The grand calling of leading in ministry can be challenging when it comes to balancing all the responsibilities, including releasing control and responsibility to others. Instead of just releasing control, we recommend understanding the art of delegation.<\/p>\n
Delegation is the act of empowering others to accomplish a task.<\/p>\n
Although it seems like one of the simplest things in the world to do, it can often be one of the hardest to accomplish. Delegation is never an exact science, but often takes flexibility as we interact with different tasks and different leaders’ abilities. The job of leaders is to see that all the work gets done \u2013 but not to do it all themselves.<\/p>\n
del-e-gate<\/em> : \u201cTo entrust to another. To empower another person to act.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n From the beginning of creation God began empowering others to accomplish a task. Psalm 8 says, \u201cWhat is man that you are mindful of him…You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet.\u201d God entrusted his creation to sinful, mistake-prone people, and through us is going to accomplish His plan. God made the animals, but he delegated to man the job of naming them. If the God of the universe entrusted to us His creation, should we not be much quicker in empowering others to act?<\/p>\n In Exodus 18 we read the account of what has become known as \u201cThe Jethro Principle.” Moses, as the leader of several hundreds of thousands of Israelites, had been serving \u201cas judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening.\u201d Moses\u2019 father-in-law, Jethro gave him this timely advise. \u201cSelect capable men from all the people…and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens…That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you.\u201d<\/p>\n Jesus explains some principles of delegation:<\/p>\n Jesus outlined an important principle of delegation. \u201cWhoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much…So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else\u2019s property, who will give you property of your own?\u201d Faithfulness with things precedes faithfulness with people. People who are faithful in carrying out small delegated responsibilities will usually be faithful to a group of disciples.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Delegation says, \u201cI believe in you \u2013 that you are capable of following through on this responsibility or task. You can do it!\u201d Delegation says, \u201cWe are a part of a team. We are all in this together.\u201d<\/p>\n Delegation helps others \u201cown\u201d the ministry. Delegation develops new abilities and a sense of contribution to reaching the campus together. To delegate to others expands the level of competence and confidence in another.<\/p>\n Two of the deacons who got their start waiting tables in Acts 6 went on to enter into God\u2019s history book \u2013 Phillip the great evangelist and Stephen, the first martyr. Because they were faithful in a \u201cvery little thing\u201d God gave them opportunity to be<\/p>\n Educator Howard Hendricks once noted, \u201cAny time you do for someone else what they are capable of doing for themselves, you are helping to create an emotional cripple.\u201d God wants everyone serving. Ephesians 4:11-13 and 1 Peter 4:10,11 make that point clear. Leaders are, in part, developed as we entrust them with greater levels of responsibility and decision making.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Oftentimes we want to delegate responsibilities but because we have gotten \u201cburned\u201d in the past, we are hesitant to release an important job to someone else. That being the case, let\u2019s develop a new model of delegation. Depending on the maturity of the person involved and their skill level, we will want either to direct him, coach him, or delegate to him.<\/p>\n
<\/strong><\/p>\nWhat the Bible Says About Delegation<\/h3>\n
Creation<\/h5>\n
Matthew 25:14-30<\/h5>\n
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Luke 16:10-12<\/h5>\n
What Delegation Does For Others<\/h3>\n
Three Types of Delegation<\/h3>\n