Leadership

1 Thessalonians Sermon Series Standing Firm: Foundational Doctrine For New Believers “Standing Firm in Our Testimony” 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

1 Thessalonians Sermon Series

Standing Firm: Foundational Doctrine For New Believers

Standing Firm in Our Testimony

1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

Introduction

Clovis Chappell, a minister from a century back, used to tell the story of two steamboats. They left Memphis about the same time, traveling down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. As they traveled side by side, sailors from one vessel made a few remarks about the snail’s pace of the other. Challenges were made and the race began.

Competition became vicious as the two boats roared through the deep South. One boat began falling behind because it did not have enough fuel. There had been plenty of coal for the trip, but not enough for a race. As the boat dropped behind, an enterprising young sailor took some of the ship’s cargo and tossed it into the ovens. When the sailors saw that the supplies burned as well as the coal, they fueled their boat with the material they had been assigned to transport. They ended up winning the race, but burned their cargo.[1]

God has entrusted cargo to us, too. Our job is to do our part in seeing that this cargo reaches its destination. When we forget what God has entrusted us to do – we sacrifice the end result for our distraction right now.

Prayer

Mutual Love Leads to Peace (vv. 12-13)

We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

One thing that we see from other examples of where Paul went into a city for the express purpose of sharing the gospel, was that leaders would were established very early. They all received the teachings of Paul, Silas, and Timothy at the same time, and all were saved, at the most, three weeks. These new leaders did not have seminary educations or years of experience – they had all received Christ around the same time. But some, were shown to have the gift of leadership.[2]

In the church everyone is on the same level, but the Bible teaches that we all have separate gifts given to us by God, so each person is to serve according to the gift they have been given. Every team needs a Coach. Since the church is Thessalonica was very young, and Paul had to leave quickly (after three weeks) he knew leadership had to be established. Robertson says, “We need wise leadership today, but still more wise following. An army of captains and colonels never won a battle.”[3]

The church leader’s responsibility involves labor (doing something to the point of being tired and exhausted). An example is Moses “so wore himself out, that when he was finally persuaded to delegate some of his responsibilities, it took no less than seventy men to pick up the duties that he laid down (Exodus 18:13-26). In this book we see Paul himself often worked at his tent making all day and then evangelized and preached at night.”[4]

They are leaders “in the Lord” so their character is one of growing in the Lord and emphasizing that walk in their lives, they are people who do the difficult things, “admonish” is correction through instruction (no one like to tell someone they are off track or doing something sinful).

He encourages the young church to respect and esteem these leaders. That peace is held in place by mutual esteem and love that we all express for each other.

“He wants the officials to be highly regarded, and not dismissed as of no account. . . he wants them to be loved, and not thought of simply as the cold voice of authority.”[5] Paul also tells us why we should be respectful, and love them (love is a choice not a pit we fall into). It is not based on their personality, likeability, or what they have done for us – but “because of their work.”

Leaders can do things that cause those they lead to lose respect for them, they can lead in such a way that make it hard to love them, they can admonish those they lead in such a way that they are not esteemed – But Paul is saying that if there is to be peace amongst them – then the church must follow the leadership.

The peace that we are to have among ourselves comes directly from leaders doing the work of leadership, and the church doing the work of the church. If the leaders lord[6] their positions over people the people won’t follow, then you are a leader of yourself.

The church is a volunteer army; how you run a company is vastly different than how you run the church. If, the followers won’t follow and everyone fights for their own ways and opinions, then there is no peace and nothing gets done.

(v. 13) “Be at peace among yourselves” – the among yourselves is Paul emphasizing both the leaders and followers doing what is needed to have peace in the church. Leaders be good leaders, the best leaders you know how to be. Church, do what you are commanded by Christ to do, be about the work of the church. Both make the effort to keep the peace.

There is a similar dynamic mentioned in Ephesians 6:1-4 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Fathers have the authority over their children, but they should still be gentle, kind, and loving – there is a long-term goal of them following the Lord.

Another translation says, “exasperate” to, “irritate and frustrate (someone) intensely.” When the father uses his authority in a way that leads the children to be irritated, frustrated, and provoked – that anger leads to rebellion. At that point the long-term goal of them following the “discipline and instruction of the Lord” is not being accomplished.

The long-term goal of the leader of the church is that people will grow in their walk with the Lord, etc. but if they provoke the church to anger, then this long-range goal is not accomplished.

Be Patient with Other Believers (vv. 14-15)

14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

“Three groups seem to be reflected here: (1) those who had quit work, talking only of the Lord’s return, fanatics; (2) those who had lost heart because of some had died before that event; and (3) those who were morally weak, or those tempted toward immorality.”[7]

The “idle,” here refers to those who are disorderly, unbecoming behavior (after three weeks the early church already had people causing trouble and being disorderly). These are like soldiers who are out of step, the fanatics, meddlers, and loafers (4:11, 12; 5:12, 13; and cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:10).

The “fainthearted” could refer to those who needed comfort and were troubled because of the loss of their friends who had died in Christ (4:13), or confused about the return of Christ (5:1-11). They could be encouraged by what Paul has taught them so far in this book. But these people seem to be easily discouraged.

“help the weak” may be referencing “shrinking away from persecution (3:3-5), yielding to temptation to immorality (4:3-8),” or as Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 8-10 could be referencing how they are exercising Christian liberty.[8]

(v. 15) In dealing with these challenging persons in the church, Paul says, “15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone” – When Paul says this, it is intended for the entire church to enforce – everyone should see that anyone repays evil, and all should seek to do good to people inside and outside the church. It is wrong to leave all this to pastors and elders.

Also, not only are believers not to repay evil for evil, but to look out for the good of the other person, to see how they may benefit them, to help them. The example we are to follow is Christ’s; “He loved Judas just as much as He loved John. He loved Pilate just as much as He loved Peter.

He loved the man who spat on in His face just as much as He loved the woman who washed his feet with her tears. He loved the dying thief who went to paradise, and He loved the dying thief who cursed Him.”[9] Jesus did no evil to anyone, He repaid no evil for the evil shown toward Him.

Watch Your Relationship with the Lord (vv. 16-22)

16 Rejoice always[10], 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

The spiritual temperature of the Christian is maintained at a proper level by finding things to rejoice about, continually praying, and finding opportunities to give thanks! Paul says that if we will have this type of attitude, then that “is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”

(v. 17) “pray without ceasing” – Doesn’t mean you are always talking. A way to think about this is to have a good friend in the room. When things need to be discussed, you talk, but the relationship sometimes is content to just be silent, yet you know that everything is good between the two of you.

Another example, is Nehemiah was given the opportunity to ask the Persian emperor for permission to go to the Promised Land to rebuild the walls in Jerusalem. Nehemiah 2:4-5 “Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ graves, that I may rebuild it.” This was a short, “Lord help me” prayer.

Remember the church was experiencing persecution, and had lost loved ones because of this persecution. This is the opposite of what we see the Israelites doing in the book of Exodus, when they were murmuring (Exodus 16). So, in the darkest of times, “this is the will of God.”

The next section deals with balance. “Not quenching the Spirit” deals with spiritual gifts. Apparently, someone had been exercising their spiritual gifts in such a way that the leaders said, “nope, we are not going to allow that to happen,” therefore stopping someone from using their spiritual gifts and ministering to the church body. It was like throwing water on a ember.

It probably, had something to do with prophecies, “Those who were caught up in the idea of the Lord’s return evidently claimed a spirituality above that connected with preaching or prophesying”[11]

“Wherever God plants wheat, Satan sows his tares. Wherever God established His church, the devil erects a chapel. And so, too, wherever the Holy Spirit enables certain men to perform miracles of healing, the evil one distributes his “lying wonders.” And wherever the Paraclete brings a true prophet upon the scene, the deceiver presents his false prophet.”[12] You especially didn’t like the prophecy if you were a meddler, loafer, or a fanatic.

So, in order to make sure we don’t make a mistake we shut all prophesying down. Instead of just shutting things down, and therefore “quenching the Spirit,” the church should test everything (against the Scriptures). If it’s good then keep doing it, if it’s evil then abstain from it. They had to distinguish truth and error. Have fervor for the Lord, but also have common sense.

(v. 22) “Abstain from every form of evil.” – this is broad blanket verse that regardless of what it is in our life that may be contrary to the will of God, it should be taken out of our life.

Even with this short list (rejoicing, being thankful, praying, not repaying evil, etc.), it is impossible for the new believer to live the life that God requires in their own strength, Therefore, we must stay close to Jesus. John 15:4-5 says, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

God is Faithful (vv. 23-24)

23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

Sanctify means “the realization or progressive attainment of likeness to God or to God’s intention for men. It may be regarded both as a status conferred by divine grace and as goal to be aimed at.”[13]

Paul is saying that God is working in the life of the believer so that they are becoming more like Christ (here and now), and that his process will be completed when Christ returns. It is God who sanctifies the whole person, and the believer has a part in working in partnership with God in the process.

“From Acts we learn that sanctification depends on reception of the Holy Spirit. This implies turning away from the world (Acts 2:40), and presupposes forgiveness of sin (2:38; 26:18). More positively, reception of the Spirit confers power to perform miracles (2:43; 3:6; 4:12-16, etc.), moral power (4:31-37), and generally the courage to witness to Christ (2:32-36; 4:31; 5:32).”[14]

We also see that sanctification is your entire being, “whole spirit and soul and body.”

Conclusion

The story is told that Andrew Jackson’s boyhood friends just couldn’t understand how he became a famous general and then the President of the United States. They knew of other men who had greater talent but who never succeeded. One of Jackson’s friends said, “Why, Jim Brown, who lived right down the pike from Jackson, was not only smarter but he could throw Andy three times out of four in a wrestling match. But look where Andy is now.”

Another friend responded, “How did there happen to be a fourth time? Didn’t they usually say three times and out?” “Sure, they were supposed to, but not Andy. He would never admit he was beat—he would never stay ‘throwed.’ Jim Brown would get tired, and on the fourth try Andrew Jackson would throw him and be the winner.”

Picking up on that idea, someone has said, “The thing that counts is not how many times you are ‘throwed,’ but whether you are willing to stay ‘throwed.’”

The Christian life is a battle. Scripture often speaks of God’s children as soldiers, and we should not expect to have things always be calm and peaceful. The question is not whether we ever fail, but whether we get back up when we do. Proverbs 24:16 says, “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”[15]

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[1] https://ministry127.com/resources/illustration/steamboat-race

[2] John F. Walvoord, The Thessalonian Epistles (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Dunham Publication, 1968) 90.

[3] Arnold E. Airhart, Beacon Bible Commentary, Volume 9 (Kansas City, Missouri; Beacon 494.

[4] John Phillips, Exploring 1 & 2 Thessalonians (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Kregel Publications, 2005) 139.

[5] Leon Morris, The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians (Grand Rapids, Michigan; WM B Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1959) 167.

[6] Matthew 20:25ff.

[7] Clifton Allen, The Broadman Bible Commentary, Volume 11 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1971) 284.

[8] Robert L. Thomas, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 11 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing House, 1978) 289. Also see Romans 14:1-15:6; 1 Corinthians 8-10.

[9] Phillips, 144.

[10] Shortest verse in the Bible, in the New Testament Greek, Walvood, 95.

[11] Allen, 284.

[12] William Hendriksen, New Testament Commentary, Exposition of 1 & 2 Thessalonians (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Baker Book House, 1987) 140.

[13] George Arthur Buttrick, Dictionary Editor, The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible Volume 4 (Nashville, Tennessee; Abingdon Press, 1980) 211.

[14] Buttrick, Dictionary, 211.

[15] https://ministry127.com/resources/illustration/get-up-again

Vision: You’re Doing It Wrong. Three Common Mistakes Leaders Make Relating to Vision

Churches and businesses are drawing close to the time when they will begin to gather and open in groups once again. Pastors, staffs, and business owners are going to make decisions regarding reopening their doors and gather in groups. While they have gained new ways of doing things (Zoom meetings, social distancing, sanitizing, etc.) its’ natural tendency is to go back to “normal” — but they are in a day that their “old normal” just can not continue. Churches and businesses have to change, but it is the vision of the organization that will allow it move through these unknown and treacherous times.

Focusing on the issues and changes that need to be made will keep you away from the vision if you allow it, but one would do it to their own peril. The following are three things that many leaders get wrong — it is the vision that will allow them to navigate through these tough decisions.

1. Mistake#1 – Vision is Not About Fixing Problems.

Vision is not seeing perceived problems that need to be fixed and then designing a plan to fix those problems. Fixing problems is on the job description for a leader, but it is not vision. A skillful leader can fix problems all the day long but never show vision.

The leader who falls into this category is stuck in maintenance mode. Nehemiah did not fix the walls because they were broken. The broken walls changed how God’s people were living, so the walls had to be built so that people’s lives would be changed. When we are only about fixing problems we have actually lost sight of the vision. Casting vision and pushing it through the organization will cause all kinds of issues, it actually creates problems.

A good vision will allow people to clearly see where the organization is going, there will be people who don’t want to go on this trip, and others will want to get on the bus with you. But don’t expect it to be clean and neat, and that everyone will be happy.

2. Mistake #2 – Vision is Not a Group Project.

A vision can be shared, but it cannot be developed by the organization, it has to come from the leader. Visions spread and are adapted as they grow throughout an organization. They begin to take a life of their own in different ways, but it is a guiding force from the top of the organization.

The top leader has to constantly push the vision because it will get lost among the masses. The organization as a whole cannot push the vision forward without the main leader encouraging them to do so. God does not give multiple visions to multiple people, He gives one vision to the main leader. If He did there would be chaos.

This is not to say that counsel should not be sought after before developing a vision or even letting key leaders have input into the process. Proverbs 15:22 says, “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” But once they have been heard and their advice taken into account, it is the main leader who sets the vision.

3. Mistake #3 – Vision Is Not ALL About Making Changes.

Beginning something new, ending something that is not working, or making changes, is not vision. Changes are tools that allow you reach or achieve the vision. You can change how you are structured, hire or fire employees, etc. but these are changes that make organizations healthy and stable. Once the organization is stable, healthy, etc. you still have to ask and answer the question “Why are we doing this?” and you have to have an answer (and ask it again, and again, and again, ad nauseam).

10 Things Staff Need (from their senior leader)

I wrote this article years ago and have held off posting it because as a staff person, I didn’t want a particular pastor or church to see this and to try and “read between the lines.” Most of this are lessons I have learned as serving as a senior pastor and the mistakes I have made as a senior leader. Having served in most typical church positions (excluding music) and as an executive director, these are lessons from various churches, various positions, various regions of the country. That being said, now the article.

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Leading a staff is never easy. There are various personalities that sometimes need a little extra effort to “get along.” Others click very well at the exclusion of the rest of the staff. Throw in a church that is filled with differing expectations, vision conflict, personal drama, life circumstances, and you have a storm off the starboard bow. All of these things are compounded the larger the church and the larger the staff grows.

There is also behind the scenes, a very real enemy who seeks to “steal, kill, and destroy.” It is the Enemy’s goal to stop the gospel from going out, and to keep the church void of any genuine work. At the helm of all these complications is the pastor whose job is to navigate through these treacherous waters. Often times in all the squalls of life we allow ourselves to become too focused on the immediate and lose sight of the big picture. The following is a quick reference guide to what staff need from their pastor. They are simple ideas, but if ignored the pastor will run the ship right into the rocks.

1. Information

Plan to have a regular time where you convey information that you know as pastor that the staff may not be aware of. You sit in on meetings and are briefed on topics the general congregation is not aware of. The staff should never find out information alongside the rest of the church, deacons, or other volunteer leadership. If you cannot trust the staff to use discretion with information then you need to address the issue with the vocal/informative staff person, not shut down all information to the whole staff. There are few things more demoralizing to staff than for them to find out information behind literally the entire church. You don’t like to get blindsided or surprised, so don’t do it to your staff.

Don’t expect them to support something if they are the last to know. They need time to think about the topic and see how they can support it in their given areas. By them receiving this information with everyone else, you are indicating to them that at a minimum you don’t need (or want) their support, and worse case don’t need (or want) any expertise, advice, prayer, etc. they may offer on the topic. It doesn’t slow the process down to drop back and explain things to your staff.

2. Clear Direction

If you have a direction that you would like for the staff to go toward, then take the time to make that very clear (even put it in writing; e-mails, texts, notes, etc.) The best way to do this is to have a designated time when you meet face-to-face (or Zoom) and talk about specific topics.

A very helpful first step is a job description and yearly evaluations. Motivated staff want to know that they are working toward a common goal and direction. They hate having to backtrack to go in another direction. Staff with limited budgets, hate having to constantly change direction because it wastes those limited resources. Don’t waste their time and energy because you want them to go in one direction but have not taken the time to make it clear to them. Don’t assume that they can read your thoughts, or what you assume they should understand from your body language.

3. Genuine Affirmation and Respect

When you affirm them in the public setting show genuine respect. You are not showing someone respect when you constantly call them by the wrong name, or haven’t taken the time to learn their kid’s names. Avoid irrelevant platitudes like “she’s so good with the kids.” Instead, give recent real life examples of how the staff person is doing a good job. If you don’t respect your staff, they won’t respect you. This respect also overflows into meetings, and general office settings. Professional courtesy goes a long way toward guarding against frustrations and anger among staff.

4. Honor Boundaries

Each staff person was hired to cover a specific set of job responsibilities and you should assume that they take that ministry very seriously. While working against developing silos (click here for an article on this topics) senior leadership should recognize and honor how there are boundaries in specific areas within the church. When changes are made in one area of the church, be aware that those changes, more than likely, will affect other areas of the church (click here to read an article on how systems affect each other).

Boundaries can also mean days off, personal time, or even asking them to do things for you personally that are not directly related to their ministry positions. If they were hired as a full time staff person then that means those responsibilities on the job description would take the full amount of time. In other words, don’t keep adding things to their job responsibilities that will affect their time at home, weekday evenings, etc. Yes, there will be times when staff need to help the team do things that were not on the job description, but it should not be a constant expectation.

5. Give Staff What They Need To Do Their Job

Often times this takes the form of a budget. Work to see that they have what they need to lead the ministry that they have been hired to do. It is with in the pastor’s position to guide and direct various committees to go in various directions. Because you have taken the time to talk with your staff and understand the direction they are leading their various departments then you have accurate information to be able to see they get what they need.

If they are constantly requesting more funds, donations, volunteers, etc. and they feel you are doing nothing, then they will feel frustrated. It will feel like the staff person is drowning and you are just standing there watching, making no effort to help.

6. Have Their Back

Staff members should never doubt that the pastor supports them, what they are doing, and gives that support vocally and publicly. Work out differences privately, but when the staff try new things get behind them and push (hard). If you want to have a high rotation of staff, then keep throwing them under the bus or stepping back away from them when things go “sideways.”

If they ask you to use your pulpit to support them, then see how it could be blended into a sermon or some other way to emphasize it. Remember that innovation, change, and steps forward come at the price of trying things that don’t work. If you don’t support them in those times of mistakes, then they will eventually quit trying and do what they know is “safe.” When staff begin to all do what has always been done, the way it has always been done, then there will be the eventual plateau and decline. But before you blame the staff, take a hard look in the mirror.

7. Make the Hard Calls

The pastor (or senior leader) holds the position to lead and make the hard calls. This often involves strong personalities, spiritually immature, and selfish people. Don’t let these sinful people run rough shod over your staff. If a hard decision needs to be made, make it. Don’t ignore it, wait forever to make a decision, or avoid it. Often the staff can’t move forward until you make a decision — just realize that the senior pastor holds his position because hard calls need to be made. If you don’t make these calls it can be detrimental to your staff moving their specific areas forward. Yes, you may make the wrong call, but that’s ok because your staff and leadership will have your back (see#6) because you have supported them, and they know why you are making the call the way you did (see #1). No one expects senior leadership to make the right call 100% of the time, but if you wait too long to make calls then they are wrong 100% of the time.

8. Get to Know Their Ministry

As a pastor, if you have never served as a staff person or in a specific area (children, youth, senior adults, etc.) then take the time to see what the ministry is like and what is involved to carry it out. You should never have to ask “why do you need a budget increase?” or “why are are you not able to add this new responsibility to your weekly work schedule?” You should know (see #2 & 5). The church has chosen to hire a specific staff person to do a specific job.

This usually involves a designated (or expected/required) amount of hours and responsibilities. Help to guard their plate by not allowing others (or yourself) to continuously add responsibilities to staff. All positions have busy (i.e. stressful) times of the year (for the Children’s Pastor it may be Vacation Bible School i.e.). If you know this, then it would be very helpful to the staff for you to stand guard for them as they do their job, or (heaven forbid) even help in these areas during these stressful and very busy times.

9. Always Assume the Best

Andy Stanley has what he calls “the gap.” This is where a staff member does something that appears to break the rules or cultural expectations of the organization. Stanley gives the example of arriving to a staff meeting late. When this happens, and with no explanation given, people naturally fill “the gap” with why they are late. If they are given the benefit of the doubt then the person who observes the late staff person will say to themselves, “his car must have broken down,” or “someone must have stopped him for a ministry related issue,” etc.

What ever they place in this gap, it should assume the best of the person. Staff members need to know that their direct supervisor has faith in them and is not always assuming the worst. If their “boss” is always assuming the worst every time something appears negative, then it can be very frustrating and demoralizing. It will wear on them after a while — they will always feel like they have to explain everything. Always assume the best and good quality people will rise to the expectation. Always assume the worst and people will rebel and harbor ill will. [1] This is really a matter of trust. Does the senior pastor trust the staff? If so, trust them to do their jobs and assume they are doing their job to the best of their abilities.

10. Grow Your Staff

Staff need to know that you love them and want what’s best for them (and their families). When you meet with and talk about their ministries, if they begin to pick up that you see them as disposable tools and that they are there to make you look good, then they will not be supportive of your leadership. One of the best ways to convey this attitude is for you to constantly focus on their ministry numbers, performance, events, etc. and not really care about their future (or their family’s future). Staff are not there to make your name known, they are in ministry to make Christ’s name known. If you will invest in them and help them grow, then the kingdom of God is better served for it, and they will respect you.

So there you have it, 10 things staff need from their pastor or senior leader. Let me know what you think in the comment section below. Thanks for taking time to read the article!

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[1] This is assuming that the staff person is not constantly late for reasons of irresponsibility. If a staff person earns the reputation for having negative reasons for the gaps that is another issue entirely. It is really hard to assume the best in a staff person if they are always having “gaps.” If they know they are going to be late, for example, then they should call. This does not make being late “ok,” but it does show the leader that they are aware of the gap and are trying their best to rebuild the trust.

Taking Chaos by the Horns; Incident Command Structure

At an orientation for the Georgia Southern Baptist Disaster Relief I was introduced to a well-established command structure called “Incident Command System.” Wikipedia defines it as,

“ICS includes procedures to select and form temporary management hierarchies to control funds, personnel, facilities, equipment, and communications. Personnel are assigned according to established standards and procedures previously sanctioned by participating authorities. ICS is a system designed to be used or applied from the time an incident occurs until the requirement for management and operations no longer exist.”[1]

Essentially it is when you have people showing up to help in an emergency situation and there has to be some way to organize them. People are coming from all levels of society and having a plethora of abilities. So offices (logistics, communications, planning, finance, etc.) are established beforehand and individuals are placed into these positions in the field. Once they are chosen to a position, they are then given a notebook with procedures and predetermined tasks to be completed – and they get to work while reporting to the Incident Commander.

This system for the SBC Disaster Relief is premised on the different color hat system. At the basic and lowest level is the yellow hat. This is a person who has gone through orientation of how the overall system works, but may not have had training in specific areas (serving food, childcare, or debris removal). At the next level is the blue hat – this person is responsible for a team of yellow hats and has had training in one or all of the services offered.

Then above the blue hats is one white hat at a given location. Coordinating and leading the overall work is the Incident Command Team chosen by the white hat. These people could be yellow hat volunteers but who may have special training in one of the needed ICS offices.

After reviewing it I am fascinated at the system’s ability to have an adequate span of control and unity of command. If someone has more than five people reporting to them then they could get overwhelmed and not be able to adequately do their job because there is simply too much to oversee. This system allows groups to continue to be divided into manageable teams.

With unity of command everyone only reports to one person. If I am clearing debris then I go to one blue hat to tell me what to do. If I have an issue, question, etc. then I can go to one person.

I am also very intrigued by how disaster and potential chaos can be managed. Volunteers show up and they are orderly housed, fed, and put to work. Cargo and trucks full of materials and pallets of food are systematically moved in and out of a given devastated zone smoothly and orderly. Communications are set up and information begins to flow. If a given stage reaches an overly stressful level of complexity, a new layer is added to the ICS and the job continues.

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So how does this apply to everyday life and in times when there are no hurricanes, alien invasions, wild fires, etc.

(1) If you respect the chain of command life becomes much easier. Just report to one person – If you find yourself reporting to more than more person, it means your system needs some adjusting. Communication is clear because you are dealing with one person.

(2) All levels of the organization are critical. The yellow hats are just as critical as the white hats – but everyone must do their job. If everyone stays in their lane and plays their part then great things could happen (thousands of people being fed a hot meal, roads cleared, and the world seeing Christ in a new way). If the yellow hats start trying to tell people what to do and play the role of blue hats then chaos ensues. Respect the system.

(3) If you are going to go into the world of chaos and change it then you need a plan. People need to know the plan (preferably before disaster hits), and it has to be simple (three colors, three hats). Imagine if there were 15 colors, shades of blue everywhere, name tags, hats, jackets, vests, all with different meanings. I can’t remember what I had for lunch much less a bunch of colors meaning different things. What we do has to be simple, memorable, and simple – did I say simple? I forgot. The more chaotic of a situation we run into, the simpler the instructions have to be.

(4) This one is a little off topic, but it came up at the orientation. You are only allowed to serve three days (four at the most) before you will be sent home and replaced with another team. It is recognized that this is a long-term effort and people (even if they want to serve more) shouldn’t be in chaos too long.

What if our leaders understood that they need to be watching to tap people on the shoulder and tell them to fall out of the battle and rest. If you are a white hat or blue hat leader you need to keep watch and make sure your people don’t work so hard and so long that they hurt themselves (this is especially true if they are yielding a chainsaw). I know that I would be much more willing to be loyal to my blue hat if I know he is watching my back.

(5) The goal is clear. For disaster relief the objective is clear even before you show up. There has been a natural disaster and there are people who need help. We are Christians and have been commanded to serve and help people and then share with them the hope of the gospel (in that order). In our organizations we must make the goal clear so that others may join us. Along those same lines, the way they join in (systems) must be clear as well. If they want to be apart of what you are doing do they know how to join in?

Here’s a link to Georgia Disaster Relief’s website if you want more information. https://missiongeorgia.org/georgia-disaster-relief/

and their Facebook page. https://missiongeorgia.org/georgia-disaster-relief/

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[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incident_Command_System

Training That Inspires One to Greatness

Boy Scout summer camp is one of those times when training is regularly available — This week I took part in a 16-hour course called IOLS (Introduction to Outdoor leadership Skills). It included topics ranging from Dutch oven cooking, first aid, knot tying, to new BSA regulations and orienteering (plus much more). These were basic skills that every Scoutmaster is supposed to know so that he/she can properly teach the boys in their Troop.

“Every Scout needs and deserves trained leaders. Leaders should understand their responsibilities, the aims of the program, and how to deliver it with enthusiasm and fun.” — BSA

I anticipated the skills, but what I did not expect is the sheer level of information that I didn’t know. After leading Scouts for almost 10 years there is still so much that I don’t know and things that we are just not doing as a Troop. Some of these limitations are subject to my limited schedule, and financial restrictions we have as a Troop — but what I have come to realize is that I need to do a better job at my own leadership. I came to understand this as I was going through the training, so the following are some thoughts relating to training and leadership in general.

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People Should Actually Be Trained. Training (and continued training) should leave those being trained (better) equipped to do what they do better. You may say, “Isn’t that obvious?” But more times than not, training is boring, the leader/supposed equipper is unprepared, and the main reason for the training is to check a box, get a card, or to just advance in some way — but no one is better equipped than had they not attended at all.

In order for meaningful training to happen, the equipper has to take his/her job seriously and understand why the skills are important to be learned. If the training is important enough to be required (or strongly suggested if you are in the non-profit volunteer world), then the skills are important enough to be learned. If no one is learning or being equipped then everyone’s time is being wasted.

People Should Be Inspired To Be Better Leaders. The time of training should inspire those in the class to improve what they do, not by shame or discouragement, but by setting a high standard. In my training this past week I was taken on a journey with a group of Scout leaders who had done their job for over 25 years and they were good at what they did.

I wanted to be like these leaders, to return to my Troop and model what I had learned. I wanted to be a better leader because of being around these experienced leaders. Training should inspire us to be better leaders. Most people in Scouting are there as volunteers because they want to make a difference in the lives of boys. So, inspiring them is not a unreachable goal — they just need a leader.

People Should Want More. As I am thinking through all of the material that we covered, I have many more questions and have a realization that there is so much more that I need to learn. So training should also lead to a thought process where one seeks further training. I want to be a better leader and I know that I need to learn more if our Troop is going to improve.

The training this weekend began where I am going to end, with the mission statement of BSA, “The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.”

The Scout Oath and Law mention character expectations of honor, duty, country, God, trustworthy, loyalty, etc. These are noble goals to inspire young men to have. But, it just doesn’t happen. It is planned, coordinated, and has people who are passionate about seeing these things come to be in the life of young men.

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Whatever noble task you have set your heart toward it most likely will require continual growth and learning on your part. If you happen to be the one training, begin with why are you training in the first place (your mission), and then make sure that people are learning in a meaningful manner. Inspire them to follow a high standard and give them a model to follow (you as a great leader). If you do this, then they will want more, and you will have accomplished your goal of training.