A good leader is sensitive to needs and problems of others.
Leadership in lay ministry is often overlooked, ignored, or fumbled because of a general tendency to expect clergy to do the leading. Clergy have this responsibility, but the Church also needs lay leaders if it is to accomplish its mission. Few of us are natural leaders and most of us only become effective through study and practice. Some qualities a church leader needs to develop are:
Loyalty – Our first loyalty is to Christ whom we follow with unwavering commitment. The leader is also loyal to the organization, its purpose and its precepts. Loyalty is a trusting relationship built on a clear perception of right and wrong, order and chaos, integrity and dishonesty. Blind loyalty is not true loyalty.
Vision – A good leader locks ahead to see what might be, dreaming a little and thinking a lot, giving from thought to coping with problems, setting goals, and planning for achieving excellence.
Spirituality – The church leader must have a right relationship with Christ and a clear understanding of the doctrine and faith of the Church.
Articulate – A leader is capable of communicating dreams and plans to others in order to inspire them to action that will attain objectives. Clear communication is a keystone to good leadership.
Pastoral Care – A good leader is sensitive to needs and problems, demonstrating by positive action and love, interest and concern.
Humility – Leadership is a servant role. The leader will inspire so that people are unified in mind and spirit by mutual respect. It is not “I” but “we.” “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be a slave to all.” (Mark 10:43,44.)●
COMMENTS
in relation to LEADERSHIP IN THE LAY MINISTRY
Chand Analyser, Pakistan, says
I have been touch with LPMI for four years. In early days, I thought that LPMI is new denomination from USA and they want to build their church in Pakistan. They will gather people and will preach them their teachings. After a month I ask Byeong chea that what do you want me to do here for you. He cleared me that he doesn’t want to do anything for LPMI in Pakistan but LPMI wants to do something for Pakistan. I was surprised. I asked again that what is their interest actually? I was told that they don’t have any interest but they are interested in our all churches and all denominations, also I was told that LPMI is for all people, amen. Then I called my friends and family members to told them about the mails what i received by Byeong Chea.
We decide to request some books related LPMI, So, with in one week LPM Korea sent books at once. So, we have been sitting at our home which is the main office of LPM of Pakistan. We have been sitting in our office and reading those books daily. I have been translating to all members of those books. When we have finished those books. We were all inspired and decided to walk with LPMI. Then Byeong and me were in daily contact , he has been teaching and equipping me by emails and I gathered my members and interpreted them about those mails. Soon, I told Byeong Chea that I have life time commitment with LPMI. Because LPMI having the main message of Bible. LPMI has selected the main words to follow what Jesus gave to Peter as his “Will”.
LPMI is making good Sheep and good Shepherds.
LPMI having both teaching, physical and spiritual cares and depending on Prayers.
LPMI have all what churches need.
LPMI has all searched what useful to help to equipping the churches.
I have been visiting many churches in Pakistan i was asked by people that what is the planning of LPMI for Pakistani churches. I told them that LPMI has planning:
to equip pastors to handle their people
to grow small sheep of all churches
to equip all people that may Pastor not alone.
to train small sheep to ba a good Shepherd and to be good sheep to their Shepherd.
LPMI has planning to give pastoral care to all people.
LPMI has a great concern with the people of God.
LPMI has planning to create an atmosphere where people can grow in love and care.
Prayer is the first tool of LPMI
We gave LPM to our pastors and people to taste it, they tasted and they liked cause they need it. Pakistani pastors were saying that If people will have the training and equipping of LPM then churches will never die and then churches will work and serve like a family. If all people having the same spirit what pastors has then it will be a great revolution in the church history. That is what LPM want.
LPM has introduced a proper pastoral care.
LPM members can spend their gracious time to other churches to grow.
LPM is very serious to help all churches and pastors.
LPM know the problems of all Churches and ready to solve them.
LPM has designed a new Vehicle with modern and actual technology according to the Bible, now Pastors can drive it and can satisfy their passenger and passengers can enjoy a journey with their Pastors.
LPMI has advanced knowledge, skills helpful in fulfilling the great commission. LPMI is providing positive peer and mentor relationships, allowing for courageous ministry visions to take shape.
I don’t know about American and south Korean churches but I know that our pastors and churches need equipping what LPM has designed. Once a time, some pastors came to me to talk about LPMI in my office, I will not explain what we have talked cause it was three days meeting, but i will tell you the result of that meetings, after three days meetings, they confessed:
“LPMI has remain committed to Biblical and theological standards and LPMI is challenge and empower pastors to pursue their full potential as gifted servants of the church, called to lead their congregations into excellence in mission and ministry as they connect people to Jesus”.■
Byeong, Melvin University, says:
Melvin mentioned some of good leadership, and do you have any other ideas, insight? And want to share with your peer?
Karl George, the Director of Fuller Institute of Church Growth, emphasizes the key of the current church is lay leadership development. He also said the development of lay leadership is directly related to the church growth. I found that over the last many years our ministry is really a good tool to develop lay leadership. Here we are not referring to laypeople’s position (Offices), but their role (Function). Despite every ministry aimed at developing their lay leaders, they mostly think the ministry “itself,” not people, is the ultimate goal, so the result is only staying with programmers or managers rather than developing their leaders.
Contents of Training: The contents of the training modules: CONCEPT AND THEOLOGY. WHO NEEDS IT? COMMITMENTS. THE CALL. BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP. ABOUT LISTENING. “BEING” PRECEDES “DOING.” KEEPING SPIRITUALITY FIT. ANATOMY OF A VISIT. BEING PROFESSIONAL. CONFIDENTIALITY. DIFFICULTIES INTO POSSIBILITIES. These contents are taken from the first book, and it was selected the necessary ones to produce PACE ministers. Last 15 years, I personally found this training had hit 85% of what we wanted. Of course, one or more elements may be added during the training. For example, the work of Holy Spirit, and Supervision, so on.
One to One Ministry: This is the one to one care ministry. Most of ministries talks one to many, but this is exactly one-to-one ministry. Of course there are advantages and disadvantages at both. For instance, one too many ministries emphasized the group leadership, but personal caring is a little weak on this aspect, and one-to-one caring is strong on the caring itself, but group leadership and group dynamic is weak. I think the best strategy is complement of each other. Both have strength. But we need to see how the personal growth there is.
Conclusion: In the end, Lay Pastors Ministry is “subject to the laypeople so they themselves lead the ministry. “ Until now, the senior pastor, assistant pastors have leaded those ministries, and laypeople only help them respectively. But now the pastor is responsible for the training and preparation, we call here, [equipping] the laypeople, and laypeople is responsible for the ministry. Many experts say this format and system is the biblical ministry.
Today’s Christians are totally different from yesterday.6)It is not their fault. Whole of society, even church itself changed a lot. Ordinary Christians are not any more ordinary. They want be a person as they are which means they want to grow up enough. Let us think of it seriously. Today’s congregations do not stay at one church all of their life. They are looking for church where they may grow. Some churches train them for three years (for instance, discipleship-making), but when they completed three years course they leave the church where they are trained even though the church was their mother church. They were there for about 20-30 years as a committed person. But they leave today without any hesitation. Why? Because they want to grow, they want to use their talents,the gift given them by God.
So other churches are growing because those people who left previous church come and joined their church. So, almost every week many matured people who are trained very well and almost ready to do any ministry enroll to the other churches. That is today’s church especially in Korea. We pastors have to know the reality. We intend to stay at fantasy world too long. They miss many people to the other churches, even their church to close down soon.
And another problem is too long training course, curriculum today. Today’s Christians are not immature people anymore. They are grown up enough. They just want to do something, but the church, exactly the pastor keep them in airplane shed too long. Laypeople are ready to fly out, but they still keep them inside.Two problems happen: Their energy is out of service because their wings died in there, so they could not fly …I mean no energy to go out. In the moment of completion of training course, no energy left. It was there enormous energy mounted up, but too late to open the door.■
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
by BYEONG
Win-win is the best? At business and work, Win-Win are what everyone pursues, and they also think and teach that it is the best. But is that true?
In the Bible, was Jesus a win-win? Jesus made a loose-win composition by sacrificing himself on the cross. “I’m sacrificed, and they’re saved.” So if they’re doing well, satisfied, and unhurt, rather, isn’t loose-win right? Do I have to win?
As I come to Kenya and run the school, I continue to make myself aware that there must be endless negotiations and constant concession.
There are two challenges at the moment. On the outside, they are financial sponsors of the school from all over the world. The other thing is internally, the school staff, the university committee, etc. It is a series of continuous challenges. In this situation, there are three options: win-win, win-lose, and loose-win. Is the notion that I live only when I die too cliche?
The best is Win-Win, but this is just an ideal. The next option is to go to a compromise of 50:50. There is not 100 percent satisfied with both sides. Finished with 50% satisfaction. But the shared progress is 100 percent energy commitment.
In the end, it came to the conclusion that loose-win, so “I have to lose, and they win.” So win-win can be just a nice slogan in some ways.
The giver has it. Wheat grains live when they fall to the ground. Is the word altruism necessary here?
I’ve had CPE a long time ago (although I’m now in a position to train students here), and most of the students then was self-centered, our advisor(supervisor) pointed out. In particular, I used to feel that altruism was absolute in the caring ministry.
What is altruism? I am a loser, you are a winner! I’ve recently talked about this with my colleagues here. They were surprised to hear that I decided to be a looser. They were expressions that my decision was unexpected.
Yes, it’s a huge thing to lose. But on the other hand, if you think about it, does losing cause a lot of damage to me? It just hurts my pride a bit. I think I can take it because it’s a wound I chose.
Rather than using energy to try to win, wouldn’t it be the attitude of the wise to focus on more constructive and more productive work and ministry? I feel that it is not a matter of winning or losing, but of trying to be more effective and successful in a given ministry. There are always ineffective temptations around that make you interested in unimportant things.
I think we have to deal with infinite negotiations, concessions and losses as much as we want. I know that there’s nothing I can do for more productive and effective.
But
Among others, it is better for leaders to guide each other to be win-win, and to mediate between each other to be so. Although we need a loose-win relationship in our relationship as I mentioned, it is the leader’s duty to make them win-win among third parties.