Faith Venture

Leadership in the past age.

I just picked this image yesterday a little at random while surfing the Web. But it seams to represent the old “command and control” leadership developed with the industrial age.”

Churches have that, too. Catholics have had that a long time–although not without bumps along the way. Protestants thought they got away from it a few hundred years ago, but they just have fewer levels of hierarchy.

It’s still often a one-to-many style. There is a place for a good teacher who can teach to many. I listen to a few of these people every week–Bill Hybels, John Ortberg, Andy Stanley. They keep me grounded.

But even among Catholics, the idea of entering the “full-time Christian ministry” as a profession is weakening. They are consolidating some parishes in our area due to lack of priests. Seminaries are hurting all over the country. The high price they charge is seldom seen worth the reward. I look at some of the curriculum from time to time and cringe. Not from a liberal v conservative v fundamentalist v whatever point of view. More from a “they’re charging this much money for this type of class!?” point of view.

Leadership mentors promising people. Providing education as the need arises.  But also practical work of helping others–either in ministry or missions (inward to the brothers and sisters or outward to the world).

Except for those teaching times, that picture should be more like all blue and one grayed out.

• Empower people to do ministry
• Develop teams
• Collaborate on projects
• Mentor others (or seek a mentor)
• Get out of the building
• Do ministry and mission you’re passionate about
• Be passionate in living with-God every day
• Leaders say, “How can I help you”

This entry was posted on April 2, 2013 at 6:12 am and is filed under Leadership. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.