Courage … to Walk Away
by Joe Tipton
“You have twenty minutes to share with three prospective elders everything you wish someone had shared with you before you became an elder.” That was the assignment given to Hardin Phillips, the chairman of the elders at the church where I serve. Hardin is a forty-year veteran of church leadership, serving at various times as a deacon, an elder, a Sunday school teacher, a children’s ministry volunteer, a mission trip leader, a jail ministry leader, and even singing in the choir! As a retired educator, businessman, and National Guard commander, he brings a unique perspective to every leadership discussion. Since February of 2020, our church has been engaged in the task of onboarding three new elders and as a part of that process, we’ve taken them through an e2 training program. At the end of each session, we invited one current elder to share with the three prospective elders about various aspects of serving in leadership. At the end of our final session together, we invited Hardin to share anything he had learned that he thought would be helpful for these aspiring leaders to know.
Drawing from his vast reservoir of experience, he outlined several important lessons like, “always stay focused on the big picture,” “do whatever it takes to protect the church,” “lead by example in every area,” “staffing issues are always the hardest,” etc. He also shared stories from his own experiences in learning these lessons the hard way during his time in leadership. Overall, it was a solid presentation complete with some classic real-life examples that perfectly demonstrated much of what we had talked about in our e2 sessions over the previous two years. But it was what happened next that I think will leave a lasting impression on those three new elders.
As he neared the end of his presentation, Hardin put down his notebook and said, “One of the most important things for an elder is to know when it’s time to let go.” He went on to explain that in his experience, many men mistakenly think serving with the elder team is like the Supreme Court and they begin to act as if they’ve been given a lifetime appointment! In his estimation, all that does is stymie a church’s progress as a new generation of leaders are hesitant to push back against older leaders for fear of being disrespectful to those who have paved the way for them. Keep in mind that Hardin still has an incredible energy level and continues to contribute in significant ways to our church’s leadership. And yet, in his mind, it’s more important for an elder (or any leader for that matter), to give up their position while they are still at the top of their game, rather than wait until they become a drag on the organization.
As he shared his “exit strategy” with these three new elders, he communicated that one of the reasons he was comfortable giving up his seat at the table was because of the confidence he had that these three men, along with our other elders, who would lead the congregation well. It was a powerful moment as a leader from one generation carefully, yet unmistakably, invited a new generation to take their seat at the leadership table. As Hardin finished his presentation, the words of Paul in Acts 20 echoed through my mind as Paul said goodbye to the Ephesian elders – “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (Acts 20:32, NIV).
