Last night I had one of the best evenings I have had at Crofton Baptist Church. Two guys - recent home group leaders - came round to pray, talk leadership, and rejoice in what God is doing in their lives.

I gave them both an intimidating set of definitions of leadership that I had taken from Christian books on the subject, and asked what they thought. "Well that's not us, then" they said. So we went to Philippians 1 and 2 Cor 1 to see how spiritual leadership is being fellow workers for people's joy and progress in teh Lord. My friends just lit up! It was really encouraging.

But more encouraging still was that they have pursued me to get some time for training and discipleship as new leaders. An old colleague of mine used to say "look for the FAT people - those who are faithful, available and teachable. It doesn't matter if they don't know much yet, if they are willing to learn that is then thing that makes all the difference." (I would add the opposite - if someone knows loads of stuff but has ceased to be open to learn I think they are less likely to be good leaders).

I want more people to be like my two friends. I want to be like them myself - people who are sponges soaking up everything they can get about God, His word and leading in his church. There is almost nothing I wouldn't drop to help people like this.