Back on the playground, tag was a fun game—fun until the sound "You're it!" rang in my ear and I felt a rude slap on my shoulder. Being tagged meant feeling a panicky self-consciousness as my friends ran squealing away to the schoolyard boundaries. But the feeling was short-lived, ending as soon as I could catch someone else unawares and pass on the mantle of "It!"

At times, leading Bible studies and church committees can bring on the same feelings. When you first are selected or "volunteered" to lead a group, you may feel you're squirming under the hot lights of examination. Can I do this? Will people accept me?

At least, I felt those feelings when I first began leading a women's Bible study. Along the way, though, I learned some important lessons about being a new leader.

Following a Class Act

"Sharon's group"—that's what we called our weekly women's Bible study. I remember Pastor inviting her to the front of the church to announce the group. Tall and blond, Sharon reminded me of an ...