LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PLAN

docx

School

Liberty University *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

510

Subject

Philosophy

Date

Apr 3, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by CommodoreClover5022

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY JOHN W. RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY Leadership Development Plan Submitted to Dr. Daniel Austin in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of LEAD 510-D09 Biblical Foundations of Leadership by Elisha Jennings May 1, 2022

Contents Introduction………………………………………………………………………………1 Theology of Leadership……….………..………………...……………………………...2 Philosophy of Leadership….……………………………………………………………..4 Methods and Models of Leadership….…………………………………………………..7 Leadership Culture……………………………………………….………………………8 Leadership Development Plan..…………………………………………………..………9 Conclusion…………………………………………………………….…………….……10 Bibliography………………………………………………………………….….……….11 ii

1 Introduction Follow the Leader is a children’s game in which one child is deemed “the leader” and all the other children follow and imitate him or her. Children are called “out” of the game when they fail to follow or imitate the leader. When only the leader and one other child are left, that child becomes the new leader. The game has benefits beyond fun. It helps children learn through observation and encourages them to see their parents as leaders and imitate them. Christian leadership is similar, but not that simple. In the children’s game, children jump at the chance to both be the leader and be a participant in hopes of becoming the new leader. It is always fun! Those who are called out just excitedly wait for the new game to begin so they can take another shot at being the leader. The children’s game leader does not have to be skilled, and the children must follow in order to play. In adult Christian life, leadership is filled with responsibility and can be stressful at times. Followers can be very critical of the leader’s movements and interactions. In fact, there are many who refuse to follow the leader for various reasons. The leader is always being watched, scrutinized, or judged, even when they are well- liked and appreciated. It looks bad on the adult leader if followers get “out”. In fact, the goal of Christian leadership is to keep everyone “in the game” while constantly getting more to join in. Christian leadership is hard work, as leaders cannot be idle and keep followers in the game. Paul points this out in 2 Thessalonians 3:7-9: “For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.” In the children’s game, the first leader is simply picked by peers or teachers and subsequent leaders assume leadership by winning the games. Christian leaders are developed.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

2 In order for the body of Christ to succeed in meeting its goal of multiplying disciples of Christ, there must be strong, healthy leadership. Churches and ministries must strategically develop leaders that will serve, influence and build God’s kingdom. Theology of Leadership Philippians 2:3-4 says to “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.” This is foundational to Christian leadership and crucial to developing good leaders. Malphurs proclaims that “A Christian leader is a servant.” and suggests that servanthood is the core of a “leader’s heart”. 1 Jesus is probably the most pointed to example of servant leadership, and He should be. After all, He demonstrated the most selfless act known to the current world. Malphurs points to Matt. 20:25-28, Mark 10:41-45, and John 13:1-17 as prominent theological references of Jesus’ servanthood, and mentions that “Servant leaders display at least four characteristics: humility, service, focus on others and love.” 2 Each one of these characteristics can be taught to and developed in others using the life of Christ as the study guide. Having a strong theological foundation is paramount to a good leadership development plan. Jesus’ motivation to serve was love. This is clearly documented in John 13:1-17 when Jesus washed his disciple’s feet. He made it clear that a leader is not greater than his followers and set an example of true servanthood. Jesus’ point that a leader is a servant is also mentioned in Mark 10:35-45 when Jesus explains to his disciples James and John that whoever seeks to be 1 Aubrey Malphurs. Being Leaders: The Nature of Authentic Christian Leadership . Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Books, 2003, 31. 2 Ibid, 34.

3 great must first be a slave, and that even He Himself “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” A good leadership development plan must build other attributes of leadership on top of the foundation of servanthood. Credibility, capability and influence are also critical to effective Christian leadership. People only follow those they trust. Christians follow Christ because they trust that God’s Word is true. It is almost easier to trust someone you can’t see than it is to trust someone you can. When you can see, you can see it all, the good, the bad and the ugly. Leaders are always on display. It is important that followers see leaders as credible and trustworthy, as they will be tested: Revelation 2:2 says “I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.” Malphurs mentions that “Relying on or placing our confidence in human leaders is based on sight-we watch what leaders do 24/7/365” 3 No one wants to follow someone who doesn’t seem to know what they are doing or where they are going. Christian leaders must be capable. Malphurs poses the question: “Are leaders born or made?” 4 Some leaders have natural gifts and abilities, while others have to work at their craft. Just as some athletes are naturally great at what they do, and others must spend inordinate amounts of time perfecting their skills. Those who are born with skills and those who work to get them are equally important to winning the game. The bottom line is that capability is important. Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro made this point in Exodus 18:21: “ But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.” A good leadership 3 Being Leaders: The Nature of Authentic Christian Leadership , 51. 4 Ibid, 74

4 development plan will be able to develop leaders from those who have natural gifts as well as those who have to develop them. While some gifts can be developed, some are gifts from God and cannot be developed in those who do not have them. Those who have them, however, still need to have the support and help from a good leadership plan to help them develop those gifts. Ephesians 4:11-12 tells us that “Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” People follow. People imitate whom or what they follow. Influence is the golden carrot. People wear certain clothes, eat certain foods, perform certain rituals, and go to certain places because other people they are influenced by do the same things. Influence moves people to be, go and do. Mark 9:38 shows that even Jesus and his disciples had imitators, evidence of their influence: “Teacher”, said John, ‘we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.” This influence was also present in Paul’s day in Acts 9:13: “Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” The point of being an influential Christian leader is to lead people to follow and imitate. Philosophy of Leadership What makes leadership Christian ? Leadership is Christian when the leader is a follower of Christ and his or leadership is based on Biblical principle. Christian leaders are Christian leaders regardless of the environment they lead in. Malphurs supports this by concluding that “Christian leaders are Christian leaders outside of as well as inside the Christian community. Our

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

5 mandate is to lead Christianly regardless of the context.” 5 There are followers and potential followers in both environments. The Christian leader must lead in a way that keeps followers following and bystanders interested in following. A Christian leader must be a great follower first. It is important that the Christian leader be led by Christ and not his or her own ambitions. In order to do this, one needs to be engrossed in and understanding of the Word of God. Leadership can only be based on Biblical principle if the Bible is being studied. There are many examples of leadership, both good and bad in the Bible which help Christian leaders learn what to do and what not to do as a leader. One of the first examples of leadership in the Bible comes from Genesis, with the story of Abraham. Abraham could be described as an influential trailblazer. He was also a great follower. In Genesis 12:1, God told Abram to “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” Abram was not young or alone, but he did as God told him. Genesis 12:4 shows that Abram, at 75 years old, had to pack up his wife, his nephew, all of the possessions and people who were with them, and motivate them to move (on foot) the long distance from the land they were familiar with to one they had never seen. Only a trusted, influential leader could get a group of people to do that. The feat also highlights Abram’s wholehearted trust in God as his own leader. Abraham is a Biblical example of what Christian leaders can accomplish when they allow themselves to be led by God, in both deed and character. Leaders in a position of authority have the power to make decisions that greatly affect others. Sometimes conflict can present itself causing emotions of anger and the desire for revenge. Biblical principle is extremely important in these instances. The Christian leader must 5 Being Leaders: The Nature of Authentic Christian Leadership , 13.

6 be able to overcome human nature and demonstrate Godly leadership regardless of their feelings. Forrest and Roden mention that leaders must have “nonnegotiable moral strength” and point to Joseph as an example of this Biblical principle. 6 Genesis 37 tells the story of Joseph being terribly wronged by his brothers, thrown into a pit and sold into slavery. Genesis 42-45 reveals that Joseph not only survived his brother’s malicious act against him, but he becomes a leader in the land they must turn to for food during a famine. Joseph could have used his power to enact revenge on his brothers. Instead, he showed them forgiveness and love. The leadership of Joseph is a great example of Godly leadership. One more example of Biblical principle in leadership is that of Peter. Peter is perhaps the most well-known disciple of Jesus. Even so, he denied Jesus three times as He was being crucified in Matthew 26: 69-74. Peter cried about his betrayal of Jesus. Then, he pulled himself together and preached the first sermon after Jesus ascended to heaven in Acts 2:14-40. Acts 2:42 tells that “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” Leaders recover from failure. They gather themselves and get the job done. Peter led three thousand people to Christ after he denied Him three times. Christian leaders are not perfect and they make mistakes, but they own their mistakes and move forward to meeting the goal. Peter is a perfect example of this principle. Methods and Models of Leadership There are many individual and organizational styles of leadership. Some are orthodox, some are out of the box, and others are undefined. What is most important is that they are effective in serving, influencing and building God’s kingdom. Effectiveness requires that 6 Benjamin Forrest and Chet Roden. Biblical Leadership: Theology for the Everyday Leader . Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Academic, 2017, 44.

7 leadership style has some level of alignment with followers. Malphurs poses this question for churches and leaders to answer: “Does the church’s style of leadership align with that of the leader? 7 The process of a church choosing a leader and vice versa is not a fast one. Sometimes the process can go on for years. How does this impact the health of the church, and does it cause a major stall for leadership development within the church? If so, then it would be wise for the leadership development strategy to include a contingency plan for interruptions in normal church flow and function. Churches and leaders must know themselves. This is important for decision- making. Malphurs suggests that leaders know their “leadership identity”, and identify these components: 1) doctrinal beliefs, 2) core ministry values, 3) leadership style, 4) leadership capabilities, 5) leadership capabilities, 6) theology and philosophy of ministry, and 7) ideal ministry circumstances. 8 The leader/church relationship will have a better chance of running smoothly if these things are in alignment. It would be difficult to lead people who don’t believe what you believe. Malphurs identifies four primary styles of leadership, with one determined to be one’s dominant leadership style: 1) Director, 2) Inspirational, 3) Diplomat, and 4) analytical. 9 Understanding one’s individual leadership style can help leaders make better decisions about leadership roles they are considering. The church must also decide on its preferred leadership style. It is important to make sure that preferences are based on Biblical principles and not popularity. Some churches have been sliced completely in half because of leadership decisions. This does nothing for the body of 7 Being Leaders: The Nature of Authentic Christian Leadership , 147. 8 Ibid, 132. 9 Ibid.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

8 Christ and harms the mission. The absence of a solid leadership development plan that fits the church’s identity leads to unplanned and sometimes long gaps on leadership. Leadership Culture Very often, children interact with others the same way that they observe people in their household interact with others. The culture of the home dictates many of the strengths, weaknesses, and social skills children display outside of the home. The church is no different. The culture of the church dictates how members interact with each other and visitors to the church. Influence is one thing, but when people decided they want to follow, they want to know where they are going. A directional leader can “keep the church moving in the right direction-its God-given direction-the Great Commission.” 10 A sense of direction affects culture, and culture affects everything. Efforts to create a leadership culture should not be overdone in terms of focusing on the “leader”. Focus should primarily be on “servant”. Focus on servanthood will create a culture of leadership that creates more leaders. Leadership Development Plan I plan to use a simple and organic approach to developing people and leaders who fulfill and serve the organizational mission where God has planted me. Utilizing 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 as a Biblically based core value, the ministry I serve will have the mission of radically and positively transforming individuals and communities with the love of Christ. I have determined that a mature Christian lives to serve, seeks opportunities to grow and help others grow, and is 10 Being Leaders: The Nature of Authentic Christian Leadership , 157.

9 known by their fruit. Example is the most powerful component of leadership and that is how leaders will lead and develop other leaders-by example. “Go and be”, rather than “come and see” is how I plan to develop leaders and multiply disciples. 11 My ministry will follow Earley and Dempsey’s structure for organic churches. 12 Focus will be on developing disciples first, and leaders will be a byproduct of great discipleship development. Disciples will be developed through the formation of small groups in the community, where learning and mentoring will take place. I believe in keeping it simple. When focus is on the mission and all efforts are poured into it, the result will speak for itself. From an organizational standpoint, there is a master standard operational procedure that can and will be the first line of consultation when there are questions, concerns or conflicts. It is called the Bible. Conclusion Following the Christian leader is not hard when he or she has the right attributes. Those attributes come from having a solid Biblical foundation. Having a solid Biblical foundation comes from committing to Christ by believing, following and acting. The divine purpose of Christian leadership is to lead others to Christ. This purpose is fulfilled by leaders who are clear about the mission and how to accomplish it, undaunted by obstacles and distractions, and determined to complete the mission. Luke 4:42-44 says “At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he 11 Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey. Disciple Making is: How to Live the Great Commission with Passion and Confidence . Nashville: B & H Publishing Group, 2013, 27. 12 Ibid.

10 was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.” The leadership development plan can help churches focus on multiplication instead of addition. The Christian leader has the responsibility of making sure the current followers don’t get “out” and that there is a steady stream of new followers coming into the fold. While the leader may be out in front and have followers, the Christian leader is actually a follower. Christ is the leader of Christian leaders. Christian leaders follow Christ by imitating Him, with the goal of leading others to Him. Philippians 3:17 shows Paul telling the Philippians: “Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.” Christian leadership is about serving, influencing, and building God’s kingdom. Churches and ministries must strategically develop leaders that will serve, influence and build God’s kingdom. Bibliography Dave Earley and Rod Dempsey. Disciple Making is: How to Live the Great Commission with Passion and Confidence . Nashville: B & H Publishing Group, 2013. Forrest, Benjamin, and Chet Roden. Biblical Leadership: Theology for the Everyday Leader . Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Academic, 2017. Malphurs, Aubrey. Being Leaders: The Nature of Authentic Christian Leadership . Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Books, 2003.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Related Documents