Monday, October 5, 2009

Thoughts on Leadership

This entry is way overdue, but better late than never, right? The Live Sent Conversation was a great time of refreshing and recapturing my attention on issues relating to living our faith among the people we interact with daily.

One theme that was repeated by many speakers throughout the Conversation was Leadership, specifically within the church. For the sake of a shorter blog and limited time I am going to include some of the thoughts that I wrote down about leadership as I listened to various speakers. Then, in part 2, I will comment on some of those thoughts. Just in case it isn't clear, these are not quotes, but paraphrases.


Jason Dukes: As leaders, are we teaching others that their everyday lives are more important than our Sunday messages?

Alan Hirsch: Jesus has gone from the Lord of the church to the captive of it.

Damian Gerke:
· Most organizations look just like their leadership.
· Coaching is helping someone be in a position where they can succeed.
· We create environments that require leaders-in-training to look just like us.

Neil Cole:
· The greatest leadership trait is humility. Humility has nothing to lose because it is not trying to gain anything for itself.
· Insecurity in leadership is an ugly thing and causes us to do really stupid things.
· A true leader is someone who gives himself away.
· We look for leaders who will serve, but God looks for servants who will lead.
· Leadership is not a position or title. Leadership is influence.
· The key to profound leadership is transformation.
· Irresponsible leadership has created irresponsible, codependent churches who rely on their leaders to tell them what to do, what to watch, wear, eat, drink, etc.
· Self-preservation is a death sentence. Letting go will bring life, but it may come through death.

1 comment:

dawn said...

I am disturbed as I read these quotes, disturbed in myself. I am guilty of putting "church" in an "open Sunday only" box. I am guilty of being that co-dependant church member who relies on her leaders to tell her what to do and I am guilty of being a leader who emmulates her irresponsible leaders. Now I ask,how did I get here and then how do I change?