Vital Churches Place an Emphasis on Rotating
Lay Leadership In Order to Involve More People
Over Time
Rotators
Debora Constable – Glen Haven UMC Deidri Cumbie – Powder Springs UMC Paulina Dominique – Warren Temple UMC Morris James – Transformation UMC James Johnson – Northside UMC Karen Law – Toccoa 1st UMC Ben Lloyd – Prospect UMC Table of Contents
I. Purpose
II. How Does God’s Word Address Christian Leadership Traits that Should Be Used in the Selection of Church Members rotating into Leadership?
III. How Do Christian Leadership Traits differ from the World’s Leadership? Model?
IV. How Do We Identify Leaders?
V. How Do We Support and Sustain Our Leaders?
VI. How Do We Train Leaders?
VII. What Should be the Primary Motivation That Drives Leaders to Serve Effectively?
VIII. Conclusion I. Purpose:
After our research the Rotators present evidence to support our assigned ministry strategy- Vital churches place an emphasis on rotating lay leadership in order to involve more people over time.
In response to an article entitled “The Rise of the ‘Done with Church’ Population”, sociologist
John Packard shared some of his groundbreaking research on the “Dones”. He explained that to a degree, the church is losing its “best”. The very people on whom a church relies on for lay leadership, service and financial support are going away. Bill Muehlenberg’s commentary suggests that one reason for this is “many believers are tired of just being bench warmers with no role to play.”
During our January session, Rev. Mike Selleck shared that we should listen to laity when they suggest new programs. God may have sent that person to begin that particular ministry and they may move on if not in service. Pay attention - find out why God sent them. Rev. Selleck also shared the theology of the laity with us: God has already sent you everyone you need to do what
God would like you to do - are you using them?
How do these thoughts fit into our assignment? The point of rotating lay leadership is to involve more people over time - use them or risk losing them. Do you ever feel that there is a revolving door on the front of your church with as many leaving as are joining? A couple of us within our small group shared that they had left a church after years of membership due to a strong desire to serve - they went where they could answer God’s call to service. Is this perhaps happening in your church? We must remember that God gave each of us different gifts so we would work together. Each part of the body works with another to be the hands and feet of God. As He calls us to His service and we stand side by side, we get to know one another creating a bond - making us a stronger body of Christ. Each of us wants to feel that we are part of the family, loved and needed. Each must be given the opportunity to serve as they feel God has called them. Perhaps we have served in a particular position so long it’s just time for a break. Time to rest in God’s word, participating in Bible study to be refueled for the “next thing” God wants us to do. This frees up a position for someone new to fill. During our small group time with our pastors, one pastor reminded us that not every leader holds a position. We can be a strong leader working behind the scenes even while not holding a position.
Read on for our thoughts on why rotating your lay leaders is important for becoming a vital congregation in your community.
II. How does God’s word address Christian leadership traits that should be used in the selection of church members rotating into leadership?
Must be striving to be obedient to the word of God. John 14:15 –“If you love me, keep
my commands.” NIV
Must be studying the Word of God, i.e., Bible Study, Sunday School, Christian
Development Training, etc. 2 Timothy 2:15 – “Study to show thyself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” KJV Must attend worship services on a regular basis. Hebrews 10:25 “Let us not give up
meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and
all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Must be or become a tither. Malachi 3:10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that
there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I
will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there
will not be room enough to store it.” NIV
Must be humble. Luke 14:11 “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those
who humble themselves will be exalted.” NIV
Must be willing to sacrifice personal rights for the good of all. Mark 10:42-45 “Jesus
called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the
Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so
with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and
whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come
to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” NIV
Must be willing to bear the cost of serving in God’s kingdom. Mark 10:38 “Can you
drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with.”
Church members involved in the nominations process that seeks to rotate other members into church leadership must seek God’s will throughout the process. Members of the nominations committee must prayerfully ask God for wisdom and discernment prior to considering those being rotated into leadership. The Book of James states that our heavenly Father will give us the wisdom we need if we ask and speaks to the essence of that wisdom when we receive it. James
1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
James 3:17 “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”
The committee should collectively and individually study God’s Holy Word to ascertain God’s perspective on Christian leadership.
The nominations committee must be mindful of 1 Samuel 16:7 “But the Lord said to Samuel, Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
The Lord does not look at appearances, socio-economic status, race or educational accomplishments. The Lord is seeking true worshippers and those after His own heart. Jesus did not choose the prominent people as his followers. He chose the humble that were not tainted by the trappings of this world.
III. How do Christian leadership traits Differ From the World’s Leadership Model?
Leaders have a great deal of responsibility - to lead with competence and honesty. Christian leaders have a higher calling or standard because their leadership should reflect a life of discipleship and humility. As disciples of Jesus Christ we are called to be servants. The leader takes the lowest position and does not expect reward. [“The greatest among you must become like a person of lower status and the leader like a servant]. (Luke 22:26) (CEB). This differs from the world view of leadership where the primary goal is to be rewarded and the leader does not take the lowest position but instead has a position of power.
A leader is able to get people or community to move in one direction or another, how that is done depends on certain qualities: competence, accountability, and openness, good grasp of language, values, perspective, humility and power. According to Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership, p. 29), spiritual leaders possess natural and also spiritual qualities.
Natural Spiritual Self-confident Confident in God Knows Men Also knows God Makes own decision Seeks God’s will Ambitious Humble Creates methods Follows God’s example Enjoy command Delights in obedience to God Seeks personal reward Loves God and others Independent Depends on God
The Christian leader is able to combine the natural and spiritual gifts and does so most effectively when the ultimate goal is to bring glory to God. One of the dominant qualities that all leaders strive for is power and sometimes the spiritual leader forgets where his or her power comes from. The Bible states in Acts 1:8, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.” The spiritual leader needs only to place his or her will in God’s hand and be obedient and trust that God will guide every step he/she takes.
The world leadership model sees power differently, for it becomes a means to an end. The leader has a position of power which means he or she has authority, is superior, and has great influence. While it is true that a leader need some degree of power to lead, if not done wisely, it leads to disaster where the leader feels self-reliant and depends only on natural qualities and the ultimate goal is self-gratification or rewards. In this type of leadership, the leader tends to lack humility, becomes demanding, sees self above all and seeks to obtain more and more power, while there is no regard for the people to be served.
In the book, The Case For Servant Leadership, by Kent M. Keith, the author contrasts the Power Model and Service Model with these points: The power-oriented leader wants people to do things. Servant Leaders want to help people do things. The power model assumes hierarchy, only a few people have power, those at the top of the pyramid.
In the service model, while there is a leader, anybody on the team can be of service or be a servant-leader. In essence the power model is about grabbing, while the service model is about giving. Power is inward, service is outward.
The Christian leader has high moral values that rely on the Power of the Holy Spirit by faith for discernment and wisdom and for making a difference in the lives of others. The World’s leadership model allows the leader to easily cast off moral values for the pursuit of power, wealth, and fame.
In the book, A New Breed of Leader, by Sheila Murray Bethel, Colin Powell states that leaders need to have a vision to communicate in a way that followers are inspired. They are to train, equip, reward, and prune the followers.
One of the reasons for training followers is that being a leader is a heavy load and leaders become tired and sometimes frustrated. Then there is a leader in residence. Leaders also need time for rest and refreshment.
There needs to be a leader in training ready to step into the shoes of the present leader. We see this model with Moses and Joshua also Paul and Timothy. Sometimes rotating leaders can be difficult in very small congregations but with the Christian leadership model where there is a team approach the leadership role is easily rotated.
IV. How Do We Identify Leaders? Now we know that we need leaders and they need to be rotated, how do we identify them? One of the most important traits of a leader is to identify potential new leaders. If your church is to grow, this is a critical process. Good leaders learn to look for qualities in people that are conducive to good leadership. This is important to have a culture that is successful in reproducing and rotating leaders. Below are some traits to look for.
Concern/Love for Others – You can’t lead people effectively if you don’t genuinely love
people. Ones that do not have this trait often produce followers, but they fall short of
reproducing leaders.
Not a Complainer – Leadership encounters complainers regardless of what we do. We
certainly do not want to add any more complainers to a team of leaders. A positive
attitude will go a long ways.
Teachable and Open to Suggestions – Someone who thinks that they have all the answers
will repel other leaders. People with no desire to keep learning will not be able to change
with the times.
Excellence in Following – Someone who is leading followers must be able to follow
themselves. It takes one to know one.
Reliability – Leadership is about trust, and trust is developed over time with consistency
by doing what you said you would do.
Interest – People with a passion often make great leaders. You can train someone to be a
good leader but you cannot train someone to have passion to make a great leader.
Good character – Character counts. Not perfection. Not flawless. Good character is
necessary to be trusted on a team. Integrity. Honesty. A humble desire to always be
improving as a person. Potential – Jesus always saw potential in others they themselves couldn’t see. You should
follow this example and do the same. It worked for Jesus.
Confidence – Leaders have to move forward when others are ready to retreat. Not
prideful, but a genuine willingness to lead through hard times.
People skills – You can’t lead people if you cannot communicate with people. This does
not mean that you are a language scholar but you have to be able to engage people and
make them feel part of the team.
Do keep in mind that we are identifying those whom God desires to be in leadership and we are not the ones determining who gets to be a leader and who doesn’t. Prayer is an important step in this process. Jesus chose 12 uneducated fishermen to be leaders. These are individuals that we probably would not have chosen to be leaders and would have missed the boat. Our job is to encourage people with these traits. God has assigned these gifts of leadership and our task is to identify them and encourage these people. Remember, God is the Potter and we are the clay.
V. How Do We Support and Sustain Our Leaders?
Once we have our leaders in place – appointed, volunteered, and assigned – it’s important to sustain and support them. In order to be done well, this system of support must be a multifaceted process and approach. Much like a net is cast to catch several fish at once, we must design our systems of support broadly, with the goal of catching as many issues as possible. Of course, no system is perfect – but the goal should always be perfection. Here are some, though not all, of the essential elements of support and sustenance for our leaders: Prayer
First and foremost, prayer must be essential to the process. We are people who believe in a God who acts in the world. We believe in a God who sustains and supports, who gives new life and new hope. Without a strong prayer element in the process of leadership, all systems of support – and indeed, all leadership itself – is bound to fail. We must pray for our leaders, that they lead with God’s insight and wisdom, and that God continues to renew a spirit of leadership within them. This can be as simple as allowing each member of a committee to pray for one another, or groups can be formed to focus on certain members and committees. What is essential is prayer – and each leader should pray on their own behalf as well.
Training
Leaders must be trained. The best and most well supported leaders are those who are prepared for leadership. This will also be a flowing well of sustenance throughout their tenure of leadership. Of course, this means classes, books, seminars and even basic conversations about what is expected and the best way to lead. Churches should offer ongoing classes for new leaders as well as old. Along with training, each leader should be resourced – given the tools they need to lead – at both the local and district levels. While all this is good and important, nothing can replace the role of a mentor in training our leaders in the church. A system or program of mentorship should be in place in all our churches, where we learn to lead by following others and seeing how others have done it. The ultimate mentor is Christ himself, but we too are little Christs, serving and mentoring one another.
Productive Leaders want to know that they are accomplishing something. The work of the church should never be focused on what is effective over what is faithful, but that does not mean that committees should not set goals for their programs. Specific goals give us direction and provide meaning to our action. And likewise, meetings should be directed toward accessing and critiquing those goals. Goals can change, but they are essential to the process. Any committee or meeting that moves forward without direction is essentially moving nowhere. There is nothing more sapping of energy and spirit than being stuck in the mud and feeling that nothing is getting done – that my time and energy are being wasted. These goals should fall in line with both the local and universal church, and should be tested with prayer.
Gratitude
We must thank our leaders. It’s that simple, and yet it’s something that we often forget to do. In both private and public settings – and in both successes and failures – show gratitude for the leadership provided. We have called these people to give of their time and resources, to sacrifice for the good of the church – and whether their leadership has been fruitful or not, they deserve our gratitude for their service. This can take many forms, and happens both during and at the end of terms, but it is essential to the support and sustenance of true leadership in the church. Sabbath
Finally, we must allow our leaders to rest. Those who work for the life of the church often forget that rest is an essential component of all faithful work. Even God himself rested, thereby sanctifying the work He had done. We sanctify our work by being mindful of our bodies, mind, heart and soul, and by allowing our whole beings to rest. This rest is a gift to our leaders from
God, and should not be denied by the work of the church. Again, this rest can take many forms.
At the very least, it should include breaks between terms of leadership. But it also must include breaks within terms of leadership as well. This is time that can be used to reflect on what has been done, and allows the Spirit to open new doors of possibility for the work ahead.
These are only a few of the essential practices that every church should take up in order to better support and sustain their leaders. Any church that fails to recognize this need will be a prisoner of momentum – running fast and then fading out. The work of the church is a marathon, not a sprint – and we must be mindful of the ebb and flow of the work. If we are to be the church, then we will need leaders. If we need leaders, we will do well to take care of them – for they are essential to the work of God in the world.
VI. How Do We Train Leaders?
In order to properly train leaders we must use the Bible as our instruction manual. Once we have selected our leaders by using their spiritual gifts and guidance from the Holy Spirit, we should create a plan of action for training.
Psalm 32:8 (NIV) 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Psalm 119:66 (NIV) 66 Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands. Colossians 3:16-17 (NIV) 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Training
Provide a detail description of the role of the ministry leader.
Review the description with the leader and allow plenty of time for questions
Share any meeting notes and future plans for the ministry.
Allow the new leader to shadow the current leader, perhaps having the new leader sit in
on meetings before their term officially starts
Encourage the new leader to take the Basic Lay Speaking class, which will help with the
understanding of the resources’ that are available in the United Methodist Church. This is
especially useful for those that are new in a leadership position within the church
Once the new leaders term begins continue the relationship with the outgoing leader.
Identify youth in the church that show spiritual growth and allow them to spend time with
each of the ministries of the church. This will help them learn how each ministry
operates and how it relates to the overall mission of the church. As they show interest in
a particular ministry allow them to attend meetings and become a member of the ministry
and listing them in the Charge Conference report.
Youth should be included in the Annual Conference by becoming youth delegates. Every
church is allowed at least one youth delegate. The year before the delegate rotates off,
send the incoming delegate to the Annual Conference to help understand their role
without feeling overwhelmed.
As youth age out to Young Adults continue to include them and/or allow them to develop new ministries that reflect the needs of their generation.
VII. “What Should Be the Primary Motivation that Drives Leaders to Serve
Effectively?”
What are the motivations?
A genuine desire to serve others
a desire to please others
personal gratification found in service
realizing why God has called you to a particular place and purpose
helping others to learn to serve and lead
being needed and useful
be a part of something bigger than ourselves
a sense of obligation
to fill a gap no one else will fill
exert influence over others
a desire to be obedient to God
From these, the “correct” motivations are rather obvious -
the desire to serve others
helping others learn to serve and lead
being a part of something bigger than ourselves
a desire to be obedient to God So, how does this fit into our assignment?
Vital churches place an emphasis on rotating lay leadership in order to involve more people over time.
Actually, the art of “rotating” can apply even to the “wrong” motivations for service. If your church has only a handful of individuals who “qualify” under the “correct” motivations, then, glory be! You really do need to do some “rotatin'! Ask people to help you out! You do not need to qualify their motives. God will take care of that. But if they are never asked, no one will ever know what they can do or what they are made of. Often, they won't even know themselves until they move into a volunteer role.
Those who have a sincere desire to serve others often do so at the expense of their own well- being and the well-being of their families. Those few, but wonderful, individuals need and deserve a time-out of their volunteer duties. If a church organization already has a rotation system in place, these prized people can take a break without feeling guilty or feeling that the job will be left undone. If a church does not have a rotation system in place, one should be inaugurated in such a way that ALL leaders are aware of and subject to and encouraged to teach others to take their place so they may step away. Change in leadership is positive for the leadership itself, and for the organization being led. This concept is not a new one. There is a reason the United Methodist Church selects its pastors on a yearly basis. Why should we expect our lay leaders and volunteers to commit to a “life sentence” in a particular role? And, if the same handful of folks do all the work, all the time, the other members of the congregation not only take that for granted, they feel unneeded and unnecessary in the work of the church. This, my friend, is one big thing the church needs to avoid! It is always in order to ask someone who is an obviously faithful follower of Christ to take on responsibility within the church. While the vast majority of people will not raise their hand and openly volunteer, the vast majority of people, when particularly asked, will agree to and be happy to contribute their time, skills, and worth to the church.
Rotation of lay leadership offers new ideas and new enthusiasm. Rotation of lay leadership opens the possibilities for the already committed leaders to find new avenues for their creativity, hard-earned wisdom, and desire to serve. Rotation of lay leadership provides an opportunity for each leader to “serve in the mundane” from time to time. Serving the mundane can be a welcomed relief from being “in charge.” There are times when each of us would be of better value cleaning the kitchen, emptying the trash, or setting out Sunday's bulletins, than always striving to be the one who orchestrates Vacation Bible School, the Fall Festival or Christmas
Concert. Everyone needs an opportunity to step back, step away, rest, and perhaps obtain a new point of view.
When lay leaders take advantage of “rotating” out of their roles, they offer the role to someone else who God has already prepared to fill that spot. Another person then is allowed to learn and grow in wisdom as a leader. And when that individual rotates off, yet another has the chance to grow and learn and become a valuable leader.
It's a great process! No one gets to do everything all the time! No one has to do everything all the time! Isn't that the way it should be?
VIII. Conclusion We conclude that vital churches do place an emphasis on rotating lay leadership to involve more people over time. Vital congregations seek wisdom and discernment throughout the rotation and selection of lay leadership by prayerful study of the Bible for scriptural references that address
Christian leadership characteristics. During the rotation of lay leadership, churches selecting new lay leaders are mindful that world’s leadership model and the spiritual leadership model are very different. Vital churches recognize that supporting and sustaining those rotated into lay leadership must continue long after the selection process ends. These new lay leaders need prayer, training, expressions of gratitude and rest. Vital churches are also cognizant that the rotation of lay leadership over time results in new creativity and new energy to move a church forward in the accomplishment of the vision and mission of the congregation. The rotation of lay leadership gives every church member the opportunity to use his or her unique God given gifts and talents to aid in the building of the kingdom of God here on earth.