Category Archives: Leadership

Nov 18 2009
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Devotional Thoughts, Leadership

“Less Banter, More Mission” – Jesus

Acts 1:1-8
1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach
2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.
3 After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
(NIV)

The first eight verses of Acts are loaded.

Jesus was crucified, resurrected, then appeared to (at least) a few hundred people convincing them He really was alive. In the days following, He continued teaching about the Kingdom of God, and shortly before His final ascension into heaven instructed the disciples to stay in Jerusalem until “the gift my Father promised” – the Holy Spirit – came upon them.

It was at this point that the disciples wanted to have a theological discussion about the restoration of Israel … they still didn’t get it.

They asked when Israel would be fully restored, and Jesus responds to their question with something like this: “Stop worrying about that – the Father will take care of it! After you receive the Holy Spirit, your job will be to serve as my witnesses all over the world … THAT is what you need to be concerned with!”

And if you read further into Acts, you learn that they listened. 

In the very next chapter of the book 3,000 gave their lives to Jesus. A couple of chapters later, 5,000. By the end, all of Jerusalem, Samaria, and the surrounding areas had heard about Jesus, and thousands upon thousands had committed to following Him.

Jesus called the disciples to serve as His witnesses. This wasn’t a command just for the Twelve Apostles – it was then, and is today, for all disciples of Jesus.

Witness. Share with others what you’ve seen and experienced in Christ. Share with others what Jesus is all about. As they say in our beloved black churches – TESTIFY!

That was the disciples’ mission then – it’s the disciples’ mission today.

Less theological banter regarding non-essentials, more mission.

Witness.

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Oct 31 2009
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Books, Leadership, Personal Growth, Resources

Five Types of Dysfunctional Leaders

I attended a preacher’s gathering a few days ago at a retreat center located in the foothills of the Sierra-Nevada mountains. Warren Baldwin facilitated much of the discussion for us, and part of what he shared included the five types of dysfunctional leaders as defined in McIntosh & Rima’s book Overcoming the Dark Side of Leadership: How to Become an Effective Leader by Confronting Potential Failures.

As with any sin, the first step towards repentance is acknowledgement. Leaders have to be aware of their shortcomings before they can change them, and I found this list to be quite insightful.

Five Types of Dysfunctional Leaders:

1) The Compulsive Leader – These types of leaders feel like they have to do everything. They manage every aspect of a church, refuse to delegate, and feel compelled to give their input into everything. They lack trust in others, and, as a result, fail to let anyone else take responsiblity for anything hindering others’ growth. Biblical example of a compulsive leader: Moses.

2) The Narcissistic Leader – These types of leaders are self-promoters. They’re stuck on themselves. Everything revolves around them – they need to be the center of everything. They need to look better, sound better, be better. They overemphasize their own strengths while devaluing the strengths of others. Biblical example: Solomon.

3) The Paranoid Leader – These types of leaders are shackled by suspicion. They’re paranoid that others are better, smarter, and sharper. They have an inferiority complex and are desperately afraid of someone stealing their limelight. They overreact to the mildest forms of criticism and blow up if someone causes them to be even slightly embarrassed in front of others. The most common manifestation of paranoid leadership in churches is a senior minister refusing to let other staff members preach because the congregation may like others’ preaching more than their own. Biblical example: Saul.

4) The Co-Dependent Leader – Co-dependents don’t chart a course – they simply react to what others are doing or have done. Co-dependents aren’t leaders, they’re reactors, and are notorious for withholding critical information from others causing ill-informed and bad decisions to be made. Biblical example: Samson.

5) The Passive Aggressive Leader – This type of leader feels like they need to control everything. When not in control, they passively reject performing and are often gossips with wicked tongues. The #1 symptom of a passive aggressive leader is that they’re chronically late. They use excuses to dominate and control situations (scheduling other appointments at the same time, coming late/leaving early). Biblical example: Jonah.

Know anyone that fits one of these profiles?

I’m ashamed to say it, but I waffle between #1 and #2.

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Oct 23 2009
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Books, Devotional Thoughts, Leadership, Preaching, Teaching

Information without application squelches transformation

… post-Reformation biblical scholarship let its course be determined by the most intensely felt need of the hour: a ground of authority from which to debate with Rome. The scriptures, against their own will, intention, and warning, became the “paper pope,” with the result that the present was sacrificed, immediacy in preaching was lost, and congregations became accustomed to being sacrificed weekly on the altar of “sacred history.”

 

During this period we learned more about the Bible than we had known, thanks to new biblical disciplines: literary, historical, textual, and form criticism. All subsequent Christian scholarship would be, and is, profoundly indebted to this period of scientifically critical biblical investigation. But the sad fact in the midst of it was that all this attention on the bible moved it farther and farther from those with whom it was shared in lesson and sermon. A deep resentment and discontent began to emerge in churches as many sensitive Christians rejected the “Divine economy” that the situation implied: In Bible times the people had God, but we have only the Book. No one can be content bearing the brunt of some cosmic joke that says, “You were born too late to be where God’s action is.”

 

Fred Craddock
As One Without Authority, p.33-34

The Bible is not irrelevant, but some teachers’ and preachers’ way of handling scripture makes it seem so.

The Bible not only reveals how God has worked throughout history, but also how He continues to work in the present.

Preachers and teachers must be intentional in highlighting how scripture applies today and how God is working today. Information without application does not lead to transformation.

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