Leadership principles in a cross cultural situation.

Leadership principles in a cross cultural situation.

Just got back from a very pleasant trip to Africa, I met with some great people and was encouraged by their commitment to Christ and their desire to see that everybody hears the word of God and the good news He brings.

I was asked one vital question, which I found both profound and perplexing. Much of what I teach on leadership and church growth is western or European centric. How can this apply to a poor African pastor and their congregation who sit in the shade of a tree every Sunday morning as they have no building? How are my leadership principles, that I teach, relevant to a Pastor who has no regular salary, and lives by faith in a very literal sense? Are the things that I teach able to cross the cultural divide in today's very modern and versatile society?

Let me start by saying that Africa is a place of very large contrasts. I don't think that pastors who live in the large cities have necessarily the same issues and problems as those that live in the rural and very remote areas. However there are, to my mind anyway, principles that cross all cultures and creeds and are relevant no matter where you live. A word of warning though, as always, communication is the key to all these things.

Here are 10 basic leadership principles, that I believe, will fit into any culture

1) Vision: Every leader, no matter their station in life needs to know where they are going and why the need to build their congregations.

2) Integrity: Without it how is any leader going to be trusted.

3) Respect: Unless a leader earns the respect of those they lead any success will be short lived.

4) Authenticity: A pastor needs to believe and live by God's word. It needs to be central in all that they do and say.

5) Encouragement: great leaders are constantly encouraging those around them to help spread the good news.

6) Listening: Good leaders are always good listeners, that's how they keep their fingers on the pulse of what is going.

7) Vulnerability: This lets those that leaders lead see the human side of the man that leads them.

8) Service: Servant leadership is the key to winning the lost and leading by example.

9) Courage: Without this a leader cannot hope to achieve what they wish to achieve, "only brave people and fools scale great heights" Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

10) Prayer: Great leaders are always answerable to a higher power and those who do not acknowledge that power, remain in obscurity.

Comments

The myth of Ministry Leadership.

The myth that all leaders are leaders. Not everyone who leads in church is a leader. I think it is wrong, for Church leaders to believe that those they train up to take various ministry leadership positions, are in fact leaders in their own right. They are not. At best I would categorise these people- that many churches call 'ministry leaders' as ministry managers. "At one level there is nothing wrong with title inflation; it is a cheap way of recognising people who work hard and make serious contributions" Jo Owen. I am of the opinion that this title inflation undervalues both the leader and the ' ministry manager' and can often bring about confusion and mismatched expectations. Many churches have ministry training evenings for their volunteers. Many use the reason for this training is "to make a person a better leader," when in fact the only thing actually happening is that th...

The 1970's Christian Coffee Shop

I remember as a new Christian being invited into a Christian Coffee shop in the town where I grew up. It was clean and tidy, the table tops were all brightly painted in different colours, but mainly yellow and scattered on top were a random selection of Christian tracts. Fish symbols and Christian posters proclaiming that there was but 'One Way' to heaven were everywhere. The music playing out of the stereo was The Bill Gather Trio or Dolly Parton singing Gospel. The crockery, was a mixed assortment of coffee mugs, donated by keen supporters of this outreach to the unsaved sinners and ungodly people living in the city. The coffee was a local brand heavily mixed with chicory. In all the years the Coffee Shop operated, I never saw a non-Christian go in and I never heard of a person coming to faith through having coffee there. I never really understood its purpose. Fast forward to today, when I was asked recently, to advise on helping a local community church open a c...

Playing well with others.

Today's rambling. Looking over some of my old school reports the other day and was amused at how some of the comments, that teachers made about me have shaped my life and in many respects made me who I am today. One teacher wrote that I didn’t play well with others, I was 5 at the time maybe I had an excuse. Another teacher in my high school years, the wood working teacher or wood shop teacher for my American friends wrote; “If you value your life you will keep him away from power tools and other dangerous equipment. I can’t remember why he wrote this, obviously I did something that made him fear for his life. Today as an adult I have to say that I don’t do well in committees, for most of my life I have been self- employed. I have steadfastly stayed away from power tools and other wood working equipment, basically anything that can cut something off and is a danger to life and limb. Over the last 10 years I have been looking at and teaching about Emotional Intelligence ...

Tim King Leadership

Search This Blog