How would you describe the 55+ year old version of you? How will you get there?

Today, I have been thinking about the time I met with a young leader who was doing some reevaluating about his life and ministry. He'd been a lead pastor for almost a decade. He felt like some things he was doing in his current role were eating away at his life and energy. I tried to encourage him and ask some questions to help him get unstuck.

I said to him, "As I think about you, here are words and phrases that come to mind: Kingdom-minded. Growth-oriented. Leader. Learner. Proven. Tested. Productive. Fruitful. Teachable. Solid family husband and dad. Visionary. Aggressive. Hungry. Zealous. Holy ambition. And more! With all that, I am convinced we NEED you on the front lines, brother. I know you are tired right now and unclear about the future. But God, I believe, has big plans for you. I see Him doing amazing things in, through, with, for, and by you wherever you end up."

Here are a few of the questions I asked my friend to stir up his thinking. If you are stuck in any way, maybe these questions will help you, too.

Who is the bully on the playground of your life and ministry who has been stealing your lunch money?

What does the 55 year-old version of you look like? What’s he doing? How is he growing the kingdom? What does ministry feel like, smell like, taste like? Paint yourself a picture of your preferred future! What will the Convergence phase of ministry look like for you?

Who are the 55+ year-old models/examples you want to follow and learn from?

Where will you need to be in 5 years in order to become the 55 year-old version of you that you want to be?

How will you get from where you are now to where you want to be in 5 years? How will you get from where you are now to where you want to be at age 55?

What are the resources that you currently have that you can leverage for your leadership journey?

I mentioned to my friend that I have taught a leadership class where I have used the Robert Clinton 6 phases of leadership paradigm from his book, The Making of a Leader. Clinton’s thesis is that if we don’t pass a checkpoint (a test), God might leave us stuck in a leadership phase. That’s definitely not a good place to be.

Please pray for my friend to get unstuck. And pray for me as I grow as a leader and coach others. And, while you're at it, please pray for your own growth as a leader.