Hinderance # 1 - Leadership

#7 February 15, 2010

For many years, Max DuPree was considered the 'Dean' of Leadership wisdom in evangelical circles. His statement on Leadership was:

"The first task or responsibility of a Leader is to accurately define reality."

Part 1

It is obvious to even the casual observer that those with the title and responsibility for leadership in the Evangelical Church in America are NOT fulfilling that role. The church in America, Main-line denominations and Evangelicals alike, is in a state of precipitous decline. David Olson (www.theamericanchurch.org) documents the fact that the church is not growing in a single state in the contiguous states of the USA.

Further, we are not even coming close to planting enough new churches just to keep pace with population growth. Several years ago World Magazine had a feature article titled Locked From The Inside. The article provided a heart-wrenching saga of buildings that seat hundreds occupied by a dwindling dozen or two geriatric congregants shuffling in and out with their walkers, soon to close the doors permanently.

Denominations and even many Seminaries are highly resistant to accepting this fact and most certainly to adopting any changes in their programs with sufficient modification to stem the tide. Territory and Tradition have a higher priority than Truth and Effectiveness. They seek programmatic 'quick fixes' which simply are a mirage, a delusion. Ed Stetzer (LifeWay) said, "We love our traditions more than we love lost people." Sad but true.

Part 2

Impotent and incompetent leadership is always marked by lack of focus and purpose. Organizations led by such people (I refuse to label them Leaders) suffer the consequences of their deficiencies. Study the US Presidents. Several immediately come to mind because of their pathetic indolence and sheer confusion while they occupy the office of leader.

Leadership is not titles. It is not degrees. It is not power. It is not mere longevity in service. Leadership is the capacity to influence people to do what they otherwise would not attempt and to do it with joy. Management is about answers. Leadership is about questions. Management is about status quo. Leadership is about change. Zenger & Folkman summarize this distinction well:

The highest expression of leadership involves change, and the highest order of change is guiding an organization through a new strategic direction, changing its culture, or changing the fundamental business (ministry) model. Thus, change is an importnat and ultimate criterion by which to measure leadership effectiveness (Zenger & Folkman, The Extraordianry Leader, p.18).