The "church leadership" explosion occurred after I graduated from Sem in '78. I wish I had been better prepared to navigate my way through the quagmire. Having been a student of leadership / management literature over the years, and having observed the good/bad/ugly in church and marketplace leadership, I believe Calvin Sem would do well to reinforce the pastoral nature of ministry leadership (see Eugene Peterson, William Willimon...). Also pay attention to the sound wisdom in leadership/management on book shelves today. In the tradition of biblical wisdom, there are those who pay close attention to best practices [e.g. Pat Lencioni] and we are wise to listen. Clarify the nuances of leadership that pastors face -- leading down (those who are following), leading across (with staff & colleagues), & leading up (helping to equip the council to whom you are accountable). And today there is a growing collection of insightful literature on the practice of individual and communal discernment [Wes Granberg-Michaelson, Leadership Inside Out; also Alban Inst publications].
Thanks for your thoughts & encouragement, Karl. Let me add a couple additional and very helpful readings on communal discernment: Discerning God's WIll Together: a Spiritual Practice for the Church IMorris & Olsen, Alban Inst] & Transforming Church Boards into Communities of Spiritual Leaders [Chuck Olsen, Alban Inst]. I have not practiced communal discernment processes at the classis level, but we have built it into the fabric of our congregational annual ministry planning. I/we are still learning. It is such a paradigm shift, but I am convinced a necessary one and one worth the effort. Starting with more modest practices may be the way to whet the appetite.
Posted in: Leadership in Ministry Course - Your Input Needed
The "church leadership" explosion occurred after I graduated from Sem in '78. I wish I had been better prepared to navigate my way through the quagmire. Having been a student of leadership / management literature over the years, and having observed the good/bad/ugly in church and marketplace leadership, I believe Calvin Sem would do well to reinforce the pastoral nature of ministry leadership (see Eugene Peterson, William Willimon...). Also pay attention to the sound wisdom in leadership/management on book shelves today. In the tradition of biblical wisdom, there are those who pay close attention to best practices [e.g. Pat Lencioni] and we are wise to listen. Clarify the nuances of leadership that pastors face -- leading down (those who are following), leading across (with staff & colleagues), & leading up (helping to equip the council to whom you are accountable). And today there is a growing collection of insightful literature on the practice of individual and communal discernment [Wes Granberg-Michaelson, Leadership Inside Out; also Alban Inst publications].
Posted in: Becoming Communities of Discernment
Thanks for your thoughts & encouragement, Karl. Let me add a couple additional and very helpful readings on communal discernment: Discerning God's WIll Together: a Spiritual Practice for the Church IMorris & Olsen, Alban Inst] & Transforming Church Boards into Communities of Spiritual Leaders [Chuck Olsen, Alban Inst]. I have not practiced communal discernment processes at the classis level, but we have built it into the fabric of our congregational annual ministry planning. I/we are still learning. It is such a paradigm shift, but I am convinced a necessary one and one worth the effort. Starting with more modest practices may be the way to whet the appetite.