The Journey to Becoming

Ben Lee is principal at Olympia Elementary School in Danvers, IL, and leads the Christian Education Team at North Danvers Mennonite Church where he previously served as the community-based youth minister. What follows below are his reflections from the Biblical Foundations of Leadership module via the Christian Leadership Alliance Online Academy. Participants reviewed Scott Rodin’s outline of the journey to become a Steward Leader in the book Becoming a Steward Leader, then reflected where they are in their own development.

I am not God. I need God. I want God. I show God.

My first requirement in becoming a steward leader is to realize that I am not God. Understanding this simple truth helps me disassociate myself from the ‘owner’ mentality. I am part of something special; something much larger than myself. I am part of a divine design set in motion before time and am called to love the Creator of that plan. I am not God.

Next is coming to the realization that I need God. Purposefulness being my intent, it becomes clear my desires, attitudes and efforts are meaningless without a Savior. Because I am not God I cannot save myself. I need God.

Then, I reach the point where I want God. Seeking God consumes me. Like a giddy psalmist joyfully describing the yearning to be in His presence, I recognize there is no better company to keep than the Spirit of the Lord. My time spent with God compounds, as does my love for Him. I want God.

Finally, on a true pursuit towards steward leadership I show God. I don’t even belong to myself. I am a temple of the Lord’s, a reflection of unconditional love. I am mature in my intimacy with God, myself, my neighbor and creation. Bearing fruit in these areas becomes second nature, a benefit of a Spirit-filled life. This is the most difficult aspect of the journey to maintain. It can always be improved, thus it is never fully accomplished. It is a place I visit but where I don’t really live.

That is my humble (and compared to what is already written—feeble) approach to summarizing the journey to becoming a steward leader. Each statement demonstrates additional maturity and accountability, yet all of them intertwine into a sort of synergistic, steward-filled blueprint.

Where am I on this journey?

It’s hard to say. I have determined this journey is more fluid and less defined. If nothing else, after reading Scott Rodin, viewing the presentation and wrestling with this topic, I am at least more intentional about the use of everything in my life. My pursuit of becoming a steward leader affects every angle of my life—in a positive way. It has turned into a self-audit of my heart, mind and actions. I’ve also noticed that sometimes I just want to be a follower. I want to be given direction, to be shown where to go, to be a passive participant with less “doing” and more “being”. Then again, I am a follower because I am not God. I need Him. I want Him.

Christian Leadership Alliance Online Academy, powered by Azusa Pacific University, is a dynamic learning experience for today’s Christian leader. The academy runs fours time a year and you can register for the spring session between now and March 24.