I just spent a day at Fir Point Bible Camp near Glendale, Oregon. The director of the camp is Jeff Moritz, who is married to Megan. It was a marvelous camp to watch. The campers this week were third- and fourth-graders, little guys. For some of them, it was their first time away from home, and I was there on their first night. I saw lots of homesickness and lots of hand-holding.

What impressed me most about the camp was Jeff’s style of leadership. He didn’t run a meeting, he didn’t speak, he didn’t lead worship, he didn’t run the staff meeting, he wasn’t working in the kitchen, and he didn’t do recreation. He was just the leader. He had trained everyone else to do those jobs. His intern, Carter, is a marvelous young man who has learned important leadership skills because Jeff gets out of the way and allows him to lead. It was a tell-tale sign that Jeff understands that leading isn’t doing. Leading is motivating. It’s allowing others to take the lead.

All of us at AMF desperately need to learn that. Sometimes I wonder if our leaders get in the way of our future. Is it possible the young, emerging leaders in the organization can’t get a voice because all of our leadership spots are filled up?

My guess is that the Fir Point leaders’ meeting at seven in the morning could have gone a little more smoothly, a little better, if Jeff had run it. But Jeff just sat there and allowed Carter to lead the meeting, and Carter did a great job. At the very end of the meeting, one of the counselors (cabin staff) looked up and said, “Jeff, I just realized you were in the meeting.” Doesn’t that speak of a great leader – one who knows how to get the job done through other people?

Way to go, Jeff! Hats off to you, Megan! You figured out what true leadership is.