This week I am back at school taking my last DMin class. With a class in January and another one this week I have been covered up trying to complete all my assignments as well as trying to serve my churches. I'm behind on my assignments, but I'm working hard to catch up. The best news is that this is my last class! Once I complete the assignments for the class I can focus my attention on the thesis. The subject for my thesis has been approved, and I have started coaching those individuals who volunteered for the project. One of my goals for 2009 is to complete everything by the end of 2009 and graduate in May 2010.
My class this week is "Developing Leaders." It's been a great class so far, and we're only completed the second day. So few church leaders have any intentional plan to develop leaders in their churches. Most of us operate like I did during most of my pastoral ministry. We think if we are faithful in preaching and teaching that leaders will just naturally develop. Leadership is more caught than taught. It is only when we are personally investing our lives in potential leaders than we can expect to develop leaders, and only when we are developing leaders are we preparing our churches for growth.
One of the questions we've been asked this week is, "Are you a leader if you are not developing leaders?" Our class was divided on that question. I would be interested in hearing your response to this question.
3 comments:
Dennis,
Good to see another blog! I thoroughly enjoy your writing, and am encourged by every blog.
I saw Dave Stone, Pastor of Southeast Christian in Louisville, KY the other day on the local cable channel last week. The show he was on was a discussion show put on by the Louisville Metro Government. The topic was - you guessed it - leadership. Dave was asked to define leadership with one word. The word he chose was "influence." I would have to agree - it seems to me that leadership by its very nature means influence of others to step up to the plate and lead. Effective leaders should reproduce, and in the best cases, work themselves out of a job!
p.s. I responded a while back on a post about boundaries. I have been setting some boundaries with my church regarding student ministry, and I will do as you said and email soon you with how it is working out!
Keep up the good work! Thank you for your encouragement....
Hi Jeff,
Thanks for your encouraging words. Influence has been discussed at class a great deal this week as one of the key elements of leadership, and for good reason. If a person is not influencing others he or she is not providing leadership. It's also good to hear about your boundary setting, and I look forward to hearing how that's going.
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