CLED 820 Theology & Philosophy of Leadership and Management-

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Running head: MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP PAPER 1 Management and Leadership Paper xxxxxxxxxxx School of Divinity, Liberty University October 9, 2022

Running head: MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP PAPER 2 Introduction A strong display of leadership should be purpose driven. Leading with purpose channels enthusiasm and zeal into an intense energy and drive. “Defining leadership is an elusive thing. Is leadership a position? Is it a person? Is it a process? It is a power and influence. And once we define it, what role should one play in exercising in it? Should one take the role of a commander, a coach, a colleague, or simply a co-laboring community member? The confusion over how to define leadership grows out of the complexity of leadership itself.” (Bredfeldt, 2006, p. 13) Leaders must know they can make a positive impact on their followers before they attempt to lead. The truth is leaders who are impactful tend to empower others to lead and make better decisions about how they lead. Impactful leaders stay invested and informed and practice honesty. Effective leaders know and trust their people and have good boundaries, while great leaders look out for their team and embrace mistakes as growth. Everyone has their own idea of what leadership is and how it works best according to their own style. Author John C. Maxwell believes that judging yourself is a good measurement on how to lead. “If you want a better team in a better organization that produces better results, you need to become better at leading yourself.” (Maxwell, 2021, p. 4) Authors Kouzes and Posner believe, “Leadership is about relationships, about credibility, about passion and conviction, and ultimately about what you do.” (Kouzes & Posner, 2017, p. 295) Leaders with purpose stay focused and committed- a critically important perspective in an environment filled with obstacles and distractions. (Gleeson, 2021) In order to effectively connect with and lead people, there has to be an understanding about one’s own self-awareness. One has to know what is driving them, and how to respond to distressing situations. One also has to know what situations bring out the best and worst in themselves.

Running head: MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP PAPER 3 As one better understands these and other aspects of themselves, they can more effectively practice self-care. (Westover, 2020) All the aforementioned ideologies about leadership could work for any leadership style if applied correctly. None of the ideologies can or will compare to the ultimate leadership model that Jesus Christ left for his people to follow. Biblical and Theological Foundations of Leadership Management Jesus was always engaged and teaching people that he encountered. A leader must be willing and able to educate others. A spiritual leader must know where he or she is going before presuming to lead others. (Sanders, 2017) In the life of a Christian, leaders are called to a different standard when it comes to lifestyle. When you are teaching Christian principles and values, they should also be supported by a leader who is striving to live a life that is blameless. A Christian leader must have a foundation based on a biblical worldview in order to be effective in the things of Christianity. The greatest leaders among us are the greatest teachers among us. 2 Timothy 2:2 (NKJV) Paul writes, “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” In this passage Paul is reminding Timothy of the truth that he received from the Apostle in the presence of many witnesses. The witnesses Paul is speaking of may very well be those who attended Timothy’s ordination service. When Paul writes, “Commit these to faithful men” He is saying that God gave ministry to Timothy to pass on to others. Timothy’s work as a pastor required him to pour into others what God committed to him. Timothy was not to teach others his own particular ideas or theories, but simple apostolic doctrine. Paul goes on to remind Timothy about the things he has heard from him. Paul was once again reminding Timothy of the things he poured into him, Timothy was now responsible to pour those things into others.

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Running head: MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP PAPER 4 Training leaders is an essential part of a pastor’s job, it is also a necessity for anyone who call themselves a part of leadership. Christian leaders should train leaders whether they are used in ministry or not. Leaders should be trained in preparation for the Kingdom of God. When the passage speaks of finding faithful men, Timothy had to look for those who were not popular, or perfect, but those whom he could pour apostolic doctrine and practice into. These faithful men would take the teachings of the apostles and pass them on to the next generation of leaders. “Who will be able to teach others also” meaning the job of training leaders is so important that it cannot be restricted to ourselves alone. Those who are trained must also be given the job to teach others. One of the keys to effective or impactful leadership is being faithful and committed to the process of passing down the Christian principles to help build a biblical and theological foundation. Before a leadership posture can be established, and a foundation is laid, one must have a biblical worldview. To have a Biblical worldview, one has to believe God is the one true living God who created the world and everything in it belongs to him. “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.” (NKJV, 2001, Psalm 24:1) This passage serves as a declaration that the whole world belongs to the Lord our God. The passage refers to David, who at the time served as king and acknowledged that the Lord, Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel, was God of all the earth. It was not enough for David to conclude with that statement. He went on to say the fullness belonged to the Lord as well. The fullness of the earth is the harvests, wealth, life; God made the earth full, and he keeps it full. A Christian leader should first take this perspective before leading others. Kilner contends that “the real measure of the Christian leader remains their followership to Christ as leader of their own life, or more

Running head: MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP PAPER 5 specifically to what degree that person reflects the imago Dei, or the image of God.” (Kilner, 2015) Theoretical Foundations of Leadership and Management When serving in a leadership capacity in the church, it should be done as a servant leader primarily. Author Robert K. Greenleaf coined servant leadership. The servant-leader is servant first and serving begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. “Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions…The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature. Greenleaf describes it as being a non-traditional leadership philosophy, embedded in a set of behaviors and practices that place the primary emphasis on the well-being of those being served. “ (Greenleaf, 2021) A servant-leader focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of people and the communities to which they belong. While traditional leadership involves the accumulation and exercise of power by one at the “top of the pyramid,” servant leadership is different. The servant-leader shares power, puts the needs of others first and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible.” (Greenleaf, 2021) When looking at someone’s ability to lead, you must consider the influence that person may have on the team, organization, or simply as an individual. Kilner explains in Great Leader, Great Teacher, the effects of teacher influence and how it can impact those who are being taught. “Teachers influence through the power of ideas and the process of modeling. One teacher can save a single life or spark a great movement. The impact of just one teacher can spread exponentially. Combine the impassioned word of a teacher with a credible life, and social,

Running head: MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP PAPER 6 political, and even spiritual change can spread like a California wildfire consuming a hillside.” (Kilner, 2015) It is no secret that the influence of one person can make an impact in many lives. Jesus among many others in the Bible have left various examples of how people have been impacted throughout biblical history. When assessing one’s ability and influence to lead in a positive manner, the impact can be just as great if the leader has a negative influence. Theology and Philosophy The Bible is the main source of learning Christian education and provides the foundation of every area or subject matter that revolves around our lives. Biblical principles are essential for the development of understanding the word of God. It provides insight that gives us wisdom to help us navigate our way through our Christian journey. There should be a focus on the foundation and those Biblical principles that help us to better understand why a Christian education is a necessity and how easily we can get sidetracked if our mindset is not in the right place. One must uncover the possible effects of a negative mindset even when Biblical principles are the foundation. In doing so, one must also focus on the purpose and scope and goal of Christian education. (Williams, 2016) (Walker N. , 2022) In the life of a Christian, leaders are called to a different standard when it comes to lifestyle When you are teaching Christian principles and values, they should also be supported by a leader who is striving to live a life that is blameless. It is imperative for a leader to pursue this path to ensure they are not potential obstacles to whom they are educating. A Christian leader has a responsibility to educate those who are under his/her watch care, and there should be transparency and integrity displayed throughout the teaching process. If spiritual leaders use Jesus as their model and possess the same objectives in their teachings, there should be clarity in the lessons. Leaders such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were

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Running head: MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP PAPER 7 also leaders to model oneself after. Written instructions were given by way of the Old Testament and given to judges, priests, and prophets for the purpose of instructing God’s people in the ways of Christian life. (Anthony & Benson, 2011) It is the responsibility of the Christian leaders of the church to ensure a Christian education is being taught and applied outside the four walls of the church as well as inside. When we teach in such a manner that it is shared outside of the church, it can then reach the community and beyond. It is the teacher who molds and fashions the life of his generation. (Watson) (Walker, 2021) Implications for Ministry Leadership One thing that should stand out among Christian leaders when talking about leading or teaching in a ministry is the image of God. A Christian educator’s foundation should have the implication of the imago Dei or image of God throughout their teachings. While trying to navigate a Spiritual walk, one will inevitably run into detours, roadblocks and anything that would try to deter one from receiving the word of God and applying it to their life. With the types of distractions that will be encountered, a leader must stay focused and committed. When you see what God looks like, you will then see what Jesus looks like. Just like you can see the likeness of God in Jesus, there should be a likeness of us as it relates to Christ. Being a spiritual being, one should take on the attributes, values, and characteristics of Christ. Walking in Christianity means one’s mind must be conditioned to think the way Christ would have us to think in order to develop the kind of character described in the Beatitudes. (Warren, 2002, pp. 172- 173) (Walker N. , 2022) Understanding the likeness as it relates to Christ cannot be understood unless the image of God is in the forefront. Along with laying a biblical and theological foundation when cultivating leadership, ethical leadership should also be adhered to. Ethical leadership is a form of leadership in which an individual can demonstrate conduct that is good

Running head: MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP PAPER 8 and acceptable for all. Ethical leadership is important in any setting, but it is critical in a place of worship. There are three areas in which ethical leaders can help demonstrate a positive environment with productive relationships: The team, the individual, and the church as a whole. When these relationships are cared for and developed, it leads to positive outcomes and benefits for the ethical leader. Another way leadership and educators can approach ethical dilemmas is to view ethical dilemmas through multiple paradigms. When ethical leadership does not prevail, it could be a catastrophic result physically and spiritually. When leaders conduct themselves in an unethical manner, there are a number of things to consider. In the past decade unethical behavior has run rampant throughout the church. Most of the church leadership as a whole, was not prepared to endure the physical implications the pandemic had on the church, let alone the spiritual implications. The moral failure in the church had been shaken to its core. One congregation after another has fallen victim to the misgivings, betrayal, sexual immorality, molestation, adultery, and all manner of inappropriate behavior that has been displayed throughout the church. The negative effects of the unethical and immoral acts have seemed to plague leaders in youth groups, conference ministries, and high-profile para church agencies. Unfortunately, the offenders have been known to be those who have held the positions of leadership in the church. Although no one doubts that sin has always been a problem, the extent of the problem with the leadership is what makes it a major blow to the body of Christ. Physically, the ministry or the people can take a hit in their finances, their health, esteem, or even their willingness to trust. Spiritually, a setback in one’s walk could cause doubt in the Word of God, cause fear to set in, various problems could arise. One never knows the possible manifestation in a person when a type of betrayal occurs. When someone falls victim to betrayal by their leadership, it can be a devastating ordeal.

Running head: MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP PAPER 9 It may even seem like in that very moment that God does not care. Habakkuk 1:2-4 states, O Lord, How long shall I cry, and you will not hear? Even cry out to You, “Violence!” And you will not save. Why do you show me iniquity, And cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; There is strife, and contention arises. Therefore the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore perverse judgment proceeds. (NKJV) The truth is, God can and will meet you in the most challenging times of your life. The feeling of God not caring may try to creep in, but you have to hold fast to the word of God and let the healing begin. Conclusion If we willingly pursue God’s purpose for our lives, it allows the Holy Spirit to move free in our midst. Even the right leadership and an abundance of Christian education will not be helpful if one does not put themselves in the right posture to receive it. “Another aspect of pursuing God’s purpose has to do with our attitudes and motives. Did you know you can have the right purpose and the wrong motive and never succeed?” (Hagin, 2006) Theological and Biblical leadership is rooted in the word of God. The Bible remains the one and only most sound and reliable doctrine to follow when it comes to Christian leadership and its precepts. When leading in any capacity, it should be remembered that the Christian journey and discovery of purpose all starts with God. “God is not just the starting point of your life; he is the source of it. To discover your purpose in life you must turn to God’s Word, not the world’s wisdom. You must build your life on eternal truths, not pop psychology, success-motivation, or inspirational stories.” (Warren, 2002) .

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Running head: MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP PAPER 10 References (n.d.). Anthony, M., & Benson, W. (2011). Exploring the history and philosophy of Christian education: Principles for the 21st century. Eugene: Wipf & Stock. Bredfeldt, G. (2006). Great Leader, Great Teacher: Recovering the Biblical Vision. Chicago: Moody. Gleeson, B. (2021, April 08). Forbes . Retrieved from Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brentgleeson/2021/04/08/leading-with-purpose-how-to- engage-others-with-passion-and-focus/?sh=1174af0f22f1 Greenleaf, R. K. (2021). Servant Leadership . Retrieved from Center for Servant Leadership: https://www.greenleaf.org/what-is-servant-leadership/ Hagin, K. (2006). Plans Purposes and Pursuits. Tulsa: Thirteenth. Kilner, J. F. (2015). Dignity and Destiny: Humanity in the Image of God. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2017). The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Maxwell, J. C. (2021). The Self-Aware Leader. New York: Harper Collins. Sanders, O. J. (2017). Spiritual Leadership -Principles of Excellence for Every Believer. Chicago: Moody Publishers. Walker, N. (2021). The Importance of Christian Education and Leadership. Liberty University: unpublished manuscript. Walker, N. (2022). Christian Education and the Right Mindset. Liberty University: Unpublished Manuscript. Warren, R. (2002). The Purpose Driven Life. Grand Rapids: Zondervan. Watson, C. (n.d.). The Teacher as a Spiritual Leader. Retrieved from Ministry Magazine: https://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/1935/01/the-teacher-as-a-spiritual-leader Westover, J. H. (2020, December 8). Five Characteristics of Highly Impactful Leaders . Retrieved from Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2020/12/08/five-characteristics-of- highly-impactful-leaders/?sh=7dac945d755c Williams, C. R. (2016, September 2). Renew Your Mindset with God . Retrieved from The Junction City Union: https://www.junctioncityunion.com/online_features/renew-your- mindset-with-god/article_6a7c21e2-717a-11e6-8885-e387ffa80c14.html

CLED 820 Theology & Philosophy of Leadership and Management-

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