Who on Earth do you think you are?
I recently read an article in a Christian magazine, where a well-known church leader was presenting a scenario where a visitor, "had a word," for him, essentially bringing a rebuke to him. His reaction, whilst qualifying the person as being perhaps not someone who is sending out the best signals to gain credibility, also revealed an attitude of, "I'm in charge here. Who do you think you are to bring a rebuke to me? That's my job! Sit down in the congregation for the next ten years and maybe I'll listen to you then."
Whilst all of the leaders and leadership teams I have encountered have had their faults, weaknesses and areas of vulnerability, despite this, most of them have managed, having been given my initial respect, to earn the right to keep it. (There's a hidden message there about good attitudes towards leadership). However, one of the most common reasons I have observed for people leaving a church has been that of control: gifted people or strong personalities but with weak character, insecure leaders who are afraid that others might outshine them, people operating beyond their level of gifting. Each of these groups, and probably others, can tend to either dominate or manipulate to maintain a controlling influence.
It is sad that there are levels of humility exercised in the world that at times outshine the church: here are two. I remember reading an interview with Robert Plant. In it, the interviewer recalled him meeting Rick Astley, who had then been the flavour of the month pop star. Plant had asked Astley if they could have their picture taken together, saying, "my kids have never even heard of Led Zeppelin, but if they knew I had met Rick Astley, they would be really impressed!"
Secondly, in an interview after he had retired from politics, Michael Heseltine was asked what sort of prime minister he thought he would have been remembered as, had he beaten John Major after ousting Mrs. Thatcher in 1990. He replied that he thought he would have been a disappointment, because he would have made mistakes, and let people down. I was impressed by the modesty of both these men, who in their own fields had been remarkably successful.
As Christians, we ought to be the ones setting the example to others, and so often we all fail to deliver. Still, most of my heroes and role models are Christians: my old youth leaders, those who taught me the basics in the early days of my faith, the main leader of the only genuine community church I have been part of. Despite the mistakes they have all made, these contemporary ones remain my heroes, people to learn from and to imitate. If I could have half as much influence through people learning from me as I have learned from those who have gone before me, I will have done well!
Whilst all of the leaders and leadership teams I have encountered have had their faults, weaknesses and areas of vulnerability, despite this, most of them have managed, having been given my initial respect, to earn the right to keep it. (There's a hidden message there about good attitudes towards leadership). However, one of the most common reasons I have observed for people leaving a church has been that of control: gifted people or strong personalities but with weak character, insecure leaders who are afraid that others might outshine them, people operating beyond their level of gifting. Each of these groups, and probably others, can tend to either dominate or manipulate to maintain a controlling influence.
It is sad that there are levels of humility exercised in the world that at times outshine the church: here are two. I remember reading an interview with Robert Plant. In it, the interviewer recalled him meeting Rick Astley, who had then been the flavour of the month pop star. Plant had asked Astley if they could have their picture taken together, saying, "my kids have never even heard of Led Zeppelin, but if they knew I had met Rick Astley, they would be really impressed!"
Secondly, in an interview after he had retired from politics, Michael Heseltine was asked what sort of prime minister he thought he would have been remembered as, had he beaten John Major after ousting Mrs. Thatcher in 1990. He replied that he thought he would have been a disappointment, because he would have made mistakes, and let people down. I was impressed by the modesty of both these men, who in their own fields had been remarkably successful.
As Christians, we ought to be the ones setting the example to others, and so often we all fail to deliver. Still, most of my heroes and role models are Christians: my old youth leaders, those who taught me the basics in the early days of my faith, the main leader of the only genuine community church I have been part of. Despite the mistakes they have all made, these contemporary ones remain my heroes, people to learn from and to imitate. If I could have half as much influence through people learning from me as I have learned from those who have gone before me, I will have done well!
posted by Sparky at 3:12 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home