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Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Effective Church Leaders

Eph 4:11-12 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

The needs of the local church demand the right kind of leaders as it fulfills its mission on Christ's behalf in a broken world. We must be Christ-centered & Spirit-empowered, leaders who stand ready to take our places according to God's call. We are able to influence others toward God's purposes. What are the characteristics we need to be this kind of leaders?
Convictions. Effective ministry leaders are the result of theological formation. They've put deep roots down into the soil of the Word of God. Because of this, they know what they believe and why they believe it.
Commitment. Spiritual formation shapes leaders to be committed to the lordship of Chris! over all of life. These leaders are committed to Christ's cause in the Great Commission and the local church as the center of God's program on Earth,
Character. Leaders must earn the trust and respect of those they influence. That comes from being conformed to Christ as the fruit of the Spirit is developed on the vine of character. Who we are inside determines what we do in ministry.
Competency. Effective ministry leaders develop leadership, specif­ic ministry, and personal competency to be effective. The Book of Nehemiah gives an outstanding example of leadership competency. Nehemiah was unwilling to accept the status quo of the broken-down wall. He inspired a shared vision, mobilized people to learn up, encouraged the people, and set the example. We seek to help our students understand the best practices of effective leaders.
Capacities. No two servants of Christ are the same. As we follow Christ, He shapes us individually to become effective leaders. That comes from knowing yourself as you discover the way God has designed you for ministry with your gifts, personality, and experience, It also comes from growing through lifelong learning and mentoring.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Praise God for effective leadership. I have seen many pastors in an obvious "leadership" position that have no clue on how to lead. May some have the opportunity to tune into you blog. I have enjoyed your insight and writing on leadership.

ky preacher said...

Effective leadership is paramount in the church if the church is to fulfill the will of God.

Johnny said...

You are right! We need good leaders more than ever. I would only add that we need leaders who will not change, but I guess you said that under conviction. Thanks for posting it was a blessing to me!