Strategic Leadership. (Score 14)
Leaders who can break down visions and large aims intomanageable chunks are vital for the church. Strategic leaders have the insight and focus to work out ways of achieving the vision, the "how", andare able to persuade the rest of the church to accept this plan. When Nehemiah led the Jews in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, he demonstratedgreat strategic leadership in dividing the work up, and in keeping the taskmanageable. His plan was so good, the walls were rebuilt in 52 days.Strategic leaders can bring common sense to a difficult task - able to help people see how the seemingly impossible can be achieved. However, like pioneers, they can be less engaged with the implementation of a task,preferring to leave this to others.
Encouraging Leadership. (Score 13)
Paul was a great encourager - his letters to theearly churches contained exhortation and encouragement as well as teaching.Encouraging leaders are able to motivate whole churches, teams and individuals. They have great discernment into people's gifts, their feelings and what motivates them, able to release them into fulfilling their ministries. Who doesn't need encouragement !! Encouraging leaders have the knack of knowing when a quiet word can spur people on, when to challenge and when to support, when to coach and when togive space. Occasionally they may cause friction by appearing less"involved" than other leaders - sometimes people want more than just encouragement.
Management / Administration - (Score 11)
All churches require good stewards and managers, people with gifts of administration (Acts 6). Any vision or changewill require leaders able to plan and problem solve, delegate and organise.Without this gift, the best plans may well not get implemented! The apostles delegated the practical tasks of sharing food and taking care ofthe widows to those gifted with the necessary skills, including Stephen and Philip. Managers are often under appreciated, having a leadership style which is less "up-front" than some of the other styles. However, much of the work simply would not get done without them. They are able to organise, and follow through on all the necessary tasks and activities to ensure that theproject is completed on time. They may struggle to relate to the visionary pioneers - dreaming of achieving the impossible is not their home ground!
Pioneering Leadership. (Score 10)
Pioneering leaders are willing to push themselves, and take appropriate risks in striving to move forwards to discover andreach long term goals. In a Christian context we can quote Philippians 3:"forgetting what is behind, and straining for what lies ahead".Pioneering leaders are passionate about the vision, and are wholly committedto it. Paul is a great example of a leader who was focussed on pushing out the boundaries of the church, despite the personal risk.
Team Leadership. (Score 10)
Here we include leadership in a group context, whetherthe leader has a formal leadership role in a group or not. Team leaders are invaluable - if the church is truly to function as a body (1 Cor 12), teamleaders are needed to ensure harmony and effectiveness in the way the teamworks. The key strengths of team leaders are a desire to work with others,and an ability to trust them. Team leaders need great humility andservanthood - their sole aim is that the team achieves its goals. What they as individuals achieve is secondary. The greatest contribution Silas made to the church was probably training and developing Paul's ministry so hecould go on to achieve greater things later.
It's really accurate I must say.
Time for some reflection:)
Next post will be about leadership in church.
I guess my biggest problem is not being able to draw the line between relationships and work, 公私不分.
~I rather hurt you honestly than mislead you with a lie~
If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!” -Act 5:38-39