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Leading the Congregation: Caring for Yourself While Serving the People
Leading the Congregation is a complete and definitive guide to the practice of church leadership. The book describes new paradigms for the leader that integrate spiritual integrity and service within a "systems" view of the congregation and its ministry.
- GenresLeadershipTheology
339 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1993
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July 23, 2012
This has to be a polar opposite to Oswald & Kroeger's book Personality Type and Religious Leadership. The revised material opens Pandora's Box to the life of a religious leader with danger and delight. My first observation is the opening illustration everyone on deck `C' and no one at the helm. It sets the tone for the rest of Part One. Although I can appreciate the two observations noted under the `danger of leading' the third hit home. Leading others through change has a cost and consequence that I have come to appreciate greatly. Through the eight years of planting and developing City Church the cost in finance and people has been great - but worth everything. I would enjoy the shared experience of the class in stories that have cost each class member as they challenge what others value. It may even cost some of us during the discussion!
I remember bringing change through a process to our church governance. The people who were in positions of leadership had little difficulty. But what it did was expose who was pulling the strings of these leaders - their wives and other strong families in the church. Ultimately, most of them left the church along with their financial support. This did not prevent anything from moving forward as a whole, but the cost was personal in morale and money. Thankfully, God has given us over the years good men and women who can serve the Lord by serving others and not themselves.
A second observation would be that the interior attitudes of a leader, characterized in childlikeness, humility, desire to serve and self-examination, did not seem to fit with the flow of text before or after it. Although each point was described very well, especially childlikeness, I became distracted. I would also disagree that we should take ourselves seriously in the context of who we are in Christ. It left it too open to be silly instead of serious. I can remember many occasions behind the pulpit of saying the word `breast' instead of `blessed' and tearing the seat of my pants in full view of the congregation. This does not mean I am silly but able to laugh at myself.
The surprise came for me in the third chapter concerning a spiritual life of a leader. Although I understand it all comes from `who we are' and not `what we do' I found a new and refreshing dialogue for my own soul. This came particularly with the concentration in the three elements of Jesus' spirituality. I've read it many times but never seen it within this context. It left me wanting to sharpen my personal disciplines in prayer, fasting, scripture, spiritual conversation and worship. I regularly lead our own congregation to celebrate Holy Communion most weeks therefore this was not so new.
A third observation would be the central theme of my own life found in chapter four concerning the call of God. From Scripture to Ignatius the wonderful and maddening call of God is described. I found the five points of God's call to spiritual leadership clarifying to my own call. Most of all, the testing of a leader's call cannot be ignored but must be discussed at great length in the class. Too many of my own colleagues have quit serving as a pastor because of pressure. If there was an open dialogue between leading men, perhaps these leaders would not have thrown in the towel. It reminds me of a man who attends my own church who became frustrated by the lack of faith and slowness of his small congregation. In his early 40's he decided that serving as a pastor was not fulfilling enough for him so he founded his own financial consultancy. To this day he has found a measure of success, but is often drawn back to the pulpit of churches without a pastor. The call cannot escape him - although I believe he is blissfully unaware of this.
A fourth observation threw me a complete curve ball. Chapter six is an exploration into light and shadows cast by the leader. I could grasp the concept immediately but the way it is worked out became confusing and frustrating. The `spirit' is described as casting a shadow or light. This did not refer to the Holy Spirit but the context of the inner life of the leader. Here is where I am confused. Scripture talks about the inner life of the Christian having died with Christ, buried with him and then raised with him. The way Shawchuck and Heuser describe this leans more to a new age approach. My spirit is one with God's Spirit. I am not suggesting I am always obedient and submissive but Ephesians clearly tells me that my own spirit was dead but made alive in Christ. The concept is that a leader will project light or a shadow in his or her leadership. But is this not the attitude of our hearts? Further still, when we bring `light' into a situation is this not defined as Christ in us?
This is something I would be eager to discuss with the class in their own ministry context. To throw a little humor on this, I feel much better, confident, aware and insightful after a good night's sleep and a loving start to the day with my wife and children. I can guarantee that my colleagues in the office will feel a sense of `light' that I bring into the day. This is not my spirit but the attitude of my own heart. Also, the discerning of spirits that Shawchuck and Heuser explain is out of Biblical context. (1 Corinthians 12:8-10) explains that `all this is from the one and same Spirit' meaning the Holy Spirit. The distinguishing or discerning of spirits is entirely spiritual and never `mood' or `attitude' related.
Overall this was a good read that provoked and challenged. If it has not gone to publication yet, I would suggest looking again at the flow of Part One: Leading from within. It does not say who is saying what, Shawchuck or Heuser, but it appears these two men have differing ideas thrown into a single text.
I remember bringing change through a process to our church governance. The people who were in positions of leadership had little difficulty. But what it did was expose who was pulling the strings of these leaders - their wives and other strong families in the church. Ultimately, most of them left the church along with their financial support. This did not prevent anything from moving forward as a whole, but the cost was personal in morale and money. Thankfully, God has given us over the years good men and women who can serve the Lord by serving others and not themselves.
A second observation would be that the interior attitudes of a leader, characterized in childlikeness, humility, desire to serve and self-examination, did not seem to fit with the flow of text before or after it. Although each point was described very well, especially childlikeness, I became distracted. I would also disagree that we should take ourselves seriously in the context of who we are in Christ. It left it too open to be silly instead of serious. I can remember many occasions behind the pulpit of saying the word `breast' instead of `blessed' and tearing the seat of my pants in full view of the congregation. This does not mean I am silly but able to laugh at myself.
The surprise came for me in the third chapter concerning a spiritual life of a leader. Although I understand it all comes from `who we are' and not `what we do' I found a new and refreshing dialogue for my own soul. This came particularly with the concentration in the three elements of Jesus' spirituality. I've read it many times but never seen it within this context. It left me wanting to sharpen my personal disciplines in prayer, fasting, scripture, spiritual conversation and worship. I regularly lead our own congregation to celebrate Holy Communion most weeks therefore this was not so new.
A third observation would be the central theme of my own life found in chapter four concerning the call of God. From Scripture to Ignatius the wonderful and maddening call of God is described. I found the five points of God's call to spiritual leadership clarifying to my own call. Most of all, the testing of a leader's call cannot be ignored but must be discussed at great length in the class. Too many of my own colleagues have quit serving as a pastor because of pressure. If there was an open dialogue between leading men, perhaps these leaders would not have thrown in the towel. It reminds me of a man who attends my own church who became frustrated by the lack of faith and slowness of his small congregation. In his early 40's he decided that serving as a pastor was not fulfilling enough for him so he founded his own financial consultancy. To this day he has found a measure of success, but is often drawn back to the pulpit of churches without a pastor. The call cannot escape him - although I believe he is blissfully unaware of this.
A fourth observation threw me a complete curve ball. Chapter six is an exploration into light and shadows cast by the leader. I could grasp the concept immediately but the way it is worked out became confusing and frustrating. The `spirit' is described as casting a shadow or light. This did not refer to the Holy Spirit but the context of the inner life of the leader. Here is where I am confused. Scripture talks about the inner life of the Christian having died with Christ, buried with him and then raised with him. The way Shawchuck and Heuser describe this leans more to a new age approach. My spirit is one with God's Spirit. I am not suggesting I am always obedient and submissive but Ephesians clearly tells me that my own spirit was dead but made alive in Christ. The concept is that a leader will project light or a shadow in his or her leadership. But is this not the attitude of our hearts? Further still, when we bring `light' into a situation is this not defined as Christ in us?
This is something I would be eager to discuss with the class in their own ministry context. To throw a little humor on this, I feel much better, confident, aware and insightful after a good night's sleep and a loving start to the day with my wife and children. I can guarantee that my colleagues in the office will feel a sense of `light' that I bring into the day. This is not my spirit but the attitude of my own heart. Also, the discerning of spirits that Shawchuck and Heuser explain is out of Biblical context. (1 Corinthians 12:8-10) explains that `all this is from the one and same Spirit' meaning the Holy Spirit. The distinguishing or discerning of spirits is entirely spiritual and never `mood' or `attitude' related.
Overall this was a good read that provoked and challenged. If it has not gone to publication yet, I would suggest looking again at the flow of Part One: Leading from within. It does not say who is saying what, Shawchuck or Heuser, but it appears these two men have differing ideas thrown into a single text.
September 13, 2018
Poorly titled.
A few chapters are good, but others are discouraging and give few solutions.
A few chapters are good, but others are discouraging and give few solutions.
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