Friedman summarizes this concept in his book, Generation to Generation - Family Process in Church and Synagogue, "If a leader will take primary responsibility for his or her own position as ‘head' and work to define his or her own goals and self, while staying in touch with the rest of the organism, there is a more than reasonable chance that the body will follow. There may be initial resistance but, if the leader can stay in touch with the resisters, the body will usually go along." This group's resistance, which is usually expressed anxiety, applies a pressure toward homeostasis (a desire for things to remain the same and toward togetherness). This anxiety will continue to increase as long as it can affect and manipulate the leader. However, the leader must not respond to the anxiety and must project what Friedman calls a "non-anxious" presence, to allow and accept the anxious tension the group is projecting. In so doing, the group loses its power to manipulate the leader away from their self-differentiation from the group.
Many times emergence phases begin and end in what Robert Clinton calls "boundary conditions". He defines a "boundary condition" as an instrument that brings a change from one phase to another resulting in a respective and usually growing sphere of influence together with an associated principle lesson or leadership value. For example, groups nearly always resist change. However, the group must change to grow otherwise it will become dysfunctional and die. The group's opposition to change, and the affect the opposition has on the leader is a boundary condition. In this example, the boundary condition teaches the leader that sometimes God's people resist His directions for change. Common boundaries include:
1. Entry - God directs and challenges the leader into ministry.
2. Training - God develops the leader's skills and spiritual gifts to enhance affectivity. This is where the emerging leader begins to discover their gift sets or gift clusters. Often God challenges the leader with conflicts that are designed and intended to strengthen the conviction of their call.
3. Relational learning - God enables the leader to relate to authority and other people in motivating and influencing ways. Leaders sometimes have difficulty submitting to authority, especially an authority that tests of their maturity. Leadership backlash, which can be common in this phase of emergence, can be God's instrument to teach perseverance, commitment and clarity of vision and faith.
4. Discernment - God helps the leader discern and apply spiritual principles that govern ministry. Knowing spiritual warfare strategies and discerning between principalities and powers, spiritual influence through oppression and possession, and the spiritual weapons and their use are key for leadership. God teaches the leader to pray for the spiritual protection of their ministry and the people in their sphere of influence. Ultimately the goal is a shift from doing ministry to being a minister which thereby releases spiritual authority through the leader.
Learning various avenues of guidance is very important to the emerging leader. Several ways of discerning God's will are through many counselors (Proverbs 15:22), through God's Word (Psalms 119:105), through direct revelation (Psalms 48:14), by acknowledging God's ways (Proverbs 3:5), by humbleness (Psalms 25:9), by the Holy Spirit (John 16:13), by a fleece (Judges 6:36-40) or double confirmation (a internal sense of God's direction confirmed by another event or person), through divine interventions and contacts, through spiritual mentors/counselors, through conflict (as it opposes to God's purposes) and divine affirmation. Regardless, the leader must actively seek guidance in all of its many forms. Possible sources may include fellowship with peers, reading books and magazines, particularly biography of Christian leaders and the disciplines of silence and solitude.
After a leader emerges, Robert Clinton outlines three stages of the life of a leader. They are:
1. Life maturing is where the leader is in a satisfying ministry mode and they are learning how to be effective and efficient. They learn what to do and what not to do.
2. Convergence where God moves the leader into a role that matches their gift mix and experience so that ministry is maximized
3. Afterglow where the leader has built up a lifetime of contacts and continues to exert influence in their relationships.
Experiencing Worship, The Study
Used by churches all over the world to help teach worship, the Experiencing Worship study can help your worship team too.
Your team will learn why we worship and gain a better understanding of how to worship.
One user said..."Your 5 week study course has made a tremendous impact on my life in the study of worship... I would like to express my thanks for a well written study course that leads into a higher realm of praise and worship."
Experiencing Worship, The Study