Woe to bad shepherds

From The Virgin Islands-

It is no secret that many of our long-established, mainline congregations are dwindling. And at the same time, many of our historic communities, hometowns to generations, are experiencing more than just decline.

These smaller communities in many instances are experiencing actual disunion, and increasing, oppressive decrepitude. Indeed, they are becoming places where promises of the blessings of freedom, and promises of growing prosperity in time, are going unfulfilled.

In many instances, sheer practicalities (for example, commuting challenges, and need for more accessible, sophisticated medical resources), and the evolving advantages (better and more comprehensive education, employment, and so on) of our more urban, technology-dominated age, are overtaking the possibility of greater fulfillment “back home,” where even the least of us historically could be treasured, with more of our human potential realized, and with essential moral and ethical values intact. Some say that this evolution is our future.

More here-

http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/island_life/woe-to-bad-shepherds/article_89ae8e4b-d38b-598c-9fc9-54e670fa0569.html

Other people’s faith in you

From Christian Century (from 2016 but relevant to tomorrows reading)-

A placard with a quote from Dag Hammarskjöld sits on the corner of my desk at home. I look at it countless times every evening when I’m trying to complete the day’s work. It whispers a penetrating truth about pastoral leadership: “The humility that comes from others having faith in you . . .”

It’s not a complete sentence. But it’s relentless with its reminder that people have faith in me, and the overwhelming humility of receiving that faith, and the . . .

How does any pastor complete that sentence? There is simply the vote of faith and the plummeting humility because you know your limitations far better than those who did the voting at the congregational meeting. And you know the uncertainty about how this ends.

More here-

https://www.christiancentury.org/article/2016-05/other-people-s-faith-you

My feminist strategy for dealing with criticism as a Christian leader

From Faith and Leadership-


What do you do when you’re called shrill, hysterical or bossy? The executive director of the Massachusetts Council of Churches responds by feeling deeply and sharing her pain.
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Christians say awful things to one another. I wish I hadn’t had to learn this as the leader of a Christian institution.

In my ministry, I’ve been called all sorts of cruel things: shrill, hysterical, bossy, manipulative, emotionally unstable. I’ve been likened to farm animals. I’ve had Christian colleagues repeat untrue rumors. I’ve had Christian colleagues stand in the sacristy and “joke” about cutting my mic when I speak. I’ve been called a name that is not printable here.

And this is not even counting what people have said about me online, anonymously or without my knowledge.

Navigating these particularly gendered criticisms is especially problematic for women in public Christian leadership. Our gender already puts us in a position of being perceived as overly emotional. Others will presume we’re additionally weak, volatile or angry based on their biases about age, sexuality, perceived abilities, class, educational status and race.

More here-

https://www.faithandleadership.com/laura-everett-my-feminist-strategy-dealing-criticism-christian-leader

Not Leadership Material? Good. The World Needs Followers.

From The New York Times-

In 1934, a young woman named Sara Pollard applied to Vassar College. In those days, parents were asked to fill out a questionnaire, and Sara’s father described her, truthfully, as “more a follower type than a leader.”

The school accepted Sara, explaining that it had enough leaders.

It’s hard to imagine this happening today. No father in his right mind (if the admissions office happened to ask him!) would admit that his child was a natural follower; few colleges would welcome one with open arms. Today we prize leadership skills above all, and nowhere more than in college admissions. As Penny Bach Evins, the head of St. Paul’s School for Girls, an independent school in Maryland, told me, “It seems as if higher ed is looking for alphas, but the doers and thinkers in our schools are not always in front leading.”

Harvard’s application informs students that its mission is “to educate our students to be citizens and citizen-leaders for society.” Yale’s website advises applicants that it seeks “the leaders of their generation”; on Princeton’s site, “leadership activities” are first among equals on a list of characteristics for would-be students to showcase. Even Wesleyan, known for its artistic culture, was found by one study to evaluate applicants based on leadership potential.

More here-

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/24/opinion/sunday/not-leadership-material-good-the-world-needs-followers.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share

A FIRST-RATE INSANITY: LEADERSHIP AND MENTAL ILLNESS

From The Living Church-

While sorting book donations to our theological library at the Community of St. Mary, I came across a recently published book with a strange title: A First-Rate Madness: Uncovering the Links Between Leadership and Mental Illness. I read a lot of strategic leadership books in my MBA days, so I wanted to see what the pop psychologists are saying.[1] Dr. Nassir Ghaemi would have us reevaluate what he considers our provincial thinking about mental illness and health. His motivation for suggesting this is to avoid the stigmatization of the mentally ill, just as we should with terms of racism, sexism, tribalism, etc. He contends that “we stigmatize those who differ from us.”[2]

The question arises, though: Is that a valid comparison? Is defining “mental illness” simply a matter of mental perspective and imagination?

More here-

http://livingchurch.org/covenant/2017/03/08/a-first-rate-insanity-leadership-and-mental-illness/

Women relatively rare in top positions of religious leadership

From Pew-

While many large religious organizations in the United States allow women to be ordained – and to hold leadership positions within the organization – few women have actually served at the very top.

We looked at nine major religious organizations in the U.S. that both ordain women and allow them to hold top leadership slots. Of those organizations, four have had a woman in the top leadership position. And, so far, each of these four has had only one woman in the top position.

Currently, the American Baptist Churches USA and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America are the only groups in our analysis with women in their top leadership positions. Susan Gillies is interim general secretary of the Baptist churches and Elizabeth Eaton is the presiding bishop of the Lutheran group.

More here-

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/03/02/women-relatively-rare-in-top-positions-of-religious-leadership/

The Strategic Legacy of Bishop Ed Little

From Vital Practices-

From the beginning of his ministry as the seventh bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana, the Rt. Rev. Edward S. Little II has beamed a spiritual focus to follow. Personifying the lighthouse on the diocesan seal, Little has delivered powerful messages that illuminate priorities for Christ centered living and ministry.

Communicating the right priorities is one of the keys to strategic leadership. I offer a glimpse of Little here as a model of such leadership.

Little’s strategic legacy began with his seating sermon in 2000, in which he called on his new flock to embrace the lighthouse as a vision for individual and congregational ministries. To prompt and guide, he set four core values for the diocese:

A passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ
A heart for the lost
A willingness to do whatever it takes
A commitment to one another

More here-

http://www.ecfvp.org/posts/the-strategic-legacy-of-bishop-ed-little/

“It’s Not a Matter of Obeying the Bible”: 8 Questions for Walter Brueggemann

From Faith Street-

Dr. Walter Brueggemann is one of the most influential contemporary theologians. His dozens of books and hundreds of articles have shaped American sermons, as Brueggemann’s work — especially on the Old Testament and the Psalms — has been widely utilized by seminaries and pastors across the country.

Recently, I caught up with Dr. Brueggemann during a lectureship series sponsored by the Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy at the University of Findlay.

What’s your main message for young church leaders today?
We in the United States live in a deathly social context that’s marked by consumerism and militarism and the loss of the common good. Younger people that are committed to the gospel have to think carefully about how to critique that dominant system of military consumerism and how to imagine alternative forms of life that are not defined by those corrosive pressures.

More here-

http://www.faithstreet.com/onfaith/2015/01/09/walter-brueggemann-church-gospel-bible/35739

Plan to groom ‘talent’ for high office in C of E

From The Church Times-

A RADICAL overhaul of the Church of England's leadership is under way.

A key report, still unpublished, sets out a programme of "talent management" in the Church. The report has been signed off by the two Archbishops, and a £2-million budget has been allocated. It was discussed by all the bishops in September, and the House of Bishops on Monday. A spokesman said on Wednesday that the Bishops "welcomed the implementation plan prepared in the light of those discussions. Details will be published next month."

More here-

http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2014/12-december/news/uk/plan-to-groom-talent-for-high-office-in-c-of-e

Reasons Most Churches Never Break the 200 Attendance Mark

While social media and even traditional media are still preoccupied with mega churches and multi-site churches, the reality is that most churches in North America are quite small.

The Barna group pegs the average Protestant church size in America at 89 adults. 60% of protestant churches have less than 100 adults in attendance. Only 2% have over 1000 adults attending.

Please understand, there’s nothing wrong with being a small church. I just know that almost every small church leader I speak to wants his or her church to  grow.

I get that. That’s the mission of the church. Every single day, I want our church to become more effective in reaching one more person with the hope that’s in Christ.

So why is it that most churches never break the 200 attendance mark?

It’s not:

Desire. Most leaders I know want their church to reach more people.

A lack of prayer. Many small church leaders are incredibly faithful in prayer.

Love. Some of the people in smaller churches love people as authentically as anyone I know.
Facility. Growth can start in the most unlikely places.

Let’s just assume you have a solid mission, theology and heart to reach people.

You know why most churches still don’t push past the 200 mark in attendance?

You ready?

- See more at:

http://careynieuwhof.com/2013/09/8-reasons-most-churches-never-break-the-200-attendance-mark/#sthash.iKVEVc1N.dpuf

Atlanta: Harvard professor schools clergy on leadership

From ENS-

 The world is facing an unprecedented crisis of leadership that churches have the opportunity to address in their communities and beyond, Harvard Kennedy School Professor Ronald Heifetz said Sept. 30 addressing Episcopal Church clergy from Middle and North Georgia.

Heifetz’s presentation at the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta focused on how to lead parishes “when the economy is uncertain, education in decline, cities under siege, and crime and poverty are spiraling upward.”

Bishop Rob Wright of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta said the presentation supported several goals he set last November of equipping church leaders with skills that allow them to be more nimble in responding to current challenges.

“We asked Dr. Heifetz to give us a framework for the future.”

More here-

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2013/10/01/atlanta-harvard-professor-schools-clergy-on-leadership/