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Leadership Game Changers I Learned from Bob Russell 2… Be Jesus in a Crowd

In case you didn’t see yesterday’s blog, you need to know that every day this week I’m unearthing a leadership principle that the life of Pastor Bob Russell taught me. You’ll see a very short bio about Bob below.
 
“At just twenty-two years of age, Bob became the pastor of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY.  That small congregation of 120 members became one of the largest churches in America, with 18,000 people attending the four worship services every weekend in 2006 when Bob retired.”
 
Another leadership game-changer I learned from Bob is that being Jesus in a crowd will change an underlings life, the life of other underlings, and ultimately a church. Let me explain… If you’ve read Bob’s book, When God Builds A Church, you’ve read about his pastor study group, a group of his closest pastor friends that met weekly. They were all doing the same sermon series so they got together on a weekly basis to share illustrations, discuss difficult doctrinal concepts, and sometimes discuss tough church situations. Because I served as the Associate Teaching Pastor for Brad Johnson, one of the pastors in Bob’s inner circle, when I was preaching I was invited to join Bob’s study group.
 
Let me tell you… Each time I entered that room I was fully aware that some of the most gifted and influential pastors, and some of Bob Russell’s best friends, were gathered around that table. It was more than intimidating to this pinch hitter.
 
I hope you noticed one of the phrases I used in that last paragraph. The group was made up of “some of Bob Russell’s best friends.” I was the unknown entity, the second stringer amongst a room full of home run hitters all of whom were being coached by the Babe Ruth of senior pastors, Bob Russell. Yet almost every time I arrived at this important gathering, Bob chose to be Jesus to me. While he could have given his time before the meeting to his close friends he made his way to me and started a conversation with me. Like Jesus, he chose the runt of the litter, the down and outer, the lost sheep and was concerned about them.
 
I have never forgotten this. In fact, I now make it my goal to be certain the loneliest person in the room is cared for, connected to, and conversed with. You may be asking yourself the question… how is this a leadership game changer?
 

It’s a leadership game changer because… Any time pastors are Jesus to people those people will be Jesus to others. And pastors, a church full of people proactively connecting with those deeply longing for connection is a church everyone wants to be part of.

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rhowerton@churchleaders.com'
Rick has one passion… To see “a biblical small group within walking distance of every person on the planet making disciples that make disciples.” He is presently pursuing this passion as the Small Group and Discipleship Specialist at LifeWay Church Resources. Rick has authored or co-authored multiple books, studies, and leader training resources including A Different Kind of Tribe: Embracing the New Small Group Dynamic, Destination Community: Small Group Ministry Manual, The Gospel and the Truth: Living the Message of Jesus, Small Group Life Ministry Manual: A New Approach to Small Groups, Redeeming the Tears: a Journey Through Grief and Loss, Small Group Life: Kingdom, Small Group Kickoff Retreat: Experiential Training for Small Group Leaders, and Great Beginnings: Your First Small Group Study, Disciples Path: A Practical Guide to Disciple Making. Rick’s varied ministry experiences as an collegiate minister, small group pastor, teaching pastor, elder, full-time trainer and church consultant, as well as having been a successful church planter gives him a perspective of church life that is all-encompassing and multi-dimensional. Rick is a highly sought after communicator and trainer.