The Armor-Bearer - Important Backroom Etiquette This is why I suggested earlier to avoid being in the presence of your leader when they are with their peers. It prevents you from becoming liable because you know too much.
4. Avoid self-promotion
As an armor bearer, you must remember at all times that what you [help] make happen in someone else's life will take place in your life. You have been called to help your leader. If you want to have a successful ministry one day, then [help] make your leader's ministry successful.You must flee the temptation of promoting yourself. There will be ample opportunities for yourself when the time is right. When you are with the man or woman of God, you will gain exposure. However, what you do with that exposure will make or break you.
I'll never forget one incident that happened years ago while I was serving in the capacity of an armor bearer. I was driving a guest speaker to the church for a conference that we were hosting. The guest speaker proceeded to ask me who my favorite speaker was. He seemed shocked when I responded, "My pastor is." Often, the man or woman of God will drop questions on you to expose your heart. An armor bearer with a strong soulish ambition will fail every time. Your heart must be towards the advancement of the one God has called you serve, not yourself.
The exposure that you gain from serving is not a time to promote yourself, your anointing or your agenda. Allow your servanthood to speak for you. Be known for your service. Elisha, at one time of his life was just known as the one who poured water on the hands of Elijah. The prophet Elisha was anointed and being groomed for the ministry. But when he was spoken to during the times of his serving as an armor bearer, he was known by his service not his anointing.
I have found that some of the following practices will successfully prevent you from walking in self-promotion:
- Don't carry your own business cards during ministry
- Never give out your own contact information (always the church information)
- Always talk about your leader [positively] and never yourself
- Listen twice as much as you talk
- Speak when spoken to (don't wrestle to demonstrate what you know)
- Remember, you have nothing to prove to anybody
5. Never Discuss your Leader's Weaknesses
Throughout the course of serving your leader, there will be weaknesses of theirs that will be revealed. The revelation of these weaknesses should never be used to harm the leader. Many times, your leader's weakness have been revealed to you for you to tag-team with God to intercede on the leader's behalf to eradicate the various weaknesses.
The most harmful thing you could do is to discuss your leader's weaknesses with others. If you imagine that you could earn brownie points with others by sharing your revelation or certain weakness existing in the life of your leader - you have been misled.
This is illustrated well in the story of Noah and his two sons. The Bible says that one saw the nakedness (weaknesses) of his father and spoke about it. Whereas, the other brother walked backwards and curved his father's nakedness. We are called to cover our leader's weaknesses and not broadcast them.
6. Never speak Negatively Speak about your Leader
There will be times that you may have disputes and disagreements with the one you serve. We all make mistakes. Therefore, there will be times that you may not agree with a stand that your leader takes. You have a right to disagree with what your leader decided does or say. However, you should not voice those disagreements to others. The principle says never complain down, always complain up. Most of the time up is your leader or God.
7. Never Speak Negatively about the Vision
There will be times in the ministry that you may not agree or even understand decisions that are made by your leader. You may not agree with the direction the ministry chooses to move in. There will be times God gives your leader a directive for the entire ministry and He does not even explain it to your leader why. Therefore, what makes you think you would know why?
The important issue here is that you're not to ever speak negatively about the vision that God has assigned you work toward with your leader and never complain about the vision. Fight for your leader's vision. Work hard towards the vision. Commit to the vision. Give your life to the vision. But never speak negatively about the vision.
About the Author: Perry Mallory publishes training tips on http://ArmorbearerTraining.blogspot.com/ Through his passion of God and his pursuit of purpose, Perry has ignited thousands of believers into greater levels of service in their local churches by causing a mobilization of gifts, talents and abilities in the body of Christ through strong impartations of teaching, preaching, training and ministering. Perry, a former associate pastor and teacher travels the globe teaching and ministering the importance of serving God and others. He is often used to train armorbearers, adjutants, associate pastors, and laypersons how to succeed by serving. He conducts very effective workshops for churches and has become a "pastor's friend" because of the assistance he provides for leaders by teaming with the pastor to mobilize their congregation. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Perry_Mallory |
