It may or may not work for the SBU, it never worked well when I was in a SBU church, we find that consensus comes when you have sound leadership, but we go for 100% consensus anyway, and that always works
Now it worked for the Quakers. What is sound leadership Is it dictator is it prayerful manipulation is it servanthood?
100% consnsus would be ideal and comendable. But in new things how do we cover those who are settlers and not pioneers. Is it a presentation of the Big picture?
We need to ask the question what should the role of the buisness meeting? My hope would be that it is to discern the the will of God for that group of people as they seek to be a local body together. Leaders should view this as a important time & not something to be dreaded as it is an golden opportunity get to gather with the rest of the congration and hear what God wants them to do. Sadly so often meetings may not feel that way.
We have to recognise there is often practical matters which need to be presented such as accounts over the year. It may not seem very spiritual but as a churches will have a charity status, they have an obligation to do this.
Yes more time waiting together and less time doing admin. Quakers seemed to get it right.
One can still cover sorp 2005/2006 and Charity requirements etc. and still have time to minister and seek direction.
One church I was in had a 20 minute spot after admin to discuss a topic which would fit in to the churches future. Papers presented talk given informed people and effective pray and a good meeting following, to agree any resulting business. I can think of two churches now.
"What is sound leadership Is it dictator is it prayerful manipulation is it servanthood?"
None of the above. Servanthood comes closest, but on its own it is not enough.
Good leadership is sound teaching, in word and deed, it is willingness to listen and to take on board when one in a subordinate position is closer to the truth than the leader himself. It is willingness to admit before the whole body when one is wrong, and to take steps to put that right. If necessary a leader must be prepared to tell his followers if one of them is wrong, and be able to justify why it is wrong. If absolutely necessary, he must be willing to tell the whole group why that person is wrong. It is equal care for all the members of the group, the weakest as well as the strongest, those least aligned in thought/belief as well as those closest to ones own. It is having the vision for the group and knowing how to translate that vision into something all can see, and to be able to explain why it is good, and to equip the group to follow the vision. It is seeking to encourage and bring out the best in people, even if they end up "better" at something than you are yourself.
Even in the world, leaders like this are better than dictators, or manipulators. In the kingdom of God there is no place for human dictators, and manipulation cannot be good - it is exploitative and underhand (twisting people into doing what they would not willing do openly, guilt and shame are frequently used manipulative tools). I don't see how you can have prayerful manipulation, prayer being to God and of God is of the light and done in the light, manipulation is done in the darkness.
Within the kingdom of God, a sound leader must also be a good steward: of his resources; his own talents; and those of the people he is leading. And his following what God has told him to do (generally through the bible, the examples in the life of Jesus and the apostles, and specifically through prayer, revelation, prophetic word etc). He should keep in mind that he is going to have to account for his leadership one day. And the people he is leading should keep in mind that they will have to account for how they followed.
5 comments:
It may or may not work for the SBU, it never worked well when I was in a SBU church, we find that consensus comes when you have sound leadership, but we go for 100% consensus anyway, and that always works
Now it worked for the Quakers.
What is sound leadership Is it dictator is it prayerful manipulation is it servanthood?
100% consnsus would be ideal and comendable. But in new things how do we cover those who are settlers and not pioneers. Is it a presentation of the Big picture?
We need to ask the question what should the role of the buisness meeting? My hope would be that it is to discern the the will of God for that group of people as they seek to be a local body together. Leaders should view this as a important time & not something to be dreaded as it is an golden opportunity get to gather with the rest of the congration and hear what God wants them to do. Sadly so often meetings may not feel that way.
We have to recognise there is often practical matters which need to be presented such as accounts over the year. It may not seem very spiritual but as a churches will have a charity status, they have an obligation to do this.
Yes more time waiting together and less time doing admin.
Quakers seemed to get it right.
One can still cover sorp 2005/2006 and Charity requirements etc.
and still have time to minister and seek direction.
One church I was in had a 20 minute spot after admin to discuss a topic which would fit in to the churches future.
Papers presented talk given informed people and effective pray and a good meeting following, to agree any resulting business. I can think of two churches now.
B
"What is sound leadership Is it dictator is it prayerful manipulation is it servanthood?"
None of the above. Servanthood comes closest, but on its own it is not enough.
Good leadership is sound teaching, in word and deed, it is willingness to listen and to take on board when one in a subordinate position is closer to the truth than the leader himself. It is willingness to admit before the whole body when one is wrong, and to take steps to put that right. If necessary a leader must be prepared to tell his followers if one of them is wrong, and be able to justify why it is wrong. If absolutely necessary, he must be willing to tell the whole group why that person is wrong. It is equal care for all the members of the group, the weakest as well as the strongest, those least aligned in thought/belief as well as those closest to ones own. It is having the vision for the group and knowing how to translate that vision into something all can see, and to be able to explain why it is good, and to equip the group to follow the vision. It is seeking to encourage and bring out the best in people, even if they end up "better" at something than you are yourself.
Even in the world, leaders like this are better than dictators, or manipulators. In the kingdom of God there is no place for human dictators, and manipulation cannot be good - it is exploitative and underhand (twisting people into doing what they would not willing do openly, guilt and shame are frequently used manipulative tools). I don't see how you can have prayerful manipulation, prayer being to God and of God is of the light and done in the light, manipulation is done in the darkness.
Within the kingdom of God, a sound leader must also be a good steward: of his resources; his own talents; and those of the people he is leading. And his following what God has told him to do (generally through the bible, the examples in the life of Jesus and the apostles, and specifically through prayer, revelation, prophetic word etc). He should keep in mind that he is going to have to account for his leadership one day. And the people he is leading should keep in mind that they will have to account for how they followed.
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