Taylor Venema

The Grid, or, Skill Development

This felt like a blogging moment.

I was going to be “off the grid” today. So much to process. People stress me out and freak me out. I spend all day surrounded by crazy psychopaths who actually like human contact. Weirdoes.

It was not to be. The Grid beckoned around two o’ clock. However, if the success of a disappearance can be measured in missed phone calls, texts, emails, and voice mails, I would have to consider this a highly successful one.

I just feel like if I am going to tackle this next phase of my life, I am going to need some serious energy. Jobs to find, people to meet (and schmooze), parties to host, parties to attend (one of the perks/drawbacks of being a youth pastor, you get/have to attend every graduation party).

I get energized by being by myself. Sorry, world. I know most of you don’t work like that. Solitude is awesome. Chaos blows.

I’ve been thinking about skills. And gifts. And talents.

Why does the world look at a person, and say, “Here’s what you’re good at, and here’s what you’re NOT good at. Let’s work on what you’re NOT good at, so you can be well-rounded.”

Why do we do this?

Why not develop the skills people already have? Why do we force square pegs into round holes and try to get people to improve in areas where they just aren’t gifted? It doesn’t make sense.

How much more effective could an organization (or in my case, a church) be if talents, gifts, and skills were identified, developed, targeted, and turned loose? Rather than trying to make our happy and willing volunteers and workers something they aren’t, we should identify their strengths and make them stronger.

Why take a young lady gifted in administration and place her in a counseling environment where she feels out of place, unskilled, and uncomfortable? Well, obviously, Taylor, she needs to overcome those shortcomings so that she can become a well-rounded volunteer. 

Remind me why?

Here’s a novel idea (sense the sarcasm): let the counselors counsel. Let the administrators administrate. Let the preachers preach. Let the listeners listen. Let the worshipers worship. It is an effective use of NO one’s time or resources to try to make a single volunteer some sort of bastion of talent, well-versed and competent in all areas. It won’t work.

Ever heard the phrase “jack of all trades, master of none”? Is this really what we want our church to become? A bunch of drones who can do a little of everything, but excel at nothing?

If I need brain surgery, do I want the surgeon who does a little brain surgery, a little heart surgery, a little kidney surgery, a little spinal surgery? Heck no. I want the best dang brain surgeon my piteous health insurance can buy. It’s his skill set and the focus of all his training. He’s the best. 

Churches/church leaders: Stop trying to make your team members into something they’re not. Identify your team’s talents. Develop them. Turn them loose on a church that desperately needs gifted, talented, passionate people.

Doing this not only will be better for the church, but also more enriching for the team members themselves. Nothing makes a person feel valued quite like knowing their unique skill set is exactly what a situation requires. Team members will be rejuvenated and more willing to give, because they’re not forcing anything. They are giving and working and laboring out of sheer love, love for God and the way He has created each person and love for a body where they feel they truly belong.