Dear Friends,
Nearly every day I pass a storefront sign that reads, “College graduate to store manager in 4 months.” Two thoughts come to mind when I read the sign. “I don’t want to work for that manager.” and “
The manager of that store must not have any real responsibility if the job can be learned in four months.” However, as I think about it more and more, truth be told, most of our jobs, even mine (but don’t tell anyone) can be learned in four months. The
technical or hard skills of being a leader are not terribly complex. Even so, it does not stop book after book after book being written about them. It doesn’t prevent unending conferences from being hosted.
This is the stuff that excites. The authors and conferences all feed our insatiable desire to find the magic formula to building bigger organizations, larger churches, amassing wealth, influence, position, power, and prestige. The stuff ever leader craves . . .
So a vacuum is left in another area of leadership. One no one wants delve into: The area of the leader’s soul. For those who call themselves “Christian” and use the title “leader” the challenge of the soul is particularly demanding. For it is a call to do more than sacrifice, more than be a servant, it is a call to die.
David McKenna in his book Christ-Centered Leadership: The Incarnational Difference writes of the difference for a Christian leader:
Leadership automatically involves the advantage of position, power, and prestige . . . There is nothing wrong with position, power or prestige in leadership. These are resources needed to fulfill the responsibilities of leadership. If, however, these advantages become vehicles of self-interest or substitutes for character, they can be demonic. Leaders of integrity hold them lightly and use them wisely.
Incarnational leadership asks us to go farther. Imagine seeing a job description for Christian leadership with this expectation: We are seeking a leader with the mind of Christ who has a transforming influence upon followers by being:
. . . vulnerable to human need at the risk of being called weak;
. . . obedient to the will of God at the risk of being called foolish, and;
. . . humble in spirit at the risk of being held in contempt. (45)
For the Christian leader it is a daily struggle to die to the siren songs of position, power, and prestige and to instead ask if I am following the call of Christ. “Once again, the mind of Christ is taking us where we do not want to go. How many Christian leaders are willing to make sacrifices for the sake of Christ as the risk of being considered weak, called crazy, and treated with contempt?” (46)
Jesus was called a drunkard and gluten. John Wesley was scorned and rejected by the church he loved. Billy Graham was ridiculed by the Christian church for much of his career. We look at these men who changed the world and see the end of their life. We fail to see the years of darkness and rejection that defined the majority of their lives. All because of a decision to follow the call of God.
Why do we as leaders, in this modern age, think we somehow get a pass?
Blessings,
Pastor Stephen
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