People of Influence (Post #2) – Chris Elrod

If you have been around the church planting (or blogging) world for any length of time, then you have had to at some point learned from the heart of…

Chris Elrod.

Since I came across his blog around this time last year, I have really had to force myself NOT to check to it out four to fives times day because I am hear to tell you that once you start learning from this Pastor’s heart you cannot help but draw closer to the heart of Christ. 

Hearing and learning from what Chris has to say is absolutely addicting, and there are no two ways about it! For those of you who may not know about Chris, he is now (just recently changed his title) the Senior & Founding Pastor for Compass Point Church in Lakeland, FL. (By the way, it must be nice for God to call you to the always warm and sunny climate of beautiful Lakeland, FLORIDA!!! It’s a hard job, but somebody has got to do it, right…) 

Anyway, back to Chris before I start coveting his call.

This Pastor is one of the most solid men I believe I have ever observed. But then again, how could you wrong through proclaiming Christ in everything you do.

Most of you who read this blog have already seen the pictures and heard this story, but because of its ability to best express Chris’ heart it only bears the necessity for revisiting it again. So here is the story of Pete, and if this doesn’t mess you up and jack you up all at the same time then YOU have better question whether or not YOU are really living for Christ at all…

All I can say that is that it is a heart like Chris that being a Pastor is really about and all that God really ever requires of you. And just in case you happened to miss this, it is this description that I give to Chris which best explains why God is using him such a mighty way.

I will define this characteristic in two terms even though you really can’t have one without the other and really they are two sides of the very same coin:

Authentic and Vulnerable.

What do I mean? Exactly this – Chris is OPEN. 

He is open about his struggles. He is open about his defeats. He is open about his successes. He is open about his victories. The dude is just open about EVERYTHING.

And most importantly he is open about JESUS, which is exactly why you hear the stories of Chris’ experiences with men and women just like Pete.

What I am discovering about Chris’ ability to be authentic and vulnerable (open or transparent – there is one word I was looking for earlier) is that people like Pete, and lets learn from Chris and really be honest - people like all of US, is that people respond to a leader who cares enough about them to make himself open for everyone to connect.

Chris will be the first one to tell you to learn from his mistakes as well as to learn from his successes. This takes someone knowing exactly who they are in the presence and person of Christ as well as knowing God’s exact purpose for why He has placed you on this planet.

And it challenges me not to hide behind the role the Pastor has been given for way too many generations as the perfect man on the perfect day who never deals with the crap life throws you, therefore making the role of a Pastor an impossible position to ever fulfill because this kind of living sets you up for failure in the eyes of the people from the very beginning! To hell with this lie. And to honor with men - who live as Chris has chosen to live, letting you know that who he is IS actually born from the inside out. 

For example, I think Chris’ posts on “We Could Have Been Bigger By Now” is one of THE BEST series of post a Pastor has ever written. 

Why?

Because it is authentic and vulnerable all at the same time. And I am here to tell you that unfortunately there are way too many leaders caught up in building their own little kingdoms that they end up forsaking the only Kingdom we are ever called to truly serve.

Chris is a geniune servant of Jesus’ Kingdom and he is a leader we all should allow to influence us.

Because as Chris has learned from Jesus, and now is sharing with us, authenticity initiates conviction and vulnerability invites trust.

It is these characteristics that are making this man, and it is this man who is the reason that God is changing the Lakeland community.

Thank you Chris for simply being EXACTLY who you are!