Missional Leaders? I've noticed that most talk about missional leadership points out what missional leadership IS NOT, instead of what it is--it's not hierarchical, its not pyramid-shaped, it rejects a clergy/laity distinction, etc. I'd like to put forth what I think missional leadership IS (keep in mind, that these are generalizations, and sometimes there can be exceptions.)
Missional Leadership:
- is a steward of the vision, not its creator nor its master
- leads by giving a tangible example of missional living
- focuses on fostering networks of relationships more than on building infrastructure
- recognizes and mobilizes the spiritually gifted, rather than delegating
- helps the community in spirit-led decision making, rather than making decisions for the community
- is plural rather than singular
- is based in function rather than office
- helps people to engage people where they are at, rather than focusing on leading a meeting to draw people from where they are at
- invests in who the Spirit tells them to, not just "top tier" people
- puts ethos development before systems development
- doesn't equate vision with control
- helps to shape ministry around people, rather than placing people in ministries
Perhaps, as I mull this over, I would simplify all of this by simply suggesting that leadership is about serving (really serving) the work that God is doing in and through others.
2 comments:
The word I use to describe these qualities you have listed is to 'empower'. So often we see controling leaders who have a great vision and are willing to burn up and burn out any number of people to achieve it. Missional leaders- or how about true Christian leaders- do all they can to make sure that they empower other people to fulfill what God has called them to do. If they do that then they are trusting in the Holy Spirit to lead and guide and direct and we find ourselves involved in something much bigger than ourselves. We find we are invited into the Kingdom of God.
Strider,
Good observation. I have shared with our local team that I understand our role as "annointing" those God has called out (same thing). That is to empower, encourage, help, mentor, back those who are accepting God's call upon their life.
Post a Comment