leadership in today's changing church

Leadership in Leadership in Today’s Church Today’s Church

Cultivating Fruitful Gardens in Cultivating Fruitful Gardens in a Changing Climatea Changing Climate

First, let’s talk about First, let’s talk about leadershipleadership distinct from managementdistinct from management asks different questions ….some asks different questions ….some

examples from parish lifeexamples from parish life ““Most organizations and churches Most organizations and churches

are over-managed and under-led.” are over-managed and under-led.” ((Henry Klopp, in The Leadership Playbook) Henry Klopp, in The Leadership Playbook)

A great leadership resource: A great leadership resource: Ronald HeifetzRonald Heifetz On the faculty of On the faculty of

Harvard University’s Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Gov’tJohn F. Kennedy School of Gov’t

Harvard course: “Exercising Harvard course: “Exercising Leadership”Leadership”

Two Key Books: “Leadership Two Key Books: “Leadership Without Easy Answers” & Without Easy Answers” & “Leadership On the Line”“Leadership On the Line”

According to Heifetz …. the According to Heifetz …. the role of leaders is changingrole of leaders is changing

Old role: the leader had the vision Old role: the leader had the vision ……and the job of persuading ……and the job of persuading people to get behind it!people to get behind it!

New role: the leader helps people New role: the leader helps people face reality and mobilizes them to face reality and mobilizes them to make changemake change

Leaders do provide directionLeaders do provide direction less by offering definitive and less by offering definitive and

specific answersspecific answers

more by:more by: posing well-structured questionsposing well-structured questions reminding about, and modeling, reminding about, and modeling,

core values and purposecore values and purpose Helping differentiate Helping differentiate technical technical

problemsproblems from from adaptive challengesadaptive challenges

Technical problem or adaptive Technical problem or adaptive challenge?challenge? technical problemtechnical problem The solution The solution

already lies within already lies within the organization’s the organization’s repertoirerepertoire

Requirement: Requirement: Apply current Apply current know-howknow-how

Involves those in Involves those in authority in the authority in the specific area specific area

adaptive challengeadaptive challenge The solution lies in The solution lies in

a change of the a change of the organization’s organization’s cultureculture

Requirement: Requirement: Learn new waysLearn new ways

Involves everyone Involves everyone in the organization in the organization

Where we are at today:Where we are at today:

facing key adaptive challengesfacing key adaptive challenges not simply technical problemsnot simply technical problems a clear vision is necessarya clear vision is necessary

‘‘vision’ is sometimesvision’ is sometimes thought of as ….. thought of as ….. Something abstractSomething abstract Something inspirationalSomething inspirational

““vision” is actually…our vision” is actually…our capacity to seecapacity to see The quality of a vision depends on its The quality of a vision depends on its

accuracyaccuracy This requires us to ‘interrogate’ reality:This requires us to ‘interrogate’ reality: What is changing around us?What is changing around us? What is at our core?What is at our core? Do we embody those values?Do we embody those values? What are our skills and talents?What are our skills and talents? What opportunities does the future What opportunities does the future

hold?hold?

Hand in hand with facing Hand in hand with facing reality comes facing reality comes facing conflictconflict:: The primary engine of creativity The primary engine of creativity

and innovationand innovation We learn by encountering We learn by encountering

differencedifference We must have the stomach for We must have the stomach for

conflict and uncertaintyconflict and uncertainty We need to have an experimental We need to have an experimental

mindsetmindset

Even when change is a Even when change is a must…not everything is must…not everything is subject to changesubject to change What’s precious and what’s What’s precious and what’s

expendable?expendable? What are our core values?What are our core values? What makes us who we are?What makes us who we are?

Heifetz describes leaders:Heifetz describes leaders:

1.1. Leaders ‘get on the balcony’ to Leaders ‘get on the balcony’ to observe and interpret the big observe and interpret the big picturepicture

2.2. Leaders listenLeaders listen3.3. Leaders assemble confidantes and Leaders assemble confidantes and

allies, and build consensusallies, and build consensus4.4. Leaders inspire others by Leaders inspire others by

identifying where people find identifying where people find meaningmeaning

5.5. Leaders demonstrate courage and Leaders demonstrate courage and stamina: an ability both to stamina: an ability both to generate heat and to take heatgenerate heat and to take heat

6.6. Leaders demonstrate compassion Leaders demonstrate compassion and empathyand empathy

7.7. Leaders treat ‘ripe and ‘unripe’ Leaders treat ‘ripe and ‘unripe’ issues differentlyissues differently

8.8. Leaders manage the timing of Leaders manage the timing of distressdistress

9.9. Leaders seek opportunities for Leaders seek opportunities for catharsis and spiritual renewalcatharsis and spiritual renewal

Church Leadership TodayChurch Leadership Today

What makes it so challenging?What makes it so challenging? What makes it so stressful?What makes it so stressful?

Western culture is in the midst Western culture is in the midst of tumultuous changeof tumultuous changeIt is increasingly:It is increasingly: Post-literatePost-literate Post-ChristendomPost-Christendom Post-modernPost-modern GlobalizedGlobalized Highly technologicalHighly technological

The present Canadian contextThe present Canadian context decline in church attendancedecline in church attendance rise in competing ‘spiritualities’rise in competing ‘spiritualities’ thriving individualism and thriving individualism and

consumerismconsumerism strong environmentalismstrong environmentalism deep suspicion of institutionsdeep suspicion of institutions longing for belonginglonging for belonging improved levels of education & healthimproved levels of education & health pervasive sense of societal declinepervasive sense of societal decline

The Church in ChristendomThe Church in Christendom

enjoyed privileged status in the cultureenjoyed privileged status in the culture was linked to society’s power was linked to society’s power

structuresstructures relied on strong denominational loyaltyrelied on strong denominational loyalty practiced ‘Foreign’ missionpracticed ‘Foreign’ mission was a place for and vendor of was a place for and vendor of

religious servicesreligious services provided by professionalized clergyprovided by professionalized clergy

Today’s Post-Christendom Today’s Post-Christendom Western ChurchWestern Church privileged status is vanishingprivileged status is vanishing denominational loyalty is dwindlingdenominational loyalty is dwindling recognition of local ‘missionary’ recognition of local ‘missionary’

context is growing context is growing increased focus on ministry of the increased focus on ministry of the

laity, and team leadershiplaity, and team leadership renewed emphasis on relationships renewed emphasis on relationships

and the community of faithand the community of faith

What will your model(s) of What will your model(s) of leadership be?leadership be? Shepherd of the flock?Shepherd of the flock? CEO of the organization?CEO of the organization? Holder of the flame?Holder of the flame? Cultivator of the garden?Cultivator of the garden?

What’s a leader in today’s What’s a leader in today’s Church to do?Church to do?1)1) Make time to ask (with others) Make time to ask (with others)

‘big-picture’ questions:‘big-picture’ questions: Is our parish growing or declining?Is our parish growing or declining? What’s a healthy church like?What’s a healthy church like? Who’s not here? Why?Who’s not here? Why? Are people experiencing Are people experiencing

transformation?transformation? If this church suddenly disappeared, If this church suddenly disappeared,

who would mourn?who would mourn? What is a problem that our church can What is a problem that our church can

be the solution to?be the solution to?

What’s God’s dream for the What’s God’s dream for the Church?Church?““It was he who gaveIt was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be some to be apostles, some to be

prophets, some to be evangelists, and prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, some to be pastors and teachers,

to prepare God’s people for works of to prepare God’s people for works of service, service,

so that the body of Christ may be built so that the body of Christ may be built up up

until we all reach unity in the faith until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of Godand in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature; attaining to the and become mature; attaining to the

whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”Ephesians 4:11-13Ephesians 4:11-13

What else should we do?What else should we do?

2)2) Make time to take a big-Make time to take a big-picture inventory:picture inventory:

What resources has God placed in What resources has God placed in our midst?our midst?

What are the needs in the What are the needs in the neighbourhoods around us?neighbourhoods around us?

What new resources do we need?What new resources do we need? How’s my own commitment level?How’s my own commitment level?

A Question A Question for Ezekiel (and us):for Ezekiel (and us):““Son of man, can these bones live? I Son of man, can these bones live? I

said, “O Sovereign Lord, you alone said, “O Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” Then he said to me, know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones hear the word to them, ‘Dry bones hear the word of the Lord! This is what the of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.’ and you will come to life.’ Ezekiel 37:3-5Ezekiel 37:3-5

What else is a leader to do?What else is a leader to do?

3)3) Make time to dreamMake time to dream4)4) Encourage experimentation Encourage experimentation

and risk-takingand risk-taking5)5) Trust that God is present and Trust that God is present and

active in His world (and in active in His world (and in your parish)your parish)

God’s word to Isaiah (and us):God’s word to Isaiah (and us):

Do not fear, for I am with you, do not Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; be afraid, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will help you, I will uphold you, with my victorious I will uphold you, with my victorious

right hand.right hand. Isaiah 41:10Isaiah 41:10

leadership in today's changing church

Business