky. You may pray all day, read your scriptures 30 minutes every morning, have a testimony that causes random lawn furniture to explode into flames of Godly fire.....but if you won't answer emails and return phone calls, who honestly gives a damn? If you don't do the job you said you would do, if you aren't reliable, if you cause your leaders to have to babysit you in everything you do, then what? If you can't connect the dots in your work life, and you can't connect the dots in your interpersonal relationships, the chances that you can do it in your church leadership calling goes dramatically down. Doesn't mean you are rich. Doesn't mean you have a prestigious job, position, or extensive education. You just really ought to be able to work hard and connect the dots in whatever you do. And one other thing: if you don't really intend to fulfill your calling, do everyone a favor and don't accept it in the first place. You will lose those opportunities and blessings either way, but at least if you refused it, someone else can do it and thus those other people don't have to suffer because of your sloth. But better yet, just step up and do your job. 99% of these jobs merely require showing up. --------------------- I don't know if I was the best Scoutmaster. But I showed up. And that's what I hope those boys think about when they were adults. Br. Waters wasn't the best, but he was there. And now I have a choice of whether to be there or not.