session reflection gathering on spiritual leadership for church leaders
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View this Powerpoint that was used by the Session of Christ Presbyterian Church to reflect on the nature of Church Leaders as Spiritual Leaders and being a "Sailboat Church."TRANSCRIPT
Spiritual Leadership For Church Leaders
A Handbook ByJoan S. Gray
Christ Presbyterian ChurchSession Reflection
Gathering
“Yet Elders and Deacons if present, are still the backbone of any Presbyterian church, and few churches rise far above the level of leadership of their lay leaders” pg ix
God raises up among the Christians in a congregation the gifts needed to carry on ministry in that place.
A spiritual leader is one whose way of life is centered in a relationship with God revealed in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Pg 3
Spirituality is a way of life that leads to a deeper relationship with God.
Leader…
A leader exercises authority or influence to motivate other people to follow him or her. Leadership implies movement and change. Pg 3
Leaders have a vision of something that is not yet accomplished.
A Spiritual Leader leads others to seek and do God’s will.
Spiritual Leaders
God does not call the qualified;
God qualifies the called.
Think of Someone you
have know who you
would call a spiritual
leader.
What characteristics,
habits, or practices that
made that person
effective?
When you hear the
word Spirituality
what comes to mind?
Spirituality
What is your reaction to this statement?
“The primary work of a Presbyterian session is to lead a congregation to seek and do God’s will.”
Session as Spiritual Leaders
Authority and leadership are intertwined. Authority is what enables leaders to motivate followers to move together toward a goal.
Authority to Lead
At the deepest level, all authority exercised in the church belongs to Jesus Christ; Christ delegates spiritual authority to those called to lead.
Authority is from Jesus
Christ
Scripture and tradition support the authority of Elders.
What factor’s erode that “automatic” authority?
Turn to page 12 and please reread through the end of the chapter.
What are some of the
ways that Christ
Presbyterian Church
grants authority to it’s
leaders?
What are the qualities
of rowboat churches?
God has given the church a basic agenda and then left it up to the church to get on with it.
Progress depends on circumstances like the amount of money in the bank, the number of volunteers available, the charisma and skill of its leaders, and the demographics of its community.
They ask the question, “What can we do with what we have?”
Presence or absence of resources largely determines what can be done.
What the is sea like and how willing people are to ROW makes the decisions
What are the qualities of sailboat
churches?
Leaders know that what they have or lack in the way of human and material resources is not the decisive factor in what they can accomplish.
Look on church as a continuing adventure with a God who leads and empowers them to do more than they ever could have dreamed.
The adventure involves believers in and intimate relationships with the triune God who guides their life as a church
Key question is not “what do we have?”, but “What is God leading us to be and do now in the place where we find ourselves?”
They believe that the God who calls is the God who provides, and that if they are invested in doing what God wants the church to do, God will provide the resources.
Rowboat Churches
“We can do this or we can’t do this”
Sailboat Churches
“God can do more than we can ask or imagine.”
Dominant Attitudes
The basic difference between them has nothing to do with the circumstances of a congregation; rather, the difference is in the attitude of the leadership and
members. Pg. 18
The early believers used a sailboat to symbolize the church because the idea of being powered by the Holy Spirit of God, as the wind moves a boat, was at the heart of their experience of being church. From the beginning the church was intended to be a God-powered movement.
Pg 18-19
Three basic components of being a sailboat church:
Passion for God
Faith in God’s provision
Willingness to let go
Where is God in relation to the center of your life?
How does this relationship with God empower your ministry as a Church officer?
Sailing Skills for Church LeadersSanctified Imagination
Rising Above Self-interest for the Good of the Church
The Willingness to Risk and Fail
The Ability to Discern and use the Gifts of others in God’s Work
Using the resources of Tradition and History
Discerning Kairos Moments
Leadership Style
Divide into small groups to discuss the various leadership styles.
Provide a summery to the group on the assigned style.
What’s Your
Natural
Leadership Style?
What’s are the styles
of leadership that our
congregation expects
from its Pastor and
Officers?
What is the difference
between a servant
leader and leaders
who act like slaves or
martyrs?
http://youtu.be/EKAMLBqSjz0
Why did you say yes
to being an Elder for
Christ Presbyterian
Church?
Read advertisement on the top of page 68
Conflictv. Kuh n-flikt; n. kon-flikt
1.to come into collision or disagreement; be contradictory, at variance, or in opposition; clash
2. to fight or contend; do battle
Effective Spiritual Leaders are not surprised by conflict. They expect it and prepare to deal with it in healthy ways.
Pg. 73
Have you seen God
bring good out of a
situation that on it’s
face seemed negative?
How do you respond
to the statement that
a church that never
experiences conflict is
dead?
What causes conflict
in the church?
How can leaders work
to keep conflict from
getting out of hand?