Authenticity of Leadership - 5/17/05

   I have a vision of what the church can and must become.  It is part of who I am and how I lead as a pastor.  It is what has drawn me to become involved with The Jesus Connection.  When I share the vision with the congregation it is not with the half-hearted energy that I promote some of the denominational stuff I am expected to promote, but as a personal and passionate vision.  We cannot go before our congregations and promote this as the newest idea from somewhere else, but as our heart's desire for our congregation.

     Authenticity is critical to what we do as leaders.  Bill George, CEO of Medtronics shared in an article "The Journey to Authenticity" (Leader to Leader, Winter 2004) the dimensions of authentic leadership.  In his experience authentic leaders (1.) Understand their purpose.  (2.)  Practice solid values.  (3.)  Lead with the heart.  (4.)  Establish connected relationships.  (5.)  Demonstrate self-discipline.  I think these are strikingly similar to the requirements for elders or bishops in the biblical books of Timothy and Titus and should be personal requirements for ourselves as we strive to lead our congregations to spiritual and structural transformation.

     Understanding our purpose relates to the biblical requirements of not being recent converts and well-grounded in the word. We know first and foremost that we are Christians. Our pastoral leadership grows from our experience and from what we have learned works in Christian community and mission.  It is our purpose to make disciples of Jesus Christ and lead the people in the direction we understand God is heading. 

     Practicing solid values relates to the biblical requirement of blamelessness.  The way I would say it is that we have to have integrity.  That means that we walk the walk, and that we are honest about where we believe the walk should lead.  If we choose to not do the things we know in our hearts we should do, we are as blameful as if we were immoral, addicted to wine, quick tempered or arrogant.

     Leading with the heart relates to some of the biblical requirements for leadership such as loving goodness, gentleness, and being hospitable.  People need to know (as much as it lies with us) that we are asking them to change because we really believe they will be enriched and fulfilled by what they experience.  One of the things I appreciate about Jan Linn's leadership in this process is that I know he loves Jesus and the church, and his passion is to promote the spiritual and systematic transformation and not to create a bunch of "Linneans."

     Establishing connected relationships relates to managing the household of God, it relates to being well thought of by outsiders, it is at the root of the requirement to have a solid family life.  The Jesus Connection is not a win/lose, adversarial process.  It believes that when we are connected to Jesus and each other, great things will happen for th realm of God.  It calls for deep relationships in the community of faith rather than the nominal, polite relationships that often mark congregational life.  When people get to know us as people, as sojourners, get glimpses of the passions of our souls, and experience the integrity of our lives, they will follow us more than they will a slate of ideas presented from the pulpit and newsletter.

     Self-discipline is perceived as a requirement for success in corporateAmerica and for elders and bishops of the church.  Helping people or organizations change is hard and focused work.  No matter what the stressors are at the moment, leaders need to stay on mission or message.  The Jesus Connection is a process for spiritual and structural transformation.  It may or may not lead to numerical and financial growth.  It may or may not excite denominational leaders.  It may drastically change some things in the lives of congregations and leave other things much the same.  It may or may not dovetail with some of the ideas of THE PURPOSE DRIVEN CHURCH or other visions of congregational renewal.  The main thing is that it is a process for spiritual and structural transformation.  We need to hold this discipline in our daily preparation as pastors, and in our leadership efforts.       

     This is a reflection on authenticity relating an article by a CEO to biblical teachings on pastoral leadership.  This reflection could have been framed differently, but I think however it is framed, that the main thing is to lead our congregations through The Jesus Connection process in a way that is real and authentic to who we are and to what we have been called as persons of faith and pastors. 

Loren Olson - First United Church, Little Falls, Minnesota