What is at the Heart of Christian Leadership? A Conversation with Matt Heisler, Director of Youth and Their Families

Real Life With Pamela Lau

What a treat to have Matt Heisler on my show this week! Matt Heisler has been the Director of Ministry with Youth and their Families at Lake Grove Presbyterian Church since May 2021. He received his BA in Psychology at George Fox University (2011) and his Masters of Divinity at Princeton Theological Seminary (2021). Matt has several years of experience in leadership capacities, including youth ministry, compassion/outreach ministry, coffee shop management, and in behavioral rehabilitation with at-risk teens. In the coming years, he hopes to continue to come alongside young people and their families in their walk with Christ. Matt has been married for nine years and has a young daughter.

In this episode we discuss meaningful work in working with at-risk kids who face looming challenges and how that learning experience developed leadership skills, knowing limits when you work with families, how parents model leadership to children who live in their home, how welcoming young people into leadership roles is paramount, what does the discernment process look like in the long haul, and how education does indeed provide preparation and support for future leadership. We cover what spiritual direction groups can offer to up-and-coming leaders, mentors who support for the long haul, and saying yes to being in Bible study; what it costs as a young married man and parent. We dive deep into how leaders are always following someone or something, why we are called to follow and called to lead, why is spiritual abuse so common in the church, leaders must seek accountability no matter how they evolve, when is accountability misplaced and what does wisdom teach us about vulnerability. Where should support come from for leaders, what does a leader rely on for care, support, and friendship? What does following God look like for a leader?

We discuss how systems within an organization can provide support for its leaders, what does the research show us about support/sense of belonging for our up and coming leaders, the importance of remembering someone's name creates a strong sense of belonging, institutional decline breeds the epidemic of loneliness, Springtime Research encourages steps for leaders to create belonging: Notice, Name and Know the people around you. All people need a deeper sense of being known. We know when we don't have it. We talk about institutional decline and are we working toward better, richer places of belonging since so much as has been pulled apart. Finally, we end our discussion of what it's like to follow Jesus when the presence of failure is looming over a leader's life. Is the Church a place for healthy leaders to not burn out? What can happen to young leaders when burn out extinguishes the light? We conclude that faithfulness in the long run is part of the answer, saying no, saying yes, moving out and doing the work of discernment. Self care truly is detrimental. Find a place you can worship, be in a small group without leading. Find someone to follow, respect and want to be in 5-10 years.

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