“Leadership is an art, not a science.” I think that this statement alone has a lot to teach us. It is true that the typical and long-standing approach to leadership, both within the church and without, has primarily been as a formulaic, predictably reproducible science. We have tended to see it as some process, a series of steps to be taken that will, upon successful completion, give us a large degree of influence and power over those who follow. There seems to be a large disconnect between this understanding of leadership and the thriving of a God-filled ministry. For too long we have been content with a hierarchical model in which one leader emerges as supreme, defining the vision and ultimately seeking the alignment of everyone else. The good news is that this does not have to be the case. There is a beautifully creative leveling of leadership that is possible, which brings both freedom and mutual success to all members. What if we could reconnect this value, this lifestyle, this high calling from God back to its biblical roots? What insights do the Scriptures give us? Provided that the quotation at the very beginning is indeed true, it should come as no surprise that what we are presented with in the Bible is a stunning picture rather than a surefire method. In 1 Corinthians 12, the image is of one body with many different, but equally valuable parts. This passage has volumes to speak on creating a much more organic leadership style, where control and singular master plans do not reign, but rather the Head of the Church – Jesus Christ – does along with the people he has called together, uniquely equipped and gifted to labor for one purpose, that is, service to God. There is no need for a solitary and charismatic leader to arise and sway the masses to follow him and his mission (especially in a ministry context) when the authority of Jesus over the entire endeavor is rightly understood. Instead, the focus shifts to how each member of the body fits into the larger spiritual community – what role do they play, what special skills and insights can they offer? As the text reveals, there is mutual respect and concern for each other. An individualistic or independent attitude has no place here in the body as we can clearly see in the foolishness of one part declaring to another, “I don’t need you!” The body is a unit that functions, feels, moves, decides and collaborates together. It is alive and unpredictable, representing the truest expression of this elusive concept we call spiritual leadership. There is something very Other about it; we are not used to this overwhelming leveling of the playing field with its decentralization of power, sharing of authoritative voice, equality of opinions and interconnectedness of spirit. It is highly unheard of in our everyday business world, whose models have had significant influence on the church over the years. This is why turning to the very Word of God is so paramount. Where else could we find a paradigm so permitting of a multiplicity of vision and so enthusiastic about seeing its community become who God has made it to be?
The ministry I am helping to lead is the Walk/WyldLife, reaching out to middle school kids. I can appreciate the way in which spiritual leadership was framed during the first class because it is definitely the kind of model I would like to see come to full fruition in our ministry. Leadership has changed several times, as people have come to join the team and then gone. There has been a great deal of collaborative effort and input, but I would say that there is room for a more organic and shared leadership style. It is good to have a main contact person, but it can become quite easy to put all the responsibility and ultimate decisions on them. Sometimes there is a fear of taking on leadership by team members (I would fall into that camp) and other times there is too much control being assumed. Luckily, we have had new team members who are not afraid to jump into the unknown and be willing to serve in whatever way is necessary. They have brought energy, experience, new gifts and a refreshing attitude to the ministry. The body metaphor helps to explain why the makeup of our team looks the way it does, with its different personalities and skill sets. God has made each one of us a part of this body that we, as a team, form. And I know that there are still many parts to be added into this network of members so that a more complete body will take shape, all functioning together for the mission to which they have been collectively called. The image of a weaver, carefully interlocking unique pieces to create something larger, stronger and markedly more beautiful is how a spiritual leader and team of leaders are to be. God has given each of us a dream and is calling us into missional communities to live them out. He, as the Master Weaver, is intertwining the lives of our leadership team and is showing us how to empower one another rather than concentrate authority in the hands of a single leader.
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