FATSO is the acronym that I’ve used all my years of ministry as a grid for those that catch my attention and demonstrate capacity for leadership and promotion. The acronym simply stands for: faithful, available, teachable, Spirit led, and obedient. After all these years in ministry and leading at different levels I have learned that the acronym serves true no matter the size of the church.

But here’s the biggest issue for me, the other day I was taking a walk and thinking about what is it that catches my attention about certain individuals that I want to promote into greater leadership? The one word that came to my mind was, “capacity.” In other words can this person lead? Can they lead more things? But before they could lead at a higher level – they have to qualify for the first letter in the acronym… The F! Faithful! Faithful simply means showing up, being there, being consistent, being “countable.” As I am writing this scrolling through my mind is the picture of individuals that I would love to give leadership to, to promote, and eventually see come on my staff. But the problem? They don’t show up, they are not consistent. So much potential, so gifted, so charismatic, but yet not even an F….. When you’re not faithful you’re not even a FFFFF, so how can you be a FATSO?

There’s people that if they simply consistently showed up to things they will be noticed, they will be promoted. One leadership teacher said, “90% of success is simply showing up.”

To the gifted, to the talented, to the charismatic this may not seem like a big thing. But Jesus said if you’re “faithful” in the “small” things you will be put in charge over much. This is like what the Scripture says that many are called but few are chosen. So let’s work on the F…. And then from there we could work on the …ATSO.