Stop Putting Out Fires.
Start Lighting Them!
(Ps. 139: 1–4, 7–8, 13–14 ESV)
God knew you before creation. He loved you from eternity. He formed you with the same hands that formed Adam and Eve, in His image. He is the same Creator who made the whole universe—with all of its majesty and beauty. He chose to suffer and die in your place, so that you could live eternally with him in Heaven. He knows everything about you, and He still loves you that much! Any time we doubt that love, may we pray as the father in Mark 9:24:, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
What really lights the fire under our constituency is when we tell the stories of how our students are learning and growing in faith.
I am a relatively new husband and father who spends his weekdays (and several nights and weekends) serving a congregation as teacher and principal. Honestly, I can’t do any of these jobs as well as I would like. Over the last couple years, I needed to make life a little smoother. Through coaching, professional development, and necessity, I was able to simplify a few areas. To be honest, there are fires that still need to be put out —kids still break the rules and need to talk to the principal, parents still call with concerns, and I need to get home in time for dinner. In my current position, we’ve made many changes, and most plans are written as we are executing them. But even without these detailed plans, we are able to head in one direction, because we are focused on our mission, and we are working hard to eliminate distractions. We’ve got some exciting things to share. What really lights the fire under our constituency is when we tell the stories of how our students are learning and growing in faith. Just the other day, the father of a preschooler was in the office telling us about how his son “tells everyone about Jesus.” Mission accomplished!
The information in this article was initially shared in a workshop format. Each paragraph below ends with a question. When those questions are put together, they will serve as a “worksheet” for the reader to be more mission-focused. One could answer the questions once as professional educator and once relating to their personal life.
My Twitter profile declares I am a “Child of God. Husband. Father. Dreamer. Learner. Teacher. Leader. Collector of Experiences.” My blog profile quips, “Son of the Father, Father of a Son.” My freshman religion class taught me to proclaim, “I’m a unique child of God, full of potential.” We all identify ourselves differently, but it’s important to know ourselves and to clearly identify who we are through what we do and say. How do you identify yourself?
My 14th day of teaching was September 11, 2001. That school was three miles from Midway International Airport, and some of the children had parents who worked downtown. They were scared. As we watched the television coverage that afternoon, I did my best to ease the fears of the children. The only way I could do this was through the Gospel. I believe our best way to share the Gospel is through Lutheran schools. To do that, we must have high-quality academics and relevant teaching methods, but I don’t teach because I want kids to be really good at math. I want them to know Jesus. Jesus was with all of us that day. Why do you do what you do? What is your mission?
How can we remain hard-working, dedicated servants, and fulfill our other responsibilities?If you’re reading this article, you’re probably involved in Lutheran education in some way. I bet your job is difficult. I bet you wear many hats. I bet that as much as you love your job, you have other things you love. Like me, teaching may not be your primary vocation. How can we remain hard-working, dedicated servants, and fulfill our other responsibilities? Moses’ father-in-law saw that he was overworking, and said to him, “What you are doing is not good. You and the people will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone.” (Ex. 18:17–18 ESV)
Is there too much for you to do? Most of us could quickly answer, “Yes!” How can we focus on the things we’re passionate about and spend less time on others? We probably need to reconnect with what’s important to us. Let’s take the opportunity to light some fires by avoiding others. At home, perhaps that means buying a larger washing machine to spend less time on laundry and more time gardening. We need to look at our days and weeks and decide which tasks you are unwilling to give up. Maybe you love roasting a chicken every Sunday or directing the school musical each spring. What do you want to spend more time on? What are you unwilling to give up?
I’m sure all of us have those tasks we are required to do that get in our way. There are fires that need to be put out. It seems anytime I finally get to sit down and work on a project there’s a phone call about an assembly or an opportunity to attend this special field trip or assembly at a different school. Last year, I identified a teacher whom I felt could take over planning special events from assemblies to Kite Day. When I asked her, she raised her eyebrows and said, “I did event planning in college, and I used to work at the kite store.” Not only had I relieved an obligation of my own, but I had offered her an opportunity to use her gifts and talents. She was very excited for the opportunity and did a great job. What are you doing that someone else could be doing?
Pruning is healthy for plants. In order for the chrysanthemum to grow into full bloom this year, last year’s growth needs to be trimmed away. To grow, they need to stop doing what they had been doing before. Perhaps there’s an outdated event or tradition that needs to be cut. Perhaps there’s an activity at your school or home that doesn’t need to happen. Perhaps there is something volunteers used to do that staff took over because you thought you couldn’t live without it. Maybe nobody would notice if it didn’t happen. What do you need to stop doing?
If we’re focused and doing the things we should be, there won’t be as many fires to put out, and we can start lighting other fires.I believe that to fulfill our calling, we must know ourselves and tell our stories. If we know who we are, we can focus on the things we should be doing. If we’re focused and doing the things we should be, there won’t be as many fires to put out, and we can start lighting other fires. We have amazing stories that are waiting to be told and people who are tittering as they await our next update. They want us to stoke their fire, their love for our school. How do you intentionally inspire your constituents?
I enjoy writing. I need to follow my own advice and find more time for it. I will occasionally write newsletter articles for our church and school. We’re a bit odd, because many of our members actually read our newsletter. This is where I tell our story. We opened a child care center two years ago and had two candidates lined up to interview for the director position. One of them backed out on the day of the interview. We didn’t want to settle. I wrote this to the congregation after the only interview that night, “When we asked the first question ‘Tell us a little about yourself,’ she shared a story of being raised in the Catholic church and being fearful of God, but ‘coming to know a loving, forgiving, and nurturing God’ when her children were enrolled in a Lutheran school. In her answer to the second question, she shared that she wants our child care center to be a “home away from home” where the children are “loved and nurtured, where they feel they belong and are wanted.”
The assembled committee knew there would be no settling on the night of this interview. We had found a director who was passionate about a loving God and wanted to love kids as if they were her own. The insider story of this interview was one way we lit a fire in our congregation, and they have supported and embraced our child care program. I bet there are stories to be told about what happens in your building every day. How do you share that? When Jesus told His story on the day of his resurrection, it caused two of his followers to ask, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32 ESV) If we’re telling the story properly, it should cause heart burn. After all, it’s HIS story we’re telling. How do you show that you are on fire for Christ? How do you light fires in others?
When we … discern which things we really need to focus on, we can move forward and avoid burn out.It is my prayer that all Lutheran schools thrive. I believe that we can only do that when workers are healthy. When we reflect on the things we do, and discern which things we really need to focus on, we can move forward and avoid burn out. When we have a clear message for our schools and churches, we can ignite their passion for our ministry. When people are excited, everything else comes together. We can write all the plans in the world, but if we don’t light fires in the hearts of parents, faculty, donors, students, and church members, I’m not convinced they’ll go as far. Once you have this kind of focus, revisit all of those old documents and see what you really want to focus on. I hope it becomes just a little clearer and easier.
Jonathan Kamin serves as teacher and principal of Immanuel Lutheran School in Frankentrost, Mich. Jonathan received his B.A. in Classics and M.Ed. in Elementary Education from Valparaiso University, where he met his future wife, Emily. Jonathan has previously served Lutheran schools in Illinois, Florida, and Kansas. Jonathan is a SLED graduate and a Van Lunen Fellow.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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