DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP

It never happens accidentally. The church could learn some lessons from the sports world. Scouts for the team are always looking for potential players. Then there is an investment in a prospect, an invitation to a training camp and ultimately an opportunity offer. Intentional leadership development done now secures the future. It accepts that the leadership team will change over time. It presupposes an understanding that leadership is not “holding onto power”. Leaders are groomed. Invite – Invest – Inspire – Impact. Did Jesus know anything about this?

SLOGANS FOR CHURCH LEADERS

These radical sayings sure have a ‘kick’ to them! They come from inspirational spiritual leaders via Carey Nieuwhof of Connexus Community Church in Barrie. Are you willing to embrace the radical? – because that is what it will take to do church successfully in the 21st century!

· If you are going to reach people no one else is reaching, you are going to have to do things no one else is doing.

· When your memories exceed your dreams, the end is near. Church life sometimes feels like its 90% nostalgia, not 90% vision.

The next generation’s visionary accomplishments almost never come from the previous generation. You can fight the next generation of leaders, or you can fund them. You can stifle them or you can inspire them.

· Focus on the people you want to reach, not the people you want to keep. This requires a heart for the prodigal generation. It also requires those who are ‘here’ to work not watch.

A CONUNDRUM

Leaders are to be bold and persevere (see the last leadership post). Leaders are also to be sensitive to God’s leading, and sometimes that means change. Romans 8:14,15 confirms that we dump fear (first point) and are led by the Spirit (second point). How do we do the right thing at the right time? I write this at Pentecost. Acts 2 is all about the Holy Spirit indwelling, strengthening and building joy and confidence into the lives of disciples. Wait for the promise. The breakthrough will come. And then what sweet success! But in Acts 16:1-10 I see Paul, Silas and Timothy being redirected by the Spirit. They wanted to go to Asia and Bithynia but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow it. Then God’s call comes through the ‘Macedonian Vision’ where significant conversions take place (Acts 16:11-40). Perhaps we can express it differently: “you gotta know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em”. I guess wisdom and experience fit into discerning the Spirit’s leading too?

What Shapes a Leader?

Calling … personality … strengths, talents, gifts … tasks/job descriptions … mentors – I think these are some of the more obvious answers. But what about the less obvious? Perhaps we can call this the “darker side of leadership” or the “hard side of leadership”. Leaders develop by experiencing the challenges of temptation, criticism and discouragement. Perhaps this why we say leaders must be courageous. Perhaps this is why the “duck and cover” syndrome sets in when the call for leaders goes out. Leadership brings visibility with responsibility. Wide open to the arrows and grenades of criticism, the discouragement of defeat, the lure of temptation, the leader is refined. This kind of shaping is sometimes rough, but never without reward: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21)