Some churches and church leaders are trying to chart a course back to God's mainstream of changing lives, growing disciples of Jesus the Christ, and transforming communities. As we do so, there's much talk about leadership. As we rethink our identity and mission, we'll need to rethink what it means to be a leader in the Body of Christ.
In my church background, leadership largely was a matter of office or position. People ordained to be pastors were automatically leaders. If a congregation nominated you and elected you to chair the church's administrative board, board of trustees, or finance committee, that made you a leader. Titles and formal authorization made for leadership.
While office and position are important aspects of leadership, they tend to support leadership as it serves static structures or organizations. Movement leadership may be something else, in these days when the Church needs to rediscover its dynamic, "movemental" character, especially as we are now in an era and culture that no longer grants automatic authority to organized religion.
Consider Jesus. You know the rundown...no formal education, no inborn prestige or title, no official religious credentialing, etc. etc. Yet no leader has had or continues to have the impact that Jesus wields. What does that say about leadership in the Church as a movement? What did Jesus embody that went beyond formal titles and authorization?
During the summer I'll converse regularly with a group of people in whom the Holy Spirit is stirring something and with whom I'll explore what it means to be a leader as a Jesus-follower in these days. So what do you think? What does it mean to be a leader? I'll see you around the next river bend.
Raking Leaves
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Fall is here. The sun is moving towards the edge of the frame where, in
just a few weeks it will hit the bumper rail and start back towards the
other side...
2 years ago
3 comments:
3 things immediately popped into my mind as I read your post.
1- God doesn't send the equipped, he equips those he sends.
2- The story of Sheffy, a circuit preacher in the 1800's who wanted to be "certified" but was denied because he was often seen praying on the side of the road and engaging in other "equally odd" practices & lack of formal training. He continued to do what God led him to do anyway.
3- My own personal lesson where I thought I was put into a position to "lead" a group of people in study. I felt I was responsible for the group because I was the "leader". Instead, God showed me I was not responsible for the group at all, I am merely "the keeper of the key" (to the door) the group is His deal. My only responsibility is to show up at a certain time, on a certain day, unlock the door and wait.
The footwork is mine, the results are God's.
Good comments on leadership; however we must make sure our leaders are doing so from a spirit of faith, not personality. In too many congregations leaders are nothing more then individuals searching for their own goals. The definition of leadership does not include "good" or "bad" -- just someone who can influence others.
God will provide the leaders we need if we will just ask him to be in charge.
For me, effective leadership is only possible if the leader does not mind who gets the credit. In fact, can you imagine the staggering spiritual success if all churches put this principle to work? Receiving credit is so ingrained in us as competitive Americans that it is probably difficult to imagine. Yet, if you can visualize it, you can also visualize an explosion of His kingdom on earth. (Geoff, this may not be where you were going with this thread...just some random thoughts as I was splashing around in the shallows, longing for the deep end.) Thanks to Ed Young for the metaphor.
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