Lay Servants as Christian Transformational Leaders: Participant’s Book by Marc Brown Kathy Merry & John Briggs

Author:Marc Brown, Kathy Merry & John Briggs
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-09-01T16:00:00+00:00

It is the role of leaders to be stewards of the vision and mission of the congregation. Leaders hold the congregation accountable for aligning behaviors and actions with mission and vision. Christian transformational leaders accomplish this role through the disciplines of faithful remembering, faithful equipping, and faithful encouraging.

When a congregation finds itself wandering in search of vision and mission, the three disciplines of Christian transformational leadership can help the identity of that congregation be transformed. Priorities and behaviors can be shaped by a renewal of missional purpose. This cannot happen without the influence of Christian transformational leaders who are able to respond to present realities through future trust in God.

A Case in Point—Marc’s Story

When I was appointed as a district superintendent, I worked with congregations in envisioning what it meant to be aligned with the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ. One of the questions I asked as part of the process of visioning was, “Where do you see your congregation in five years?” If leaders of the congregation could not answer that question, I would reframe it by asking, “Where do you see your congregation in two years?” If leaders could not answer that question, I would ask, “Where do you see your congregation in six months?” I found that the answers to these questions told me much about the vitality of congregations. Congregations that were forward looking and had a sense of vision and mission could usually provide ready responses to the questions. Congregations that had no sense of hope were unable to respond. The common factor that I found in a congregation’s ability to answer these questions as well as a congregation’s inability to answer these questions was based on how they were responding to the ministry settings in which they were located. Congregations that had chosen to respond to their ministry settings through a sense of trust in God’s presence within their communities were able to communicate a clearer vision for ministry. Whether they were in a growing community that was reflected in the demographics of their congregation or in a changing community that was reflected in the possibility of new demographics for their congregation, their ministry choices were statements of faith about the presence of God. Likewise, they realized their ministry decisions were reflections of how they chose to witness to God’s presence in their local communities. As communities of Jesus’ disciples, they based these ministry decisions on Hebrews 13:8—“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”—as they reflected on how their church had witnessed about Jesus Christ in the past, is witnessing about Jesus Christ in the present, and will witness about Jesus Christ in the future.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

1. What does it look like for a vital leader to be in relationship with a congregation?

2. How are vital leaders witnesses of grace and stewards of the vision and mission of their congregation?

3. How can the disciplines of Christian transformational leadership help the identity of a congregation to be transformed?

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