In a message dated 12/30/99 12:39:16 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
<< Commanders,
What would you think if your Senior Commander handed you the following?
Michael G
========================================================================
Well...........................
Commitment to Excellence
<<As a commander in Outpost 194 I commit to making every effort to improve
myself and my outpost. I commit to support and promote Outpost 194 in every
way
possible. In order to do this I agree to the following.>>
-----------------------------------------
So far so good
----------------------------------------
<<I will:
1) Plan and prepare for meetings in advance and provide copies of meeting
plans to
the Senior Commander (Pioneer meeting plans).>>
This is good. Makes sense to have a backup in case you can't make it or are
late.
Is your Sr. Cdr. prepared to step in and cover you "just in case?"
<<2) Attend all sectional, divisional, and district events appropriate for
the
group I lead.
This includes being present for the entire event, not arriving the following
day or
leaving early.>>
Hmmm....... This is an ideal that sets the bar at a very high level. This
would be hard even for someone in full-time ministry. Will your Sr. Cdr.
provide child care when needed? Can he do this himself? A good leader leads
by example.
<<3) Contact all active absentee's, all visitors, and at least 2 inactive
absentees every
week.>>
This should already be in place. In fact, it should be done by your Jr.
leaders/Gold Bar staff. Do they know this?
<<4) Conduct at least one outpost activity quarterly for the group I lead.>>
This is a "recommended" minimum at our outpost. In fact, I encourage our
commanders to have a quarterly campout and other activities monthly. These
are shared by commanders and lieutenants. Got to keep the home fires burning.
Minimum of two leaders per outing. Dads are invited always, with both dads
and leaders screened.
<<5) Participate in all outpost fundraiser activities and promote these with
my boys.>>
Better be careful with these. People are always being "hit up" by youth,
WM's, children's ministry, building funds, etc. Much wisdom is required here.
We try to limit to two per year. Don't want to sound "super spiritual" but
prayer works wonders here. Always worked for George Mueller. God used him to
raise up orphanages in the UK. He NEVER asked for money, just prayed it in.
God ALWAYS met the need. Is your Sr. Commander willing to wear out his knees?
<<6) Attend all outpost Commanders meetings.>>
This is a good idea. Is your Sr. Cdr. willing to commit to beginning AND
finishing on time. Is he willing to pour himself into his leaders through
prayer and letting them know that they are the keys to success? Is he willing
to GUIDE rather than command?
<<Any deviation to the above must be discussed in advance with the Senior
Commander. Deviations, while expected, must be the exception rather than the
rule.>>
Ahhh..... deviation........interesting word that. Also rather strong,
implying a WILLFUL leaving of the true path. Roget's Thesaurus has some
synonyms for this......
WANDERING, ERROR, DISUNION, NONUNIFORMITY, well you get my drift. This is
ministry not mastery.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but are you guys having problems with commanders
following through on commitments to outings, meetings, etc.?
You know, I've come to feel that being a Sr. Cdr. is essentially the same as
being a Sr. Pastor. I have to transmit the vision that God has given me for
the outpost. I have to involve my leaders in the vision. Get them to buy into
it. I do THAT by investing IN them not dictating TO them. I have to get them
to feel passionately for the Lord and, by implication, the boys, not the
program. Fire for Him (them) will keep me, and my leaders, committed long
after the fire for camping, advancements, training, etc., dies out. And I'd
better make sure their wives are happy. Trust me, if mama ain't happy,
neither is papa.
If your Sr. is having trouble keeping his guys involved, he needs to get
involved with them. Just like a pastor. I'd rather face 20 pioneers full of
Pepsi, alone, than one wife who feels like a Ranger widow. I stand a better
chance with the boys.
<<We are here to serve the boys, not ourselves, and in doing that we must be
the finest
example we can possibly be.>>
WRONG!! We are here to serve the Lord and by extension, the boys. He COMMANDS
that I love my WIFE and give myself for HER, just as HE loved the CHURCH and
gave HIMSELF for HER. We have a whole generation of men who grew up seeing
Dad committed to his job and providing for his family instead of being
committed to his wife and providing for the spiritual well-being of his
family. My example to the boys is to show them a godly husband and father
first, commander second.
<<By signing below, I commit to abide by the above. If I find that I cannot
(or will not), I
will notify the Senior Commander immediately and remove myself from my
leadership
role.>>
Your Sr. Cdr. could wind up a very lonely feller indeed.
Ad Dare Sevire
Gary "Burn'n Heart" Rothwell
Sr. Cdr.
Outpost 59, Potomac District
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