(part 1, overview; part 2, competency facilitator; part 3, culture evangelist; part 4, mission curator, part 5, storytelling host, part 6, champion of hope)
On Part 7, he explores the idea of a "Uniqueness DJ" who looks for ways to connect people to opportunities, versus the other way around. He offers this example:
For years, in youth ministry, I utilized a highly articulated ‘job description’ for volunteers. The thinking was (and i had been taught this, and subsequently taught this myself in many seminars) that youth ministry volunteers would flourish is they knew what was expected. I read that sentence now, and I think, what a dehumanizing approach to people. I would approach this very differently today. After the shared values of the ministry are discerned and articulated, I would work with each volunteer, based on his or her strengths, interests, experiences and competencies, to help him or her develop a unique plan for embodying our values in the context of their youth ministry calling. and, I would be intentional about how these unique works of art, made in the image of God, can experience something greater than themselves by bringing their uniqueness to the whole.
That reminded me of something I learned while watching the commentary on the first DVD of the TV series LOST. While a number of roles were “pre-written,” most of the show was cast or re-categorized based on the actors who came in to audition. For example, the character “Jack” (who eventually became the linchpin of the show) was originally conceived to die in the first episode. The “Kate’ character was going to be the leader of the group after that. “Jack” was planned he would be played by Michael Keaton versus Matthew Fox… that is, until they met Matthew Fox.
Basically, what made the show what it was wasn’t a job description, but that people were sniffed out for what they could offer, and a job description was written around them.
The only time I’ve felt this way outside of my current situation was when I was serving under an innovative pastor who would ask me to rewrite my job description and goals every year. This activity was to consider where I was at in life, what I wasn’t capable of this year that I may have been last year (i.e. due to changes in family), and where I sensed God wanted things to go that may have been shifts from how we were doing things. I looked forward to this process because of the freedom it allowed me to grow, and integrated it into how I personally lead others.
Or as Marko put it, a “Uniqueness DJ.”
As a side note, the world doesn’t work this way, and people may still ask to get the 2-dimensional job description that they will attempt to live 3-dimensionally in. If you give them a better way, some may embrace it… but others will struggle. It may even that may lead to issues within the group of leaders you serve that will surface if a strong personality comes in and wonders why everyone else isn’t acting like life in the business world.
Maybe that’s why he chose the word “DJ,” though – because it involves coming up with remixes on the spot. Meaning, this thinking doesn’t just apply to the personality of the individual, but to the “personality” of the whole group, too.
"We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. " (Romans 12:6a)
