Leadership Lessons from Seacoast Church

Last week I announced that my family will be moving to Atlanta and starting a new journey as I take on the role of Chief Launch Officer of the Launch Network, a new church planting network.  While I’m very excited about this new season I must admit that leaving Seacoast Church is a very difficult thing to do.  Honestly, I feel as if I’m leaving one dream job for another dream job.  In my seven years at Seacoast I’ve had the privilege of working with an amazing, passionate group of people.  Over the next couple of days I want to share some of the key leadership lessons I’ve learned during my time at Seacoast.

• LESSON #1 – Champion God’s work in the lives of those around you.  I put this one first because that’s what Pastor Greg Surratt has done for me.  Time and time again he has expressed his belief and confidence in me.  Before going to Atlanta to interview for this new position, I sat down with him and shared what God had been doing in my heart.   I wanted to seek his blessing and fully disclose what I was thinking.  After I shared my “God story” he said, “I don’t want to see you go, but I always want to champion what God is doing in your life.”  He embraces people with great loyalty, yet holds them loosely.  In my time here I’ve watched numerous young talented pastors move on to go start their own church.  Each time they were championed, celebrated and supported.  It’s sad but sometimes leaders are actually threatened by the work God is doing in the lives of those around them.   I want to be a leader that looks for what God is doing in the lives of others and champion it rather than dampen it.
• LESSON #2 – Always, I mean ALWAYS be looking for Opportunity.  I’m a bit of a visionary always looking toward the future.  But I’ve mostly approached vision as innovating a new idea that solves a problem. At Seacoast I’ve learned to keep my eyes open for opportunities that enhance the vision. Combining someone elses idea, resource, need, problem or talent is sometimes the very thing that takes your organization to the next level.  In my years here I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched Pastor Greg or Pastor Geoff Surratt  walk into one of our Executive Team meetings with a new opportunity that they had discovered.  While many management teams seem to sit around and talk about the fires that need to be put out, our team always seems to be talking about the emerging opportunities that are in front of us.  I believe this is one of the key factors that contributes to Seacoast’s extra-ordinary growth. 
• LESSON #3 – Be Kingdom Minded.  From day one I discovered that Seacoast is about The Kingdom, not their kingdom.  Being a highly visible multi-site church creates a desire in others to learn from what God has done through this church.  We recieve phone calls every week from churches around the country.  The staff humbly and willingly makes themselves available sharing time, resources and learnings to help others in their journey.  Spiritual leaders understand that we are here to complete each other not compete with each other. 

Check back tomorrow for three more Leadership Lessons I’ve learned from Seacoast Church.