Why is getting out of the way so hard?

REVISION: After rereading this post, I think it came across as a bit harsh. It is not suppose to be some super criticism of our pastors. They deserve better than that. It is as much as anything a criticism of me. I consider myself to be in the church leader category even though I am unpaid. I normally think of being more effective as increasing my influence rather than equipping others. It's a problem for me. I think it's also possible, that the church does better than business at this, but I just notice it more in the church. Just wanted to clarify that.

Everything I am reading lately seems to come back to the point that a leader needs to equip people and then get out of the way. Yet, in my experience, few leaders or organizations actually do this - particularly in church world. When was the last time you heard of a pastor equipping another member of the church to be a pastor, and then getting out of the way. When was the last time you heard of a church equipping another church and then getting out of the way. I know it happens, but my experience says it is very rare. Why? Why do we insist on staying in control?

I think it comes down to a few things:

• Our dreams aren't big enough
• We selfishly want the credit
• We pridefully think we are more important than we are
• We never stop to think about the power of multiplication

Here are two examples to think about:

Person 1 - Jesus

• Dreams of spreading the Kingdom of God to all people
• Constantly attributes everything he does to the Father, and is willing to live without a home, suffer, and voluntarily lay down his power
• Although in reality it really is all dependent on him, he only concentrates on a few, and then voluntarily gets out of the way after only a few short years of ministry.
• He constantly told stories about multiplication (parable of the harvest, parable of the mustard seed, parable of the yeast, etc.)

Person 2 - Many church leaders

• Dreams of increasing their influence often by gathering a really big group together weekly to listen to him/her. (This isn't done out of bad intentions, but out of an intention to help people's lives in the process)
• Attributes a lot of success to his/her own good ideas and strategy. Talks about suffering a lot, but too often is talking about stuff that happens to them rather than voluntary sacrifice.
• Really wants to stay in control. Wants to make sure people continue to listen to him so that he can convince them to believe all the little things that he/she believes. Sometimes he truly believes this is the way to help someone.
• Sees resources as a limitation because he doesn't understand multiplication. For example, he uses almost all (or more than) the church's resources to build a bigger building, not realizing that they've just built a bigger ceiling on growth. (I'm not saying all buildings are bad, just that if we are serious about church happening 'outside the building' then the building should not be the constraint.)

An interesting comparison, huh? Unfortunately I too often look like the 2nd person. Lord, help me be a leader that equips people to surpass me. Give me big dreams, and help me understand that growth centered on me, will never be big enough to accomplish those dreams. Help me to know that as long as I am the center of the plan, I am also the limitation. Amen.