1. Health Through Faith and Community A Study Resource © 1998 Ed Canda

2. Health Through Faith and Community Session 5 Faith and the Well-Being of the Church Community © 2001 Aaron Ketchell

4. Health Through Faith and Community Overhead 5.1 – Examining Leadership In taking the role of a leader, a person adopts a particular style. Jesus modeled various leadership styles at different times in his ministry. Jesus expressed the qualities of prophet, priest, and king, and each demanded a different leadership style. To be most effective, a leadership style should arise based on the context of a situation – for each style has both its strengths and weaknesses:

5. Health Through Faith and Community Overhead 5.1 – Four Leadership Styles One style is that of king: When the leader wields great decision making power, a hierarchical system may be put into place to carry out those decisions. This styles strength is that it is effective in promoting the work of a congregation. It is also time efficient, as decisions can be made quickly. This styles weakness is that it does not encourage the diversity of viewpoints and talents that comes when others are involved in directing congregational life.

6. Health Through Faith and Community Overhead 5.1 – Four Leadership Styles A second style is that of father/mother: A second style is that of father/mother: The community that thinks of itself as a family. The parental image itself, however, may be perceived positively or negatively depending on ones earliest family experiences. This styles strength is that it promotes a welcoming and comforting tone. Its weakness is that it does not easily offer members the opportunity to contribute as equals.

7. Health Through Faith and Community Overhead 5.1 – Four Leadership Styles A third style is that of servant: One models leadership by associating with those who are given little opportunity to voice their concerns. This styles strength is that it offers the greatest opportunity for empowering members, viewing them as talented and active contributors. Its weakness is that decision making is less timely and efficienteveryones viewpoint is important and must be considered.

8. Health Through Faith and Community Overhead 5.1 – Four Leadership Styles A fourth leadership style is that of steward: The steward is responsible for important decisions about things that he or she does not own. The steward makes decisions in the owners absence with authority (guest authority) given for a period of time. Stewards carry an inner authority that is expressed in the absence of the owner.

9. Health Through Faith and Community Overhead 5.1 – Four Leadership Styles A fourth leadership style is that of steward: The strength of this style is that it offers a trustworthy way to delegate authority, allowing multiple projects to be attended to personally. Its weakness is that it relies on the steward to correctly guess the intentions of the owner, and the steward may guess wrong. (Whitehead and Whitehead 1986) (Whitehead and Whitehead 1986)

11. Health Through Faith and Community Overhead 5.2 – New Testament on Fellowship The New Testament instructs Christian communities to: Encourage one another – 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Be hospitable to one another – 1 Peter 4:9 Teach and admonish one another – Colossians 3:16 Be kind to one another – Ephesians 4:32 Pray for one another – James 5:16

12. Health Through Faith and Community Overhead 5.2 – New Testament on Fellowship The New Testament instructs Christian communities to: Bear one anothers burdens – Galatians 6:2 Welcome those who are weak in faith – Romans 14:1 Look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others – Philippians 2:4 Regard each other as better than yourselves – Philippians 2:3 Become slaves to one another – Galatians 5:13 Become slaves to one another – Galatians 5:13