Leadership

Leading From Within or Without?

Ten years ago my wife and I made it a priority to travel to different parts of the country to experience the different subcultures of the US. This, of course, was when we had two incomes and no kids. Times have changed. But I still reminisce through our many pictures of the rich experiences we had together.

One of my favorite trips was to the Northeast. We traveled around Maine and then made our way down the coast landing in Boston. I had a very specific mission while in Boston: find a particular park bench in the Boston Public Garden. It was this same bench that made an appearance in a movie I saw in college, Good Will Hunting. In one of the more moving scenes in the film, Sean (Robin Williams), a psychologist and college professor, is sitting on the park bench talking to Will (Matt Damon), a troubled orphan from South Boston. Will is an interesting character. He lived a troubled childhood in the slums and fighting was his favorite recreational activity. But Will is also a genius. Whether it’s history, art, or mathematics, his knowledge seems to know no bounds.

The Challenges of Social Media

I’m not sure why, but I vividly remember the first time I ever heard the word “Twitter.”  At first I thought about the oddity of the word, a word that elicits all kinds of sarcastic comments, comments I was quick to offer. I was also skeptical that this “new” social media tool could ever be of any benefit.  Whatever the reason, I remember the day.

It was in October 2008 while sitting in a class entitled “Missional Ecclesiology.” On the first day of class the professor not only introduced us to Twitter, but also forced us to create an account so that we could utilize Twitter for class interactions.  He actually waited for the first ten minutes of class while we begrudgingly created our accounts and posted our first tweets.  It was obvious that we were all thinking the same thing: “This is stupid!” 

The Egocentric Leader

“The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them” (Isaiah 11:6).  I’ve always thought of this verse as a quaint and colloquial depiction of how peaceful life would be during the end times.  Complete enemies would sleep in the same place and adults and children alike live in such harmony that a little kid could lead everyone on earth.  Additionally, I had always thought that children could take on this leadership role because children trust God more and have better faith.  After all, Jesus says his followers ought to have faith like a little child and Christians are to learn this from them.  Who better to set an example of leadership than a small kid?  Well, have you ever seen a child actually lead?

Mentoring: One Tool in the Development of Leaders

Those who have a passion for ministering to children often find themselves immersed in a multitude of programs while many around them watch from the sidelines, often cheering them on.  If we really do desire to help our children walk faithfully with God then we cannot afford to do everything ourselves while allowing those who God has sent to minister with us to sit and watch.  God has called us to become mentors to those who desire to serve our children.  Mentoring must become a focus of our ministry.

The purpose of this article is to provide brief history, types, and characteristics of mentoring.  The article, which is taken from a research paper on the topic, is not designed to be a "how-to", but rather to provide background that challenges the reader to consider such an endeavor.  A complete copy of the paper is available by emailing the author.

Leadership – From the Center

Energizing the church begins with spiritual renewal, but it will also require us to re-think some issues of leadership. How we lead - and structure - the church will impact our effectiveness either positively or negatively. We may facilitate or inhibit the renewing, energizing work that God wants to do in and through His church. Good intentions and spiritual fervor are not enough.

I want to explore two types of leadership, leading from the center and managing the boundaries. While effective leadership is always some mix of these two skills it is important to consider which tends to form, even dominate, our leadership.

Leadership from the Boundaries

We have typically approached leadership is terms of boundary management. This approach is expressed in terms of institutional or management control. The leader functions as a "gatekeeper" who guards the boundaries. This takes the form of approval, permission and resource allocation. We ensure that persons in leadership or positions of influence can "pass" the clearance of theological orthodoxy or organizational loyalty. I can manage the direction of ministries by requiring their clearance as a requirement of their placement in those positions.