LEADING THE FAITH COMMUNITY A BIBLICAL PRIMER (2)

Calling & Equipping The Investment of Others into the Leader

God’s Investment: Personality, Passions, Spiritual Gifts The Character of a Leader: Read and Reflect on these passages, and create your “Character Credo:” Luke 10; Philippians 4; 1 Timothy 3-5; 2 Timothy 2-3; Titus; 1 Peter 2, 5; 2 Peter 1 The Passions of a Leader: Read and Reflect on these passages, and create your “Passions Pledges:” Psalm 110; Psalm 139; Psalm 145; 1 Kings 1; Nehemiah; 2 Corinthians 10; Revelation 1-6 The Spiritual Gifts of Leadership: Read and Reflect on these passages, and create your “Spiritual Gifts Inventory:” Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12-14; Ephesians 4

The Church’s Investment: Responsible Structures, Leadership Roles, Community Call Questions to ask about Church Structures: 1.Where is the decision-making authority situated? What part am I expected to have in the development of vision and policies? What actions could or should I take in this area? 2.Who is responsible for setting budgets and dispersing funds? How does this support or hinder ministry? What initiatives are available to me in this area? What safeguards against improprieties are in place or need to be instituted? How will this happen? 3.What are the reporting lines for positional responsibilities? Who do I report do and why? Who reports to me and why? How should these relationships evolve over time? Questions to ask about Leadership Roles: 1.What are the written expectations and responsibilities for my position? To whom and in what manner do I report on my functioning in these roles and responsibilities? 2.What are the unwritten expectations and responsibilities associated with my position? To whom and in what manner do I report on my functioning in these roles and responsibilities? 3.Is there a “typical” position description? Should there be? How can my roles and responsibilities be shaped over time to most fully reflect my sense of call and leadership responsibilities? Questions to ask about “Vocation” and “Calling”? 1.How do I know that I am called by God to church leadership? Who confirms this calling with me, and how? 2.How will my leadership be publicly announced, celebrated, and affirmed? How will my ministry progress be marked and acknowledged? What will be the benchmarks for identifying success in leadership initiatives, and who sets them and tracks them? 3.What are the signs of failure to thrive in leadership? What are the correctives available if such take place? 4.Who serves as my accountability group or mentoring guides? What structures are in place or should be created to take fuller advantage of these support systems?

Training Investment: Education, Apprenticeship, Mentoring What do leaders need to learn in general? Interview a respected business leader about life-long learning. What do pastors need to learn as they practice church leadership? Interview a respected pastor about life-long learning. How do leaders learn? What are the books leaders are reading, and why? What are the seminars that hone leadership skills? What are the associations that help foster leadership depth? What feedback systems help sharpen leadership skills and focus? What annual reviews are helpful in clarifying roles, responsibilities, resource focus, and learning points?

Personal Investment: Honing the Necessary Values, Pursuits, and Skills Ongoing Learning: Create a list of books and journals to read, and set dates for completion of specific texts Establish a mentoring relationship with a respected leader and use it to develop long-term personal and professional goals. Seek advice from others about seminars and conferences, and use these as optimal to gain new insights or passions, or to hone specific leadership skills Develop a life-long learning plan that is flexible and easy to change, and consider within it in-residence or distance-learning degree- or non-degree producing academic investments Developing Good Leadership Habits: Work with mentors, accountability groups, councils and colleagues to develop and implement strategic plans, complete with S.M.A.R.T. goals (see below)