Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark Reflections on the Challenges of Congregational Leadership in Danish and Scandinavian Context

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark What am I doing? Am I really a leader? Or …

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark An Emerging church needs a new kind of leadership Innovation? Health? Growth? -- Leadership is the key!

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark Dying Church – Lack of leadership!? good

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark Churches and members churches5500 members churches6500 members churches7500 members churches6000 members churches5000 members I’ll show you later

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark Before ( ): Leadership as a reward The pastor is ‘the king’ Authoritarian leadership Moralism Discipleship = respectable And … the church was growing The reaction ( ): - Everyone’s a leader - The pastor is ‘nothing’ - democratic leadership - Everything’s allowed - Discipleship = Sunday hobby And … the church was declining Who we where

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark a mission movement From a mission movement ’Lutheran state church to a ’Lutheran state churchWannabee…!’ - State recognition And so we got it: - State recognition - civil registration - ’real’ pastors - big organization - big church buildings

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark Baptist identity in Scandinavia / Denmark: Believers baptism and democracy (only!)

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark Baptist identity i Scandinavia: Believers baptism democracy Focus on: Membership –not discipleship Ordination – not serving Liturgy – not freedom Focus on: Structure – not fellowship Demo-crazy: - Everyone can say what he wants everywhere about all issue in the way he wants! - Decision-making = voting!

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark Risk of split Summer camp (charismatic) in competition with our annual meetings. No one attended our seminary. Membership - rapidly declining. Many churches started their our projects. Less (financial) support to the Union. It was a necessary crisesIn fact: It was a necessary crises – a wake up call from God: ‘Do you really want to be a church, or…?’

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark The decade was a time of reflection and decisions Conclusions: - New inspiration - We become more mission oriented - young leaders - decisions about big changes: - Structure - Education - Mission consultants - Annual meeting

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark Structure Before: 15 hours business meeting at our annual meeting elected a committee with 15 persons. Now: 5 hours business meeting at our Mission conference elects a committee with 5 persons. And twice a year one delegate from each church is invited to a talk-and-decide meeting

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark Scandinavian Academy of Leadership and Theology From a Baptist seminary with one student to a inter denominational Scandinavian education of mission workers and leaders. 30 students in Denmark, 150 in Scandinavia

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark Mission Consultants

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark Mission conference

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark Mission conference From a 3 days annual meetings (business meeting) with 400 attendances to a 6 days festival with more than 1200 attendances (500 under the ages of 25) 2000:1400 attendances 2001: : : : : : :1300 -

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark New Changes after 2000 New International Mission: From Euros in 2002 to Euros in New magazine 2005: From internal information's with debate to an external witness about faith and church life. Care for pastors: Since 2003 a team and a part time counselor. Integration: Since 2004 a ‘Church Integration Service’

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark Churches and members churches5500 members churches6500 members churches7500 members churches6000 members churches5000 members churches5260 members

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark What have we learned about leadership? Good Leadership IS the key to changes in the church (both local and national) Good leadership needs: Education, training, wisdom and courage! Don’t be afraid of new management ideas and organizations theories – Everything they know they learned in the church!

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark New leadership – new principle we use: Value based leadership Visionary leadership Transformational leadership Enabling leadership Delegating leadership Communicative leadership Team leadership Servant leadership Brave leadership Praying leadership Inspiring leadership Democratic leadership Visible leadership

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark We need leaders who can tell the truth and not only the things we want to hear!

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark Agent Johnny English: ’He knows no fear He knows no danger He Knows Nothing!’ We need wise and brave leaders!

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark ’I'm their leader, I have to follow them!’ We need leaders who dare to lead!

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark ’We are all leaders!’ We need leaders who gets the permission to lead

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark The new kind of leadership is to often about so called strong leaders!

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark We want leaders who looks like our selves

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark We only wants to be leaders together with people who are just like ourselves

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark Challenge: Challenge: The treat from Mordor ”You will unite or you will fall” Vision: Vision: The Ring has to be destroyed, thrown in the flames from where is came The Mission: The Mission: One shall do it! But he can’t do it without the others – Fellowship Of The Ring Team based leadership

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark Another famous team

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark A team with many skills and gifts

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark Jesus gathered a team of 12 disciples

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark US President: Arnold Schwarzenegger ’I was elected to lead, not to read!’ not to read!’

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark So what have we learned? We know more about the Bible and the Anabaptists - and we want to learn more. We know more about the culture in which we live, and the people whom we serve – and we want to learn more.

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark Forwards to The Roots

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark Christ centered Religious freedom Mission Fellowship of believers Believers Baptism

Prague 24. August 2007 Baptist Union of Denmark The challenge and trends now More flexible and relevant structures Encourages young people… Help churches to be healthy Be aware of interdependency New mission projects – together New ecumenical experiences (unite churches) Future leadership is coaching and mentoring More… … …