Subscribe to the NetworkTerminal Velocity VS. The Power of Christ
I’ve noodled on this quite a bit, and feel like there’s much more to it than a blog post, but I will toss this out there in a less-than-thought-out form.
On one hand, I believe that every leader has a “terminal velocity” to their leadership capacity and abilities. In other words, we each have a speed, pace of life, maximum capacity, maximum level of influence etc. that we reach and we simply can’t go any faster, do more stuff etc. Like a bowling ball falling from the sky, at some point we max out. Your “terminal velocity” may be different than mine, but we all have it….at least I tend to think that’s the case.
But, on the other hand, when the power of Christ is moving in us we are capable of far more than our natural skills would ever allow. Think about Peter…certainly in the flesh, his terminal velocity was limited. He was an un-educated fisherman. Then Christ entered his life.
But we all know of Godly leaders who seem to “max out”. Don’t confuse “max out” with “burn out”. I’m talking about Godly men and women who are spiritually and emotionally fresh, with tons of vision and ideas etc. that simply reach a limit to what they can accomplish….their leadership and ministry terminal velocity can’t do more.
But, I can do ALL things through Christ, right?
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I’m a little late to the game, but I felt compelled to throw some more into the mix…
I’m thinking there is something askew in the use of the ‘accomplish’ terminology. Seems to be giving too much weight to the human aspect.
In one sense, my current ‘job’ is to help people figure out how to get to their terminal velocity. But I’m finding that this model of thinking leaves God out of more than He should be left out of. Take a “one plants, one waters, but God causes the growth” idea and two things become differentiated: 1) my ability/capacity/activity is secondary and (2) ‘level of influence’ (as a sample of the overall idea being presented) is not up to my skills, velocity, etc. The ‘influence’ that is to be desired is the Spirit’s influence.
It’s not outside of God’s history to use people way beyond their terminal velocity because the human’s velocity isn’t very relevant. Or, God ‘under’-using someone.
Again, I write this perhaps more from my experience than my study of Scripture… seeking God’s direction, results, etc. puts my speed, expected sphere of influence, impact ‘on the bench’ (and it may not get called up at all).
One of the things I think (?) I have seen in you over the years, Kirk, is your humility. I’m suggesting taking ‘all things through Christ’ (a good humility, to be sure) and combining it with seeking God’s effects, as God wills, in His timing.
I’m pretty sure I’m not writing something you haven’t thought, wrote, said, whatever. I think I’m more reminding you that a human-first perspective can lead to some unnecessary (theological) tension (cf. blog title).
Case in point, the people God changes by means of you – yet you don’t know about it. Is that frictionless leadership velocity 
David Malouf
That’s right, it certainly is a conundrum!