I'm currently reading Edward Hammett's book, Spiritual Leadership in a Secular Age: Building Bridges Instead of Barriers. I'm finding it very interesting and wanted to share one paragraph with you.
"Spiritual leadership in the church sees their primary function as preserving the institution and its history. Often these leaders give verbal assent to carrying out the biblical mission, but their behavior and schedule more often than not are dominated by institutional concerns over mission objectives. Spiritual leadership through the church focuses more on mobilizing members for mission rather than pacifying members or maintaining institutional matters. Spiritual leadership as the church dissolves the distinctions between clergy and laity and creates a mission-minded, culture-penetrating partnership for the cause of Christ."
Providing spiritual leadership in the church merely maintains the existing system and is the primary reason 80% of our churches are now plateaued or declining. Unfortunately, this is type of leadership that most churches want from their pastors. When churches say they want a pastor who is a strong leader, they mean they want a pastor to provide strong leadership in the church to ensure its survival.
Real spiritual leadership must happen through the church as the members are encouraged and trained to minister to the surrounding community. This is the leadership required for the church to begin to become a missional church. However, the best spiritual leadership occurs as the church removes the barriers between clergy and laity and truly begins to impact its culture for the Kingdom of God.
The question for each of us is are we providing leadership in our churches, through our churches, or as the church? The answer is important.
2 comments:
I think the beauty of bivocational ministry is that it requires the people of the church to choose to be empowered for the work of the ministry. If the pastor is not there to be a hired hand, but is instead the equipper that God has called him to be, the folks in the fellowship can lead in the areas God has called them.
This is tough for some of us ministers to swallow, as we like for people to look to us as the "Spiritual Leaders" of the church. We MUST get over ourselves and equip as we minister with our congregations if we are ever to see God's leadership in the way He desires us to see Him.
That's my two cents - worth what you paid for them! ;)
Jeff,
You are exactly right about that. In fact, I believe it is one of the best things about bivocational ministry. Everyone in the church must be involved in ministry if anything worthwhile will happen. Pastors who have been trained to believe that THEY are the only ones who can do the ministry finds it difficult to allow others to use their gifts. I have found that some who say they wish their people were more involved become concerned if those folks actually do begin to minister!
Just put the two cents on my tab!!!
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