All leaders need to get it right in order to be effective. Each type of leader, however, could face unique obstacles within these common challenges.
Get it right by . . .
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serving with the right motivation
- Visionary leaders could serve out of a need for position.
Rationale: To lead, they need influence.
Problem: could lead to pride
- Administrative leaders could serve out of a need for performance.
Rationale: To lead, they need to achieve.
Problem: could lead to putting high expectations on people
- Shepherding leaders could serve out of a need for popularity.
Rationale: To lead, they need respect.
Problem: could lead to people-pleasing
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Right Motivation:
serve out of love for God which spills over into love for people (Matt. 22:37-40)
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having the right ambitions
- Visionary leaders could want to control the direction of the church.
- Administrative leaders could want to control the schedule, policies, and procedures of the church.
- Shepherding leaders could want to control the lives of the people in the church.
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Right Ambitions:
desire to serve and not manipulate or control (Matt. 20:25-28)
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maintaining the right balance
- Visionary leaders could put more emphasis on progress.
They are goal-oriented.
- Administrative leaders could put more emphasis on performance.
They are task-oriented.
- Shepherding leaders could put more emphasis on people.
They are people-oriented.
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Right Balance:
goals, tasks, and people are all important but ultimately people are most important (Matt. 12:1-7; Lk. 10:38-42)
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getting the right involvement in ministry
- Visionary leaders could get too far ahead and fluster people by pushing them too hard.
Result: People are in a state of abuse.
- Administrative leaders could figure it is easier to do it themselves and forget people.
Result: People are in a state of disuse.
- Shepherding leaders could want everybody to help in every way and fuse people rather than remembering their distinct gifting.
Result: People are in a state of misuse.
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Right Involvement:
everybody has a part (Eph. 4:16) yet there are times we are to bear one another's burdens
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using the right methods
- Visionary leaders could let the end justify the means.
- Administrative leaders could get stuck in the means and never get to the end.
- Shepherding leaders could say forget methods altogether and focus on people.
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Right Methods:
God is both process and results-oriented. Consequently, both the means and the end matter. (Jn. 15:8; 1 Cor. 10:31; Col. 3:17)
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fostering the right kind of unity
- Visionary leaders could pursue peace by getting people on the same page.
- Administrative leaders could pursue peace by getting people to follow a code of conduct.
- Shepherding leaders could pursue peace by getting people to adapt and compromise.
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Right Kind of Unity:
God brings unity out of diversity as everyone focuses on the one Lord, yields to the work of the Lord, and seeks the common good. (1 Cor. 12:4-7; Phil. 2:1-4)
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How leaders work through these challenges will affect the way the church functions. Even deeper, it could influence the culture of the church.
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