Three
years in the making, and there it is in your hand. The feel of fresh creativity
brought to life. The scent of new paper and ink. It's a book, and it's beautiful.
Three
years in the making, and there it is in your hand. The feel of fresh creativity
brought to life. The scent of new paper and ink. It's a book, and it's beautiful.
That was our experience, holding the first copies of Leadership for Today fresh
off the press. It has been an exciting journey, one we'd like to share.
Many of us have long been concerned about the decline that is happening in every
main-line denomination. What is the issue? What is the problem? Is it something
that can be fixed, or is it a trend of the times we just have to live with?
We began to sense an answer when we came across a column in the United Church
Observer some years ago written by a minister from North Vancouver. He observed
that there was a crisis in leadership in the main-line church and went on to
wonder why for so many years leadership had been a bad word in his denomination.
Clergy were told to facilitate, enable or coach - but not to lead.
Leadership is not only a good word, but in today's church, an all-important crucial word. We're not talking about a power play or Lone Ranger do-it-yourself kind of leadership. We are talking about true leadership, one that seeks to bring out the best in people and make it possible for them to become everything God intends them to be.
Our next question was where to find insights into that agape motivated leadership. We read books on leadership that were available from the Alban Institute and church writers in Canada. We assessed what books dedicated to leadership in the business world had to say. We combed the Internet for insights. We thought back to the congregations we had worked with where leadership was making a difference. We taught a course at St. Stephen's College on Managing Personal and Organizational Transformation that featured leadership as a major component.
A definite, if somewhat fuzzy picture, began to emerge. Everyone talked about vision. They talked about dedication. They painted a picture of an effective leader as one who put results before personal prestige, who cared more about people than profit.
We are not sure just when it happened, but there was a moment of clarity when
we realized everything we were reading about and observing to do with leadership
was right there in Jesus' ministry. It was the leadership we see as Jesus travelled
around Palestine gathering followers, speaking of the Kingdom of God and setting
his face toward Jerusalem. There were eight facets to that leadership that for
us stood out very clearly.
1. Jesus was anchored in a spiritual experience of God.
2. He had a vision of what he called "the Kingdom of God" that continues
to energize us today.
3. He took a flexible approach, always looking for more effective ways to get
the job done.
4. He told stories that truly communicated.
5. From the very beginning, he created a team to work with him and carry on
when he was gone.
6. Never one to play it safe, he was willing to risk whatever it took.
7. When the time for talk ended, he took action.
8. He was truly authentic, walking the talk and relating on a person-to-person
level.
When we were writing Wings Like Eagles one of our basic rules was that we would
not include anything unless we had personally seen it work effectively in a
congregational setting. That same rule remained foremost in our minds as we
expanded the eight facets of Jesus' leadership style into the eight chapters
that occupy the centre of our book.
We made a list of the congregations we had observed being effective and recalled what we had observed by way of leadership. Some of the insights we had already captured in articles for this newsletter. Then we got on the phone and set up interviews with the leadership of other congregations that were making a difference. The journey enriched us immeasurably, and our thanks go out to the thirty or so congregational leaders - both lay and clergy - who shared so openly with us.
That done, all we had to do was write it up - and remind ourselves of just how Jesus' model worked for him by including that picture at the start of each chapter.
We gave the manuscript to our Board at the Centre and also to ten leaders who were making a difference in their congregation, asking for their comments and suggestions. The last step was a final edit by Heather Marshall, a former book publisher and skilled editor.
This book contains a lot of material. It looks at Jesus' three years of ministry with new eyes. It explores the nature of vision and spirituality and authenticity, to name only three of the eight. There are stories and more stories, because we Christians are above all story people. It has some specific "how-to-do-it" advice, recognizing that every situation is different and will require a unique approach.
But above all, this book is a prayer for the church, that it become the place of spiritual support our grandchildren need as they take on the challenges of a future world we can hardly imagine. That is the way we hope people will read it - with a candle burning as a reminder of God's presence, and a passion burning in their hearts for a church that is dedicated to the primary task Jesus left his followers and us - the task of transforming lives into everything God intends them to be.
* * * *
What some readers have said about Leadership for Today:
I have found affirmation for the direction in which I want to go, language
to help me name some of the steps I need to take if I am to go in this direction,
and have really appreciated the stories.
Alan Richardson
Camrose United Church
This is a wonderful book! It walks the reader through a practical application
of Christ's leadership teachings and role modeling and applies to today's issues.
Ralph Westwood
Spruce Grove
Congregational News Sept. 2009 Vol. 16 No. 1