#Agenda 4 That
the Leader Sets the Culture
My last and
final point in this agenda series.
Whether we like
it or not, the senior leader is the one who should be tasked with setting the
cultural tone of the church. Culture is the extension of the senior leader’s
philosophy on how to make the vision of the church a reality; it is the
atmosphere in which everything happens. Culture includes the ideas, customs, behaviors, and characteristics of any
given group of people.
The Philosophy of Ministry
We all hold tightly to a set of deeply held beliefs
through which we individually determine a basic understanding of life. Such
beliefs are usually held at a subconscious level and are incredibly powerful,
often most evident when we switch to our “default settings” in stressful
situations. They are shaped by the way we were raised, our education, the
information we gather, religious and spiritual input, relationships, and
general life experience. A senior leader will discover that these beliefs are
reflected strongly in their approach to ministry. It is important that they
remain aware of this reality, because from time to time a leader will need to
work hard to deviate from their default settings in order to make the right
call for a particular situation.
A leader is also required to be aware of, and seek to
change when necessary, the default settings of other people. Changing someone’s
belief system is rarely achieved by doing a course or going to a conference,
which do not fundamentally change what a person believes. Rather, if such
change is to be effected, an individual needs constant input and reinforcement
from someone they respect and trust. It could take many forms: leadership
training, setting an example, vision casting, and the sharing of success
stories are just a few suggestions. People need to hear a new idea and then see
it being successfully implemented to be convinced. Given plenty of time, people
can learn to adopt different ways of thinking
Read more, buy my book and be blessed: Blueprint for Growth

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