Leadership
The bottom-line purpose of what [church] leaders are to do is to
prepare God’s people for works of service. (Sue Mallory & Brad Smith, The Equipping Church Guidebook)
Godly leadership breeds hope, inspires vision, and fuels opportunities
in followers. (Steve Moore, Leadership Insights: For Emerging Leaders and Those Investing in Them)
One of the primary responsibilities of a successful leader is to
identify potential leaders.— (John Maxwell, Developing the Leaders Around You)
…integrity will gain a leader the benefit of the doubt from followers who do
not yet see the vision as clearly as the leader does…The problem with many
would-be spiritual leaders is that they want people’s respect without first establishing a history of success.— (Henry and Richard Blackaby, Spiritual Leadership)
A major complaint of leaders today is that they have little influence in their
congregations or in the larger community. There is, however, an influence
no one can take from you – the influence of your own example. You lead primarily by example, not by precept. There are tools and concepts, but they
are nothing compared to the influence of your example… (Norman Shawchuck and Roger Heuser, Leading the Congregation)
Leaders influence people most through integrity of heart. (Michael Slaughter,
UnLearning Church)
Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal. (Peter G. Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice, Second Edition)
It is a defining moment when someone in authority finally reaches the conclusion that leadership is not about using people – it’s about serving them. (Neil Eskelin, Leading with Love: and Getting More Result)
We teach what we know, but we reproduce what we are. (Tim Elmore, Mentoring: How to Invest Your Life in Others)
A major part of a church leader’s role is to build a church culture where laypeople are empowered to serve and minister. (Gary L. McIntosh, “Empowering a New Culture of Service in Your Church.” Enrichment: A Journal for Pentecostal Ministry (Fall 1998))
The first responsibility of a leader is to see a vision which addresses the question, “What are we trying to do for whom?” As simply as it may sound, the answer to this strategic question will make the difference between excellence and mediocrity in an organization, as well as in its leadership. (David L. McKenna, Power to Follow, Grace to Lead: Strategy for the Future of Christian Leadership)
Success: going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. (Winston Churchill)
If a leader is willing to share the power that information represents, people hear – more clearly than any words can express – that this leader is reducing the barriers and including people into the circle of influence and involvement. (Ken Blanchard, John P. Carlos, Alan Randolph, The 3 Keys to Empowerment: Release the Power Within People for Astonishing Results)
For most of us, it’s not what we don’t know that hold us back as much as what we do know but never apply. (Steve Moore, Leadership Insights: For Emerging Leaders and Those Investing in Them)
The best way to find out whether you really have a servant’s heart is to see what your reaction is when somebody treats you like one. (Elizabeth Elliot)
If you want to be a successful leader, if you plan to have a successful ministry, you must develop not only your gifts but also the gifts of others around you. (Wayne Cordeiro, Doing Church as a Team)
You don’t pass the baton in a relay race when you are already pooped out! You pass it at the very apex of your stride. (Wayne Cordeiro, Doing Church as a Team)
Church Effectiveness and Mission
I am convinced the effective church for the twenty-first century
will be the church that mobilizes, equips, empowers, and supports
ordinary Christians in ministry. (Robert Slocum, Maximize Your Ministry)
…every church member has the potential to be a missionary without necessarily moving to another country or having to raise financial support. Every city has racial, economic, gender, ethnic, and age divides that invite people to be a part of cross-cultural service.— (Sue Mallory and Brad Smith, The Equipping Church Guidebook)
The Great Commission cannot be reduced to a voluntary activity engaged in
by a few enthusiasts.— (Eddie Gibbs, ChurchNext)
There’s a difference in looking for volunteers and developing people’s spiritual gifts. (Melvin Steinborn, Power to the People – How Pastors can Empower their Congregations to be Lay Pastors: An Inteview with Melvin Steinbron.” Vital Ministry: Innovative and Practical Ideas for Pastors (July/August 1998))
If we can ever awaken and unleash the massive talent, resources, creativity, and energy found in the typical local church, Christianity will explode with growth at an unprecedented rate. (Rick Warren, Who’s On First?: Guiding Your Members into Greater Maturity)
Local churches provide the primary arenas for identifying, selecting, and developing the whole range of Christian leaders…What happens in the local church precedes, compliments, supplements, and legitimizes what happens in Christian higher education. (Edgar J. Elliston, Home Grown Leaders)
It takes all the people of God to do all the work of God. (Melvin J. Steinborn, The Lay Driven Church)
The greatest challenge of the church is to produce spiritual, reproductive leaders…as leaders, we must understand that for the church to grow, laypeople will need to be equipped for ministry. (John Maxwell, “The Call to Equip: The Answer to Ministry Growth.” Enrichment: A Journal for Pentecostal Ministry (Spring 2002))
One of the most impressive and important elements of leadership in highly effective churches is that most of the leadership comes from the laity. Every highly effective church is able to exploit opportunities and overcome obstacles because of the depth of its lay leadership. (George Barna. “Nine Habits of Healthy and Highly Effective Churches.” Enrichment: A Journal for Pentecostal Ministry (Summer 2002))
…people need some process to identify their skills…they need a process to help them match their abilities with the right ministry. (Rick Warren, “Who’s On First?: Guiding Your Members into Greater Maturity.” Enrichment: A Journal for Pentecostal Ministry (Summer 2002))
The problem with many organizations is that they ask their people to make great sacrifices on behalf of puny visions. (Henry, and Richard Blackaby, Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God’s Agenda)
The real essence of empowerment comes from releasing the knowledge, experience, and motivational power that is already in people but is being severely underutilized. (Ken Blanchard, John P. Carlos, Alan Randolph, The 3 Keys to Empowerment: Release the Power Within People for Astonishing Results)
…church professionals represent 2 percent of church membership, and a further 18 percent consists of the “church laity,” who are needed to assist in running the church’s ministries…what about the remaining 80 percent “worldly laity?”…the task of the 20 percent should be to provide resources for the 80 percent for their ministry in the world. (Eddie Gibbs, ChurchNext: Quantum Changes in How We Do Ministry)
Team Leadership
A team is two or more people who must work together to accomplish a common purpose and are held accountable for the results. (Ken Blanchard, John P. Carlos, Alan Randolph, The 3 Keys to Empowerment: Release the Power Within People for Astonishing Results)
The first step in building a core of leaders is to believe that they are there. You must believe that God would never call a leader to oversee a ministry without providing everything necessary for its fruitfulness and success! Many pastors and ministers have the best reason in the world for why things just aren’t happening like they should at their churches: “We have no leaders!” But God is not so cruel as to call you to build an ark without providing the necessary materials for its completion. (Wayne Cordeiro, Doing Church as a Team)
Three foundations of effective teams: commitment; skills development; and accountability. (Thomas G. Bandy, Coaching Change: Breaking Down Resistance Building Up Hope)
Autonomy Through Boundaries
Boundaries that exist within a hierarchy and with which most people are familiar tell people what they cannot do. In other words, these boundaries constrain behavior…boundaries of empowerment…clarify for people the range of actions and decisions that they can make. In other words, these boundaries guide actions and encourage people to take responsible action. (Ken Blanchard, John P. Carlos, Alan Randolph, The 3 Keys to Empowerment: Release the Power Within People for Astonishing Results)
…the intent of boundaries in a culture of empowerment is not to restrict action (as it is in a hierarchy) but rather to create freedom to act within defined responsibilities. (Ken Blanchard, John P. Carlos, Alan Randolph, The 3 Keys to Empowerment: Release the Power Within People for Astonishing Results)
Creating autonomy through boundaries: (1) builds upon information sharing; (2) clarifies the vision (big picture) with input from everyone; (3) helps translate the vision into roles and goals (little picture); (4) defines value and rules that underlie desired actions (when values are clear, decision making is easier); (5) develops structures and procedures that empower people; (6) reminds us that it’s a journey. (Ken Blanchard, John P. Carlos, Alan Randolph, Empowerment Takes More Than a Minute)