Images of Leadership
Leadership Skills for Effective Ministry
Leader’s Notes
Draft 11/25/2001
Hence Images of Leadership. The nine images are meant to form a
package, a composite image, of leadership from scripture. One of the
more unfamiliar. But the composite of images helps to avoid the danger of
over-generalizing. In other words, it is easy for a shepherding leader to
quality. So taking a broader survey of some of the biblical images and
of teaching.
Each image, each chapter of the material, can easily stand alone and
group. So a staff person working with a group may decide that the first
thing the leaders need is a teaching on the leader as sage, for example.
as I will outline below. I have taught the material over two days with
in a church setting. My ideal schedule would be Friday night, all day
Saturday, two sessions, about 6 months apart. I would try to cover sessions
1-5 during the first weekend, and sessions 6-9 during the second. But of
taught this material on campus, I am eager to teach this early in the
year.
. In fact, I have tended to use the servant material (chapter 2) during
the spring of the year as an intro seminar for all students interested
in leadership for the following fall. I take 2 to 2.5 hours to go
through the whole seminar: an hour on the scripture studies, followed
by shorter presentation of the material in the notes, followed by small
group discussion of a campus-oriented case study (see the leader’s
notes for an example—the one in the printed material is more oriented
toward a church).
. The Shepherding material (chapter 1) can be taught over the course of
three weeks for on-campus leadership training of small group leaders
and other influence leaders in a chapter. Don’t rush the scripture
study.
. The Patient material (chapter 3) can also be taught in the Spring, as
people are deciding to be leaders, or else during the fall, as the
initial excitement about being in leadership is giving way to a job-
description approach. In this way, people need to be reminded of how
God is healing/developing them and their character through the
experience of leadership.
. Chapters 4 and 5 address influence dynamics. The sage image (chapter 4)
addresses the situation you have when people trust you and are asking (in
one way or another) for your advice. The sentinel image (chapter 5)
addresses the situation when the people you are seeking to influence or
lead aren’t coming to you looking for advice. They may need challenge or
exhortation, but for whatever reason they aren’t initially seeking such
influence. It is helpful to make a distinction between these two postures,
and to recognize that a full leadership role includes the ability to lead
through gentle questions and good listening at times, but also the ability
to challenge and “exhort one another every day” as is sometimes necessary.
. Chapters 6-9 form a body of material I tend not to use with new leaders,
but rather with leaders of leaders. Or another way to put it: chapters 1-5
addresses the leadership of groups, while chapters 6-9 speaks towards the
leadership of teams. On campus, this means I would use this material with
a new exec team, or other student leaders of teams of leaders (outreach
team, worship team, drama team, publicity team, mission team, etc). New
small group leaders may not really need the vision stuff, but the people
leading small group leaders do. If you are doing staff training with this
material, I would expect most staff are in the place where this material
will be extremely helpful. But younger students don’t need this latter
material—focus your training of them on the dynamics of shepherding,
servanthood, and influence.
. Chapter 6 speaks of vision. A crucial concept for anyone who would lead
any team trying to accomplish anything but the most rudimentary of
tasks.
. Chapters 7 (Steward) and 8 (Sponsor) could also be renamed The Leader
as Manager and The Leader as Coach, respectively, though steward and
sponsor are more directly biblical concepts. But these chapters deal
with crucial questions of management, planning, and delegation (chapter
7) and training and empowerment (chapter 8).
. Chapter 9 (Sower) speaks to the topic of multiplication. The scripture
study on multiplicative ministry followed by the session on Leadership
Development is built on much of the previous material, especially the
Leader as Patient. It presents a powerful argument for the basis of on-
the-job leadership training (campus based during the school year versus
relying solely on summer leadership training at chapter camp). I almost
never use this stuff with student leaders, but it would be crucial for
staff, and would be very helpful for many churches.
More detailed leaders commentary.
Following these introductory remarks are leaders’ notes on each session.
These take the form of points that I have put on my manuscript or said in
discussion, without much editing or prioritizing. What immediately follows
is a summary of teaching strategies and teaching points for each of the
nine sections. This will give you a sense of how the session is organized—how 90-150 minutes is spent on each session.
others not, at least in part due to temperament. Yet it can be a helpful
choice, competence, meaningfulness, or progress. Help people to identify
The Leader as Sponsor
Luke 9:1-6, 10; Luke 10:1-12, 16-21: How does Jesus prepare these folks for
their ministry experience? What does he give them? How does this empower
them? Anything different in the second passage?
| Passage insights |
Staff life applications |
| He gives them power and authority |
He gives them the authority and |
| to cast out demons and heal the |
resources to do what they have been |
| sick. |
called to do. How do we entrust and |
| empower staff to do what they need |
| to do on campus? (Both training and |
| freedom, flexibility are needed.) |
| How comfortable are we with the |
| ”power and authority” to heal and |
| do spiritual warfare? Why? |
| He gives them partnership with one |
We can be tempted to value coverage |
| another. He isn’t so concerned |
over partnership—we value |
| about covering territory that he |
partnership in the abstract but we |
| send them out alone. |
are willing to stretch our human |
| resources too thin. |
| He gives them a chance to take a |
Do we give staff big enough risks |
| huge risk. They could easily fail. |
that they could fail? Leadership of |
| It is an empowerment act of Jesus |
summer projects, chances to |
| to send his disciples out with |
innovate in ways that could fall |
| some key resources (authority, |
flat. |
| power, training, partnership, |
| vision) but also without some |
| resources (money, luggage, extra |
| clothing). Both of these things |
| call forth courage and boldness. |
| He gives them the expectation of |
Fund raising is obviously a huge |
| success. They are to take no food |
area in which we rally staff to |
| or money, yet they will be |
take risks that could easily fail. |
| provided for by the people to whom |
But FR isn’t the only area. Trying |
| they are sent. This experience of |
to raise a summer team—speaking |
| seeing Jesus’ words and |
about a project as if it going to |
| instruction prove true will be |
happen (yet with no firm confidence |
| hugely empowering. |
people will follow your lead) is |
| another way. Leadership of staff |
| empowers them to plan big and |
| expect students will follow. |
| Yet he gives them instruction so |
They begin to learn about the |
| as to know how to deal with |
difference between being |
| rejection. This will help them not |
responsible to preach the word, and |
| take the failure to be welcomed by |
responsibility for people’s |
| a town personally, to recognize |
reception of that word. They are |
| that other’s receptivity is their |
responsible to, not responsible |
| problem, not the disciples. |
for. |
| Rejection doesn’t equal failure. |
| More detailed instructions for the |
There is a training value in having |
| larger (and one presumes less |
experienced leaders hear detailed |
| experienced) team of people being |
training targeted toward new or |
| sent out. I assume the 12 went out |
younger leaders. They get to go |
| as well. (The “70 others” of v1 |
over familiar ideas and material, |
| doesn’t have to mean “other than |
becoming more conversant with these |
| the 12” but could be “other than |
things while the new folks are |
| the would-be disciples” of Luke |
being exposed to them for the first |
| 9:57-62.) |
time. |
| 10:2: “The harvest is plentiful”: |
Do we think of the harvest as |
| this is empowering simply by |
plentiful? When we begin outreach |
| helping them (or calling them) to |
to first-year students, do we |
| see that there is much to be done. |
expect that dozens or hundreds of |
| They have not been sent out merely |
people come to campus with |
| to scavenge for the last few |
spiritual hunger? Or do we expect |
| minuscule grains of crop—the |
tepid response? |
| harvest rather is plentiful. |
| 10:3: “See I am sending you out |
Telling people about the risks or |
| like lambs into the midst of |
downsides of the choices they make |
| wolves”: they probably feel this |
to be bold with their friends will |
| way. Their first time out (for |
help them face their fear, and |
| most of them) without Jesus. |
perhaps even to conquer their fears |
| Whatever enemies Jesus has, at |
ahead of time. |
| least he has always remained in |
| control of public situations. But |
| what about them? They too will |
| face opposition. Yet it is better |
| for them that they know this is |
| what they will face. |
| 10:5-7: If you greet someone in peace, and they reply to you in |
| peace, then trust the welcome you receive and stay there. Don’t keep |
| second-guessing, but rather get on with your mission of preaching, |
| teaching and healing. |
| 10:7: “Remain in the same house, |
People in ministry, especially |
| eating and drinking whatever they |
people who enjoy their ministry, |
| provide, for the laborer deserves |
can forget this, because the |
| to be paid. .” They are told that |
non-remunerative returns are so |
| a laborer deserves to be paid. |
fantastic (joy, significance, |
| purpose and meaning). These rewards |
| can make it possible to feel guilty |
| for receiving material compensation |
| as well—since our work doesn’t |
| actually feel like work to us. Yet, |
| Jesus’ admonition applies: the |
| laborer deserves to be paid. |
| 10:7: Do not move about from house |
We may feel this way about |
| to house. They might have a |
individual donors—once they have |
| tendency not to want to impose on |
given a little to us not to ask for |
| anyone too long. |
more. Or new friends in a |
| place—don’t impose ourselves too |
| much, but spread ourselves around, |
| as if friendship with missionaries |
| is a burden best borne in small |
| quantities by lots of people. |
| 10:8-9: eat what is set before |
1) I’d like to grow in my ability |
| you; cure the sick who are there create an expectation that God |
| these instructions sound very |
will use us to heal people |
| basic, down-to-earth, almost |
physically; |
| detailing how to be polite to |
2) we must remember that we do have |
| people who don’t get out much: |
a healing ministry to all the folks |
| ”remember to eat whatever they |
we encounter—their receiving a |
| give you, and don’t forget to heal |
touch of God will affect the wounds |
| anyone who needs it”. He doesn’t |
and brokennesses of their lives |
| imply the contingency of this |
3) as we commission people (new |
| healing—they just need to |
leaders, leaders at the beginning |
| remember to do it. Not, “try to |
of a new year) we must speak with |
| heal everyone, who knows, with |
expectation and hope of the people |
| some of them it might work.” |
they haven’t met who will come to |
| be blessed by their offers of |
| friendship and servanthood. |
| 10:9: ”’The Kingdom of God has come near to you.’” This would be |
| empowering to hear Jesus say that we can say to people to whom we |
| come near, “The Kingdom of God has come near.” Of course, the K of G |
| is near because God’s King, Jesus, is near. But even more than that, |
| we can be encouraged that as his representatives (though not perfect |
| reflections, as he and we both well know), we illustrate something of |
| the Kingdom of God also. |
| 10:16: “listen to you = listen to |
When we are doing Jesus’ ministry |
| me; reject you = reject me”: Jesus |
in his name, he understands that we |
| says that when they meet with |
aren’t perfect, sinless, and total |
| rejection, it is not because of |
experts. And yet he says that |
| their tactics, but that people are |
people’s response to us is really |
| rejecting Jesus. This again helps |
their response to him. We don’t |
| them understand that it isn’t |
need to take it personally. |
| their fault. |
| 10:18: “I wathed Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning.” |
| Jesus is aware of a spiritual battle going on, one that perhaps the |
| disciples missed. We too can easily miss it. |
| 10:20: “Nevertheless, . Rejoice that your names are written in |
| heaven.” It is possible to be excited about the wrong things in |
| ministry. As much as the advance of the kingdom brings a rush—o the |
| power!—it is really our own relationship with God that matters |
| most. |
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