Jeralyn Belote Mid-Month Deep Dive

Jeralyn Belote is the Head of School at Calhoun Christian in Battle Creek Michigan. She is a personal friend and one of the most articulate and humble leaders I have ever worked with. I had the privilege of serving on her Board of Directors for 8 years and know this is a woman after God's own heart. Connect with Jeralyn on LinkedIn. 

Transcript

Jason: 0:05

Welcome to the biblical leadership at work mid month. Deep dive. And today's bonus episode. Our guest hosts revisit one of our most popular interviews. If this quick recap inspires you. Then be sure to check out the full episode. For even more great insights

0:22

Hey, everyone. Welcome to another deep dive. We're diving into Christian leadership today with Gerilyn Belote. Head of Calhoun Christian school, right? That's her. And you know how you all are always asking to hear from leaders who, you know, actually walk the walk. I've been getting those messages. Well, get ready, because Gerilyn's story, it's, uh, Well, it's full of good stuff. What's got you hooked? Honestly, how she became a leader in the first place. It wasn't like a straight shot to the top. Which, let's be real, makes it way more interesting. I'm all ears. So she starts out in special education. Really? What got her into that? It was her sister, actually. Her sister's experiences were a big inspiration. Wow, you know, when you think about the empathy you develop working with kids who have, you know, different ways of learning, right? That's got to shape you as a person, for sure. And I bet that kind of understanding is crazy valuable when you're in charge. Absolutely. It's like, You're laying the groundwork for leadership without even knowing it. You're learning to be sensitive to what each person needs, how to help them be their best, and honestly, that's huge in any leadership position, but especially in a school. And here's the thing. She was totally content teaching in public schools, like super dedicated to her work. Then, She decides to send her own kids to a Christian school. Makes sense. Yeah, so she enrolls her son in Calhoun Christian school. And that's where she ends up as the head honcho. You got it. Talk about a turn of events. It makes you think though like those choices We make the ones based on what we really deeply believe. Yeah, they can have a ripple effect You know, you just never know what doors they might open or what's waiting on the other side and for Gerilyn that door led straight to The head administrator's office. Didn't she say she didn't even want that kind of job? Not at first No, but sometimes it's like Our calling has other plans, you know. It's like it was meant to be. And we're not just talking about any school here. Calhoun Christian, they've got over 40 churches represented in their student body. Whoa, 40. 40. You're talking about a whole lot of different viewpoints. That's got to be, I mean, how do you even navigate that? That's where her leadership motto comes in. Restorative grace. Okay, I like the sound of that. But what does it actually look like in action? It's gotta be more than just, you know, keeping everyone quiet. Right. So what does restorative grace actually mean in practice? It's about making reconciliation and understanding the most important things. Like, even more important than, you know, always agreeing. So it's about building bridges. Exactly. Even when people see things differently. And they actually have a really specific way to do that at Calhoun Christian. Oh yeah? What's that? The Matthew 18 Principle. Now, that rings a bell, but to be honest, I might need a little refresher. It's all about addressing conflict directly. Like, instead of complaining to other people about someone, you go straight to the person you have the issue with. It's amazing how we'd rather gossip than just talk to the person directly. Right. But it's amazing how often that one little thing, just being open and honest, can just clear the air. So no more whispering in the hallways? Well, hopefully less. But, the point is, you go straight to the source. And if that doesn't work, if you're still not seeing eye to eye, That's when you bring in someone else. Like a mediator or something. Exactly. But the focus is always on that direct, respectful communication. Okay, so it all ties back to that restorative grace idea. Right. You're focused on fixing those broken connections. Yeah. Making it a safe place for people to disagree, but still commit to working through it together. Hmm. That's, uh Powerful stuff. It really is. And what I think is so cool is that the students, they're learning this too. Absolutely. And like, they're being equipped with these conflict resolution skills that'll help them way beyond their time at school. It's like they're learning a whole new language. The language of grace and reconciliation. And that's something this world could really use a lot more of, don't you think? A hundred percent. It really is. I mean, it's like, they're actually learning how to be peacemakers. Mm. You know, like how to actually bring people together. And in a world that feels, like, constantly divided. Man, that's huge. For sure. But all this, it kind of makes you wonder, like, how do you actually build that kind of culture? Especially in a school, right? Exactly. Where does it even start? Well, with Gerilyn, she's super open about the fact that she hasn't always been perfect at this whole leadership thing. Right, she talks about struggling with people pleasing. Oh, yeah, big time. Especially when she was first starting out. I can totally see that. It's tough, right? Wanting to make everyone happy all the time, you end up feeling responsible for how everyone feels. And that is not a recipe for, like, success, you know? It's a recipe for burnout, that's for sure. Yeah. So how'd she get over that? A few things. First, she's big on having good people around her, like a team of advisors. Okay, so not just yes people, but people who will actually challenge her. Yeah, exactly. People she can bounce ideas off of. People who will help her make tough decisions. And you know what's interesting? She went out of her way to find people from all different backgrounds, different points of view, because she knew she needed to hear a wide range of perspectives. Makes sense. You gotta have different voices at the table. Absolutely. And prayer, too. She talks about how important prayer is for her leadership. Like, she'll literally just stop, even if it's for a few seconds, and pray. Wow. Even in the middle of, like, A crazy day, especially in the middle of a crazy day, it's about staying connected to like the bigger picture, remembering who she's ultimately answerable to, which is God, not people and man, I'll tell you, that's a game changer right there. I bet it is. It's like when you realize that your identity, it's found in Christ. Not in what other people think of you. You're free. Totally. Free to lead with conviction, to make tough decisions, even when they're unpopular. And that right there, that's what she sees as the biggest problem in leadership today. Not just in Christian leadership. Not at all. She sees it everywhere, this lack of integrity, you know, people, organizations, they're so Quick to abandon what they believe in just to please people or chase the latest trends. Yeah, it's like, where do you draw the line? When do you stand your ground? Exactly. And she's particularly concerned about what she's seeing in some Christian schools. It's like they're losing their way, compromising their values without even realizing it. It's like one small compromise leads to another. And then another. And before you know it. You're totally off track. And it all comes down to integrity, right? Like, Are your actions actually matching up with what you say you believe? A hundred percent. And it's not always easy. There's always going to be that tension, that pull to choose sides, you know? Yeah, especially in today's world. So, how do you hold both grace and truth at the same time? How do you do that? That is the question. And she uses this really interesting illustration, the story of Jesus and the woman at the well. Have you heard it? I mean, yeah, kind of. It's one of those, like, Sunday school stories, you know, but I'm not sure I remember all the details. So, Jesus is at this well, right, and he meets this woman who's, well, let's just say she's had kind of a tough life. And she's totally shocked that he's even talking to her. Because she's a woman. Right. Right. Back then, men, they just didn't talk to women in public like that, especially not a woman who, you know, had a past. Exactly, but Jesus, he doesn't care about any of that. He talks to her with such compassion, offers her this living water, which is like this amazing metaphor for eternal life. But here's the thing, and this is important. He doesn't sugarcoat anything either. What do you mean? He tells her the truth about her life, about her choices. He challenges her to change, to turn away from the things that are hurting her. It's like he's showing her both grace and truth at the same time. Exactly. He loves her right where she is, but he also loves her too much to just leave her there. Powerful stuff. It makes you think about how we treat people, especially those who are different from us or who've made mistakes, you know. Absolutely. And you know what else really struck me about Jerilyn's story? What's that? It's that statistic she mentioned about how so many young people today, they walk away from the faith. Yeah, it's like 75%, right? Yeah, something like that. And it breaks my heart, you know, because it shows just how important it is for Christian leaders, whether they're in a school, a church. Or even just in their families. Could be good examples. Exactly. They need to show what it really looks like to live out your faith in a way that's real and attractive and, you know, actually makes people want to stick around. And Gerilyn, to her credit, she's not pretending to have it all figured out. No, no, not at all. She's super open about the fact that she's still learning, still growing. Which I love. It's so refreshing, you know? It's like, do it. She's leading from this place of humility, recognizing that we're all in this together. In fact, she was talking about this podcast she's been listening to, Theology in the Raw. I've heard of that one. And how much she appreciates the way they tackle these really tough cultural topics. It's not always easy to talk about that stuff. No, it's not. But it's so important, you know, we can't just shy away from the hard stuff. We have to be willing to engage with these issues, even when it's uncomfortable. And Gerilyn, she gets that. It's like she's always pushing herself to go deeper. To learn more. And she's encouraging her students to do the same. It's like that quote, faith seeks understanding. You know? I love that. Because it's true. We shouldn't be afraid to ask hard questions. To wrestle with doubt. That's how we grow. And that brings us back to that challenge Gerilyn leaves us with. How do we create those spaces, those communities, where everyone feels like they belong? Where everyone feels loved and accepted, no matter what. Man, that's, that's a big one. It is. But I really believe it's possible. And I think it starts with each of us. What do you mean? It's about taking a good, hard look at ourselves. Like, are we showing that same grace and truth to others that Jesus showed to the woman at the well? Are we willing to listen, to love, unconditionally, even when it's hard? That's the heart of it, isn't it? Leading with love. It's not always easy, but it's always the answer. It really is. Well, on that note, I think it's time to wrap up this deep dive. As always, we hope this conversation has given you some things to think about, to chew on, maybe even to disagree with. That's okay. That's what it's all about, right? Absolutely. Until next time, keep asking those tough questions, keep seeking truth, and keep leading with love.