Being a Leader - Part 4

In the previous three sections, we discussed the idea that leadership is a manifestation of our character and who we are as leaders. As such, leadership is an internal characteristic. We also discussed how leadership can be identified as it emerges in various character traits or gift clusters. In the last section we also discussed the worship leader's influence on the congregation and the high biblical expectations for church leaders. Now we will be turning our attention to the various stages of leadership from emergence to when the leader concludes their ministry by passing the torch.

Leader Emergence

Many spiritual leaders know they are called but have nebulous ideological and philosophical understandings of their specific calling. Because of this, emerging leaders have difficulty discerning what is needed to mature their gift effectively and how they will fulfill their ministry goals and their destiny. The reason God's direction and call on the leader is hard to determine is twofold. First, spirituality itself is defined in abstract terms such as sanctification, justification, devoted follower of Christ, new creature in Christ; all have different meanings depending on the person and their context. Secondly, our view of the future is, at best, dim (1 Cor. 13:12). Because we don't know these details, we daily seek direction from God in a living and vital relationship. This daily discipline forms the context of the emerging leaders call. However, while the leader's spirituality originates in their relationship with God, it is also expressed outwardly to those around them. The leaders spirituality is the sum of their experiences in a destined, gifted and empowered relationship with the living God. Spiritual leaders become tangible and discernible reflections of their spirituality, vision and destined purpose which, in turn, inspires others to seek their own spiritual maturity.

Robert Clinton, in his book The Making of a Leader, focuses on the leader's previous experiences as indicators of their future ministries and influences. He recommends emerging leaders plot out a time/life line for the purpose of revealing their state of preparation. Clinton asserts that there are six maturation phases of leadership. Below are his first three stages of leader emergence:

1. Sovereign foundations where God providentially works through family, environment, and historical events beginning at birth to create the leader's personality and characteristics.

2. Inner-life growth where the leader learns the importance of praying and hearing God. The leader will grow in discernment, understanding, and obedience.

3. Ministry maturing where the emerging leader begins to reach out to others. Ministry is becoming their focus. Through the various opportunities to serve and minister, the leader can identify his or her gift and skill mix. They also become introduced to a greater cross section of the Body of Christ allowing them to express their gifts in different styles and cultures.

During these three phases, God strengthens the leader's character by testing their integrity, obedience and their authority. As they grow, leaders develop the foundational elements of their ministry, call and focus.

While they are emerging, Edwin Friedman adds the leader, in order to be effective, must become "self-differentiated." Self-differentiation is knowing one is somehow separated while remaining connected to the group they lead; it creates a boundary that defines where the connection to the group ends and where the independence from the group, as a leader, begins. On one hand, being self-differentiated from a group conflicts with the groups fundamental nature to desire togetherness. On the other hand, the leader, in order to lead, cannot remain simply a member of the group. Therefore the leader must balance the amount of separation from and togetherness with the group in order to be "separate" enough to lead but "together" enough to remain part of the group.