For those who participate in congregations that are part of some sort of connectional systems, we need to look at how we nurture leadership in those who are part of our higher governing bodies. The “What Have You Done for me Lately” syndrome affects how we respond to those leaders as well. My General Presbyter, but for others their bishop, district superintendent, etc. is too often evaluated by “how happy we are” or whether there is a lot of conflict or not. Those are managerial issues. They are important but we also need to support them in being leaders.
When the leadership counsel of our larger church leaders has their meeting, what are the type of leadership supporting questions that we should be asking them when we meet? Let me try a few.
“If we are to be a faithful people of God, what are some areas of faithfulness that you think we might need to reflect on?”
“What are some issues that you think are important but you are concerned might not be received well if they were raised?”
“When you think of the challenges facing this governing body, what are some biblical images that come to mind?”
“In what way is your faith being challenged by the demands of your job?”
“What have you done this past month where you have felt the strong presence of God?”
“If you were strongly supported in doing it, what is one project or direction that you would like to emphasize for the next year?”
“If you were to paint a picture of a faithful governing body responding to the leading of God, what would it look like?”
“Recognizing that it might make us or our churches nervous, still how might we be more faithful in supporting you this next year?”
We need to focus on developing even better questions that encourage our leaders to be leaders and strengthen the bonds of corporate encouragement of such leadership. They won’t always be right, but that too is an important part of the process. Israel and its leadership were sometimes disastrously wrong, but they kept wrestling with God and God kept redeeming their efforts.
