It's one of the most important aspects of being a leader, yet something that's often misunderstood.
According to the dictionary, the word equip means "to furnish for service or action by giving appropriate provision." It also means "to make ready" or "to prepare."
With that in mind, we need to ask ourselves a few questions to make sure we're doing our best to truly equip those we lead:
- Am I praying for them?
- Am I personally modeling the kind of behavior and characteristics I want to see in them?
- Am I sensitive to their particular gifts and abilities so that I place them in areas where they are able to make the greatest contribution?
- Am I providing them with the tools they need to carry out their responsibilities?
- Am I providing them with adequate on-the-job training to enable them to carry our their responsibilities?
- Am I giving them regular feedback so they know how they're doing and can make adjustments as needed?
- Am I sowing books and other resources into their life to help them in their personal growth?
- Am I encouraging them and expressing appreciation for them on a regular basis?
The bottom line is that equipping is much more than handing someone a job description and a time card. Equipping is investing your time, your life, and your resources in people to help them become their best self. When you look at it that way, equipping is always a win-win situation!
Sincerely,
Pastor David Blunt
