Leaders vs. Teachers

1. Leaders vs. Teachers How to stop pouring information into heads and start turning pew warmers into spiritual leaders and workers Source: George Barna seminar, “Inward, Outward & Upward: Ministry that Transforms Lives”

2. Too Few Leaders • The typical American church has too few leaders • Statistically, 4 out of 5 in America are not leaders (though 2 of 3 think they are) • 74% of interviewed pastors claim not to have a leadership gift

3. Over-taught and Under-led • “The typical American pastor is a teacher/preacher, not a leader.” • “The battle will not be won if the army is led by teachers.” • “The typical American church is over-taught and under-led.” George Barna

4. Reframing Teacher-behaviors into Leader-behaviors • Not a call to eliminate teaching in the church • Better: adding leadership behaviors and moving them to the forefront of your work

5. Leaders … influence by vision and character what they see who they are Teachers … influence by information (ideas, words) Eight Differences between “Teaching” and “Leading”

6. Leaders … provide directions and motivation Teachers … provide intellectual and conceptual challenge Eight Differences between “Teaching” and “Leading”

7. Leaders … Seek corporate transformation “big picture” Teachers … Seek individual transformation individual picture Eight Differences between “Teaching” and “Leading”

8. Leaders … Love to strategize Teachers … Love to study Eight Differences between “Teaching” and “Leading”

9. Leaders … Need a core of committed zealots develop teams Teachers … Need a teachable audience develop students Eight Differences between “Teaching” and “Leading”

10. Leaders … Have the courage to make unpopular decisions Teachers … Have the courage to teach God’s truth Eight Differences between “Teaching” and “Leading”

11. Leaders … Motivate action Teachers … Motivate reflection Eight Differences between “Teaching” and “Leading”

12. Leaders … Resolve conflict build consensus for the cause by distilling issues to the core Teachers … Stir conflict help people see nuances and complexities of issues Eight Differences between “Teaching” and “Leading”

13. Conclusion • While churches need “apt teachers,” (1 Timothy 3:2), they also need those with the “gifts of leadership” (1 Corinthians 12:9) • Leadership is as vital to the corporate spiritual health of the body of Christ as teaching is to individual spiritual health

14. Conclusion • “Speed of the leader, speed of the team” • Your church can grow when its leadership skills outweigh its inherent change-resistance skills

15. Leaders vs. Teachers Dr. John P. Chandler www.rasnet.org Copy right John P. Chandler, 2000