The Leader’s Gift

1. The Leader’s Gift Authority and Vision Simon Vibert Bible by the Beach, 1-4 May 2009

2. Mistakes leaders make in formulating Vision and exercising Authority…

3. Some of my mistakes! • Asking for ownership too late • Formulating a vision non-collaboratively • Assuming that people are with me when they aren’t • Assuming that voting “yes” at a meeting means commitment to the vision

4. Authority and Vision – biblical principles • All authority is delegated; to be exercised humbly and accountably • Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 13 • 2 Corinthians – e.g. Chapter 12 • Priorities arise out of prayerfulness • Remember Mark 1, 9, 15

5. Authority and Vision – biblical principles • “Where there is no vision , the people perish” • Proverbs 29:18 • You do not create or set core ideology you discover core ideology, It is not derived by looking to the external environment; you get it by looking inside (Competing for the Future) • Stephen Covey in Built to Last • A BHAG engages people – it reaches out and grabs them in the gut. It is tangible, energizing, highly focused. People “get it” right away; it takes little or not explanation.

6. Practicalities of setting vision and mission statements • Trinity Buxton • Our Mission – to learn, live and tell the Gospel. That is: • To acknowledge his authority • To reflect his character • To proclaim his coming • To share his love

7. Practicalities of setting vision and mission statements • St Luke’s Wimbledon Park • Mission overflows from a Gospel-centred Church. • Deeper; Wider; Higher • Deep in fellowship (1 Peter 1:22) • Wider in our outreach (Matthew 29:19-20) • Higher in our worship (Romans 12:1-2) • PCC monthly subgroups

8. What are some of the things which you think should be included in your vision statement?

9. Ernest Shackleton Why a monumental failure was a success

10. Ernest Shackleton Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honour recognition in case of success

11. We come back to the key question – what sort of leader are you going to be?

12. Relationship and Vision belong together • To aspire to leadership is an honourable ambition (1 Timothy 3:1 – NEB) • Context of 2 Tim 2 • You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. (2 Tim 2:1-4 NKJV)

13. 6 Hat Thinking • 4 Scenarios • Adding a third service (splitting 10.30am to 9.15am & 11am) • Appointing a Church office manager • Using a £200,000 donation to build an extension to the building • Launching a £10m library development fundraising campaign • White – Factual and Logical • Red - Intuitive • Black – Negative • Yellow - Positive • Green - Creative • Blue - Process

14. SMART action steps • Specific • Measurable • Achievable • Relevant • Time-framed

15. Growing Leaders- James Lawrence • Develop leaders through affirmation and encouragement • Start where you are • Invest in a few • Develop leaders as a priority • Identify and invest • Use biblical model for growing leaders • Use a strategy to develop leaders • Be a growing leader

16. Sticking points • Bottle neck around non-delegating leader • Break down in channels of communication • Multiplicity of activities without multiplying resources • Incomplete or complicated vision statement • Crossing hurdles (150+ being the most common transition difficulty for churches)

17. Sticking points Keith Farmer Surprised by Pain • Challenges for Middle Sized Churches (p238) (Writing from Australian scene, but probably reflecting a western church disease) • In some ways these churches and their leadership are being ‘squeezed’ from both sides. People, because of their tendency towards consumerism, are gravitating towards the best preaching, facilities, children’s programme, youth programme, worship and so on in their geographic area. These churches are also multiplying their congregations, rather than church planting, and in many situations bring all of the resources of the mother church alongside the additional congregation.

18. Sticking points Keith Farmer Surprised by Pain • Challenges for Middle Sized Churches (p238) • More than one situation which has come to my notice recently has involved a mega-church starting a new congregation with more than 500 people, with worship, preaching and so on being provided at the same standard as for the mother congregation. You can imagine the discouragement this can be to the leaders of the churches within 5km of the new congregation as people see if this new congregation would meet their needs more effectively.

19. Sticking points Keith Farmer Surprised by Pain • Challenges for Middle Sized Churches (p238) • Churches in the middle of the size spectrum which are seeking to attract people from the community and/or Christians from other churches on the basis of the excellence of presentation, programme, personnel or facilities are feeling/experiencing stress, relative failure and discouragement…. These feelings will be reinforced if those leaving are overtly critical of the established church and its supposed introspection and institutionalization.

20. Teach and Train in a way that works – 2 examples • Learning to play golf • Learning to fly a plane in a crisis