Leadership and Spirituality
by Lovett H. Weems, Jr.

The title of an article I read several years ago on poor morale among spiritual leaders, “When Pain Outweighs the Promise,” highlights the importance of focusing on leadership and spirituality. To attend to the life of the spirit, to remember and renew the promise each day, is the foundation for leadership in the church. And it has always been so.

Recently I reread that classic on pastoral ministry, Richard Baxter's The Reformed Pastor, first published in 1656. While Baxter had significant limitations, one knowledgeable observer said that he was "the most outstanding pastor ... that Puritanism produced." By "reformed" Baxter refers not so much to a doctrinal stance, but rather to "renewal," – the renewed pastor. Baxter believed that "if God would but reform the ministry and set them on their duties zealously and faithfully, the people would certainly be reformed.” He makes it clear that leaders of the church must always take care of their own selves spiritually before they can offer help to anyone else. Baxter wrote, "Take heed … lest you famish yourselves while you prepare food [for others]."

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BOOK REVIEW

The Ministry of the Missional Church: A Community Led by the Spirit by Craig Van Gelder, Baker Books, 2007
Reviewed by Lewis A. Parks

This book is not leadership in search of theological rationale. It is a theology of the church in search of the leadership practices intrinsic to the nature and mission of the church. And church leaders who have the patience to read through the theology to get to the practice will be amply rewarded.

Three groups of church leaders will be especially helped by Craig Van Gelder’s book. To those discouraged by the lack of fruit from their labors Van Gelder offers a robust picture of a Spirit-led church. He summons the full witness of the Bible to unfold the various ways the Spirit sustains, animates, and nudges the church. One doesn’t invent or channel a Spirit-led church; one finds oneself in it, reads what’s unfolding, and then one cooperates.

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Leaders do not need answers.
Leaders must have the right questions.

Communication consultant Michael Sheehan says that leaders often begin with the wrong question – “What do I want to say?” – as they anticipate a speaking responsibility. The more useful question, but one that usually cannot be answered quickly, is:

What do I want to accomplish?

Editors:  Lovett H. Weems, Jr. and Ann A. Michel
Production and distribution:  Joe Arnold

Copyright © 2008 by the G. Douglass Lewis Center for Church Leadership. Leading Ideas material may be freely distributed with attribution (exclusive of material protected by separate copyright).