What do we do to our leaders
I have been thinking today about leadership. I have always believed leadership is a calling and actually as a Christian, I believe a spiritual gift. What tends to happen is people who demonstrate this gift tend to find more leadership roles stick themselves to them, and they get called to lead at a higher level. A good clergyperson, who leads an active dynamic church, will get called to be an Archdeacon, or a Bishop or an Archbishop. Or a good youth evangelist gets to be called to be a CEO of a mission agency!
No one should ever come into Christian ministry just to become a Bishop or Archbishop, or even a CEO! They should come into ministry to serve, to love, to preach, to bring people to Christ. I know leadership is important, but Christian leadership takes people away from the very thing that fires their souls, and energises them. Leadership of course takes people away from the coal face, and they become more strategic and management focussed. But I wonder if part of the soul of a Christian leader is eaten away by not doing the very thing they got into ministry for?
If I look at myself. I think I got this job, because I can communicate with younger people, and I can be relevant. I think I got it because I am a pioneer and an evangelist, a practitioner. My colleagues can look at me, and say yep he understands what I am doing and facing. Yet leadership will, despite your best intentions to the contrary, isolate you.
As the church faces financial difficulty,we will probably cut the number of bishops that we have. Because we cannot afford the cost of these set apart bishops. But I think a church in a missional situation like ours, needs MORE leadership not less. We need MORE bishops! Or maybe I should say we need more episcope! More leadership, because not always do bishops give leadership !! (controversial!) However, I think they should be over smaller areas, and should have pastoral charge over a church. Therefore keeping their feet on the floor in the real world of mission and church life.
Maybe this is just a personal cost for me, but the very thing I think got me selected for high leadership, is the very thing that is being set aside to enable me to lead. Maybe that is the cost leaders are required to make, to give up their first calling to serve and to reach out. Maybe I will be a better leader for understanding that. Maybe to be an effective Christian leader, I need to always want to be back on the front line, and not enjoying the spoils of high office. I pray I never get to enjoy them so much, I would be afraid to go back.
4 comments:
Mark
You write this thoughtful blog on the day that we think about Jesus washing the disciple's feet. For me, that is the mark of leadership - bowing down and doing the dirty work. I am sure (I know)it is a model you try to follow!
Praying for you over this Easter period.
Neil
I am not too sure leading an active dynamic church neccessarily means the clergy person of such a church is a good leader. It doesn't always follow. They could be an ordinary person with a really able congregation. I do think leadership does not always mean leading from the top. It also means leading from whereever God has placed you and it might be visible or invisible. Yes perhaps the church needs Bishops overseeing smaller areas, but perhaps they should push a bit. What about non-stipendiary Bishops. Non-stipendiary suffragans working as a team within an area.There are plenty of generous and able self supporting people who would be able to combine a smaller area of oversight with a 'day job'. Perhaps the church should pilot the idea. Perhaps with a woman!!! Other than that cut costs, focus on the key areas and postpone the rest etc etc I agree those of us in 'high office' of what ever kind always need to remember that we receive to give. A pouring in and a flowing out
I wonder, is leadership more about who we are than what we do? If that is true then how can one define success? Was Oscar Romero a good Bishop? maybe, maybe not. Was he a good leader? Absolutely!!
don't think about going back - just go forward! But, do both and - leading and getting your hands dirty, reaching out should always go hand in hand. Our life needs to speak of what we teach others to do, or what we say lacks power and authority.
Post a Comment