Habit #4: Excellence

9 Habits for Effective Life Group Leadership
Habit #4: Excellence

Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your truth, we eagerly wait for you; your name and renown are the cry of our hearts.

- Isaiah 26:8

"Today I will do what others won't, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can't." 

–Jerry Rice

The next set of habits of Effective Life Group Leaders will focus on the Life Group Leader. The healthier you are, the healthier your group can be. So let's dive into the fourth habit.

Excellence is often hard to define. When we don’t know how to define something, it is difficult to achieve or reach a goal around it.   

So with this in mind, let's go to Scripture and find the truth about excellence. In Colossians 3, Paul builds a picture of excellence. 

He tells the believers in Colossae to begin by setting their minds on things above. They should take time to think about Jesus and not about earthly things. Doing this resets the believers' expectations of what excellence can be. The best thing on earth pales in comparison to the lowest thing in heaven. 

 Second, he lists all those earthly things. Human emotions and desires (lust, anger, rage, filthy language) are not excellent and do not benefit anyone.  

Next, Paul spells out what heavenly things look like in our lives. He tells the Colossians they should practice kindness, compassion, forgiveness for themselves and others, and learn to bear with each other. The heavenly-focused life happens when we allow the Spirit to work these things through us.  

Finally, Paul points out the benefits of living this way: peace and gratefulness.

Where does excellence play out in all of this? Paul's last command was to do everything in God's name. Paul has illustrated the things associated with God and the things associated with fallen humanity. He wants the Colossians to do things the way Jesus would do them. Jesus would be kind and compassionate. Jesus would be joyful and grateful for the ability to do them. Because I am human, God does not expect me to be perfect but expects me to reset my mind so I can see the best way to do things for His Glory. 

So, let's wrap up the definition of excellence. Excellence is going above and beyond in action and love using the talents and gifts God has equipped us with in the same way Jesus would, which ultimately brings Him glory. When we operate with excellence in our Life Group, we remind the world around us: Everybody's Welcome. Nobody's Perfect. Anything Is Possible.