Growth happens; often before you’re ready for it.

Soon enough, a leader can be consumed by day-to-day details that have nothing to do with the overall vision work that should be taking place.

These details can start to affect the team as well. Team members start looking at the coach and captain, realizing that they’ve lost focus. Team members may even drop off the roster to become free agents for another team. It’s time to assign an Assistant Captain.

Thankfully, growth happened to me as well.

It was January 2010 and I had reached the 18-month national average length, as a youth pastor. Like many before me, I was getting overwhelmed with the details of the rapidly increasing student base. I was doing so many little things that I started to neglect planning projects for the future.

As a captain and coach, I was feeling like my to-do list was getting out of control. I didn’t want to become a pastor who had a weekly checklist, but no vision time. I could feel the dreaded burnout slowly creeping my way.

I needed an Assistant Captain.

This being said, as always, God is faithful to provide when our need is greatest. I soon realized that He had already given me an assistant captain. Our youth worker, Morgan had already put more than enough time in to prove her passion.

Over the previous year, it seemed like every spare moment was spent serving our students and our church as a whole. She was so engaged! From my perspective, it was just the obvious next step to hire her and church leadership felt the same way.

Soon enough, Morgan’s role increased.

Gradually, she moved from 10 hours per week to 20 hours per week. If it were not for budget constraints, we likely would have hired her full-time soon after. She took on many of my duties and tasks that though important, left little room for my major projects and vision casting.

As you can imagine, as a young leader, she was a work in progress. But I was too, as all young leaders are. However, much like Morgan, most young leaders are also very passionate; which is great for fresh ministry ideas.

This young lady exuded passion!

She was passionate, not only about her ministry work but also about life in general. Conversations with Morgan energized me to become a better leader. As I said, I was a work in progress too and there were challenges from time to time.

As I look back, I failed her on numerous occasions. But along with our coach, we rolled through and learned together. It was an amazing point in our ministry as leaders.

Join the Conversation; Share Your Thoughts

• When should you bring on an Assistant Captain?
• Who’s on your team now or in the periphery that might be an up-and-coming all-star?