Things about Leadership I learnt from MR FOO

Mr Foo frequently says he is not an inborn leader. I beg to differ.

Let us take a look at Jesus, our role-model. He was humble, he was submissive (to God's Will), he was servantile, he was kind, he was receptive, he was wise, he was not pushy, he was firm.

Being a leader in the Christian context is just so different from being a leader in the secular world. In fact, you can give all the antonyms (the words with opposite meanings) to the above qualites of Christ's leadership and you get all that is required for a secular leader.

Back to Mr Foo. He has taught me that prayer is a very important element of ministry. When he first took on leadership of CAST, he concurrently set up a prayer team. I was initially thinking that this was so time and energy-zapping...and on a precious Sunday afternoon at that! I was proven right in that the prayer meeting just started with the 2 of us. Slowly but surely, the group expanded and now it has about 6 regular prayer warriors. And how blessed we are by this prayer-group! It has certainly enriched my prayer life and become a staple of my sunday routine. How important prayer is to sustain a ministry! Being a leader of any ministry, it is the one thing that cannot be overlooked.

Mr Foo taught me that the people's welfare is very important too. We went looking for IKEA mugs and a hot water flask to put in the CAST cupboard so that the members will feel at home drinking from porcelain mugs rather than styrofoam ones. I objected to the im-practicality of this whole idea so much so that Mr Foo agreed to wash the mugs if required. Gradually, however, I realised that he was right. It was heart-warming to see members help themselves to the beverages from the tray and sipping hot water from the nice porcelain mug when the room temperatures got too cold. Those drinks certainly sustain us and are a nice welcome to those who have painstakenly made their way down to church after a hard day's work.

Being a servant. Who clears the tables for people when there are waitresses around to do the job? Mr Foo will. I used to think he was silly. Then I realised that this is such an essential quality to being a leader. Christ himself washed the feet of his disciples. I am not even washing anyone's feet (maybe just a few mugs) and I am complaining!

Being diplomatic and open to suggestions. Mr Foo is certainly not the type who barks instructions at you and forces you to accept them. He is open to may different ideas. I can tell that he sometimes struggles with confusion being bombarded with so many ideas, but he still goes on to accept them.

Being responsible and hardworking. Yes, this is something Mr Foo takes on himself when no one else does the job. In fact, he over-does it a little. But truly, if no one else takes on the job or volunteers to do so, Mr Foo is on it.

Communication. Mr Foo started a prayer blog and updates it himself regularly to share prayer requests with all the members. He also takes the effort to sms everyone on updates whenever he receives them. This really keeps the group close-knitted.

Loving people. Mr Foo often asks us to pray for him so that he can love people more and not judge members for not turning up or for going back on their word, not taking initiative etc. On reflection, I have often been merciless myself, judging people or rather removing them from my "list of reliable friends" or writing them off completely after them have failed me. God instructs us to love one another, and to forgive up to seventy times seven times. Surely, this is a necessary requirement of a leader.

There are so many things that I hold such high regard for Mr Foo's leadership! He is not the boisterous type but a subtle but sure leader. CAST is a successful ministry not because of the productions it puts out each year but the fact that everyone is like family here. It must be God's Timing to give me one year of observing Mr Foo's leadership before He gave me my own group of sheep to shepherd. I am so thankful this provision.

Thanks also goes out to Mr Foo!

Yours truly,
Mrs Foo-2B