growing leaders

Session 1 Slide 2 Part 1Firm foundations for Christian disciples and leaders Part 2 Key skills of Christian disciples and leaders Part 3 Keeping faithful in Christian discipleship and leadership growth course

Session 1 Slide 3 GC 1 – Firm foundations for Christian leadership Session 1: Leadership matters Session 2: Establishing identity Session 3: Clarifying call Session 4: Developing character

Session 1 Slide 4 session 1 leadership matters

Session 1 Slide 5 session 1 overview Section 1 What is leadership? Section 2 Distinctives of Christian leadership Section 3 Leadership styles

Session 1 Slide 6 aims  To get to know one another better  To identify what we mean by Christian leadership  To identify our own leadership style  To clarify practicalities of the course

Session 1 Slide 7 section 1 what is leadership?

Session 1 Slide 8 Picture of the first thing that comes to mind when the word ‘leader’ is mentioned. What makes someone a leader? Write down key words. Picture of a leader who has helped you. Picture of someone you’d like to help develop as a leader.

Session 1 Slide 9 leaders in Ezra…  What sort of person was this leader?  How did they become a leader?  What position of leadership did they hold?  What do we learn from them as leaders?

Session 1 Slide 10 Who or what is a leader? This is the $64,000 question, but I would like to suggest that it is the wrong one. It immediately limits the answer to a narrow definition that doesn’t reflect the complexities of leadership. Instead, let’s ask the question ‘How might we define leadership?’ James Lawrence

Session 1 Slide 11 function aspects of leadership

Session 1 Slide 12 position function aspects of leadership

Session 1 Slide 13 ability position function aspects of leadership

Skill Knowledge Talent Something you acquire through training Something that is formed by the time you’re an adult Something you can learn Ability strength Spiritual gift Something that is given to Christians by God

Session 1 Slide 15 Romans 12:6-8 ‘We have different gifts, according to the grace given… If your gift is to lead, do it diligently.’ (TNIV)

Session 1 Slide 16 ability position function call aspects of leadership

Session 1 Slide 17 Thank you Go for it!

Session 1 Slide 18 leadership myth 1 leaders are certain types of people

Session 1 Slide 19 leadership myth 2 leaders must have all the necessary traits ‘Traits are related to leadership and helpful for leadership but not essential to leadership.’

Session 1 Slide 20 leadership myth 3 leadership is all about leaders leader situation follower

Session 1 Slide 21 leadership myth 4 ‘leader-heroes’ are the great leaders

Session 1 Slide 22 leadership myth 5 leaders must have the ‘gift’ of leadership

Session 1 Slide 23 ‘For the majority of people engaged in ministry, learning principles of leadership and administration requires disciplined effort, sustained application and careful study... Leaders must learn to lead. Every church deserves competent leaderships.’ Jesse Middendorf General Superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene

Session 1 Slide 24 leadership myth 6 leadership would be easy if only… A servant ministry: those who serve by leading and lead to serve.

Session 1 Slide 25 for reflection  Which of these myths predominates in the place where you lead?  Which is most likely to be suggested to you by the leaders you admire?

Session 1 Slide 26 leadership definitions A = strongly agree A B C D E E = strongly disagree

Session 1 Slide 27 section 2 distinctives of Christian leadership

Session 1 Slide 28 distinctives  Identify the marks of Jesus’ leadership  Summarise them in one sentence  Ask ‘would these distinctives be applicable to a non-Christian leader committed to the well-being of others?’

Session 1 Slide 29 distinctives  Biblical distinctives  Summarise these as a short list  Ask ‘would these distinctives be applicable to a non-Christian leader committed to the well-being of others?’

Session 1 Slide 30 what is leadership? ‘Several components can be identified as central to the phenomenon of leadership. They are:  Leadership is a process  Leadership involves influence  Leadership occurs within a group context  Leadership involves goal attainment.’ Peter Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice

Session 1 Slide 31 Christian leadership is… a servant-oriented relational process whereby those who lead, under God’s leadership, using their God-given capacity, seek to influence others towards a kingdom-honouring goal.

Session 1 Slide 32 One thing - one month One thing - next year One thing - next term

Session 1 Slide 33 Which distinctive presents the greatest challenge for you? Identify the one thing you could do over the next week to help with this. Write it on a Post-it note.

Session 1 Slide 34 lead more like, lead more to… to be led more by, Jesus

Session 1 Slide 35 leading like Jesus – why?  Pragmatically – he is a great leader  Theologically – he lived out the complexity of Christian leadership

Session 1 Slide 36 Jesus Shepherd (John 10:11) Sheep (John 1:36) Sacrificial lamb (Revelation 5:6)

Session 1 Slide 37  Pragmatically – he is a great leader  Theologically – he lived out the complexity of Christian leadership  Spiritually – it refocuses us on our Saviour, master, friend leading like Jesus – why?

Session 1 Slide 38 ‘It is not enough for leaders of the future to be moral people, well trained, eager to help their fellow human beings, and able to respond creatively to burning issues of their time. All of that is very valuable and important, but it is not the heart of Christian leadership. Henri Nouwen

Session 1 Slide 39 The central question is, ‘Are the leaders of the future truly men and women of God, people with an ardent desire to dwell in God’s presence, to listen to God’s voice, to look at God’s beauty, to touch God’s incarnate word, and to taste fully God’s infinite goodness?’ Henri Nouwen

Session 1 Slide 40 section 3 leadership styles

Session 1 Slide 41 OK… … time for some speed-dating with a difference!

Session 1 Slide 42 describe the way you like to…  Do a supermarket shop  Cook a meal for a friend  Spend a relaxing day  Go on holiday  Drive a car/ride a bike  Get up in the morning

Session 1 Slide 43 Romans 12

Session 1 Slide 44 leader directed follower directed Autocratic style Participative style Paternalistic style Delegative style Free-rein style Leaders have most of the knowledge and skills Followers have most of the knowledge and skills

Session 1 Slide 45 Autocratic style – I want both of you to… Participative style – Let’s work together to solve this… Free-rein style – You take care of the problem while I…

Session 1 Slide 46 leadership styles task people directingopen risk-takingconsidered big picturedetailed inspiringparticipative

Session 1 Slide 47 reflecting on styles  ‘There is no single leadership style which is always right or always best. Christ used various leadership styles in the course of his ministry.’ Discuss.  What insights does thinking about leadership styles in this way bring to your own leadership?

Session 1 Slide 48 choosing the right style  Context and environment  Task/mission: its nature, importance and timescale  People being led and their particular needs and preferred style of being led  Leader’s preferred style of leading

Session 1 Slide 49 a reminder…  Style not stereotypes  Preferences not priorities  Liberty not licence

Session 1 Slide 50

next session S2 Establishing identity Key delivery slots: Weekly teaching: Ephesians 1 Focused teaching: Tuesday 1 July Sunday 6 July (4:30pm) Before then: Meet your mentor