Pastoral Leadership – Part 1 of 7

Spirituality, a long-neglected dimension of leadership in the corporate setting, has been experiencing a renaissance over the last ten years. Meanwhile leadership practice in the Christian Church has been moving away from its biblical foundation of spirituality. Christian leaders are embracing secular practice with open arms, and seemingly little thought to the spiritual side of their work; yet as a 21st century Christian minister neither personal spirituality nor professional management technique can be neglected. It is critical that one successfully integrates these two skills into effective pastoral leadership. Pastoral leaders must seek a continued development of their management technique and praxis without laying aside traditional spiritual values of intimacy with God through spiritual discipline.

Pastor and author Eugene Peterson, offers many valuable insights into the need for ministers to hold firmly to the biblical foundation stones of pastoral leadership through a commitment to personal spirituality, (defining personal spirituality as a leader’s prayer life, their study of scripture and the process of spiritual directing). Christian leaders must understand that there is no need for there to be a schism between these traditional ministerial values and modern management techniques. Skills such as corporate vision casting, team building, branding, marketing, accounting and forecast projection, must be worked and applied to Christian leadership. Understanding that ‘leadership involves inspiration, passion and higher moral purposes,’ pastors must develop a deep commitment to Christian spirituality. Spirituality must be integrated into everyday life as a ‘lived experience’ rather than simply theology.

Successful Christian leadership requires a pastor to integrate personal spirituality into all areas of church management. Though a seemingly daunting task at times, with a commitment to spirituality as a core ministry and life value, any Christian minister can move from what seems to be a juggling act of differing priorities, to a seamless parity of melded tasks. This integration of management technique and personal spirituality will require a pastor to make priority adjustments in ministry and paradigm shifts in thinking, while monitoring pace-setting in scheduling and personal discipline in devotions. There are four distinct responses to an understanding of the need to bring biblical shape and pattern into their role as a leader. The apostle Paul instructs Christian leaders to lead with Godly edification, from a pure heart, with good conscience and sincere faith. These are qualities found in a leader committed to deep spirituality and an alert awareness of God’s initiating action at work in our lives, churches and communities.

To be continued…

The New Seven Deadly Sins

For 1500 years the 7 deadly sins, (pride, gluttony, sloth, lust, greed, envy and anger), have stood the test of time as the foundational sins to all other sins. Ever since Pope Gregory the Great, with the help of Thomas Aquinas and Dante, formalised the list they have been the bad boys of all sin.

Recently though Pope Benedict XVI and the Vatican released an additional list of 7 deadly sins, this list being the sins of society that separate one from another, the deadly sins of the 21st Century.

1. Genetic Modification
2. Human Experimentation; cloning
3. Polluting the Environment
4. Causing Social Injustice
5. Causing Poverty
6. Becoming Obscenely Wealthy
7. Taking Drugs

My take…

While the bible doesn’t talk about a list of 7 deadly sins, I think the original list is still the list that we should be working on. The original sins are foundational or at the core of all other sin and have given rise to much of the violence, crime, hurt and devastation that we have in our world today. In fact; if the original 7 deadly sins were still regarded as sins and if society shunned those characteristics and behaviours the second list would likely not be necessary.

Perhaps today is a good opportunity to reflect on the 7 deadly sins and whether or not there are issues you need to deal with in your life. We would hate to think there would be, but perhaps some of what we regard as smaller issues we are working on stem from the foundation that is one of the 7. Thank God for His grace and mercy and ask for forgiveness and for the Holy Spirit to help you face that which may need adjustment in your life.

Knee Update

On Sunday afternoon I was meant to do another 32km run in preparation for the Fletcher Marathon I am running on the 3rd of May. Got 6km into the run though and my knee packed it in again. I kept going for another 15km though, finished off a half marathon, before it got too painful. Its a real pain as aside from the pain in my knee when running I feel good and strong everywhere else. If my knee is still giving me trouble come the marathon then I will have to take a few pain killers and just push on. Will get there in the end, just maybe not in style.

Sir Edmund – Grandest of Knights

The Queen recently held a memorial service to commemorate the life of Sir Edmund Hillary a Knight of the Garter, the most prestigious of Knighthoods available.

It seems that not all Knighthoods are created equal with Sir Edmunds being one of the grandest.

It all gets a big complicated for me to follow without putting in a few hours of research, which I don’t have time for at the moment. But to the best of my understanding…

…within the UK honours system there are ten different orders of chivalry. Each of these orders gives recognition (“honours”) for exceptional service and/or achievement. Honours are split into classes ("orders") and are graded to distinguish different degrees of achievement or service. There are minimal criteria to determine these levels; various honours committees meet to discuss the candidates and decide which ones deserve which type of award and at what level. Since their decisions are inevitably subjective, the twice-yearly honours lists often provoke criticism from those who feel strongly about particular cases. The six most notable orders and those that can grant a Knighthood as an honour are as follows.

The Most Noble Order of the Garter
• Motto: Honi soit qui mal y pense (Shame on him who thinks this evil)
• Date created: 1348
• Level: Knight/Lady of the Garter
• Post nominal letters: KG/LG
• Remarks: Limited to 25 Knights
The Order of the Garter is the oldest and most prestigious of the meritorious orders. The Order was founded by Edward III in the 14th century. The origins of its name and motto are obscure. The chapel of the order is St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.

The Most Ancient and Noble Order of the Thistle
• Motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (No one provokes me with impunity)
• Date created: 1687
• Level: Knight/Lady of the Thistle
• Post nominal letters: KT/LT
The Order of the Thistle has ancient roots, but was only established on a statutory basis by James II in 1687. It is limited to 16 Knights (women were admitted in 1987), all of whom must be Scottish.

The Royal Victorian Order
• Date created: 1896
• Levels: Knight/Dame Grand Cross (Post Nominal Letters: GCVO) Knight/Dame Commander (Post Nominal Letters: KCVO/DCVO) Commander (Post Nominal Letters: CVO) Lieutenant (Post Nominal Letters: LVO) Member (Post Nominal Letters: MVO)
Given for services to The Queen and other members of the Royal Family. There is also a medal, the Royal Victorian Medal, with three grades, gold, silver and bronze. The chapel of the order is The Queen's Chapel of the Savoy.

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath
• Motto: Tria Juncta in uno (Three joined in one)
• Date Created: 1725
• Levels: Knight/Dame Grand Cross (Post Nominal Letters: GCB) Knight/Dame Commander (Post Nominal Letters: KCB/DCB) Companion (Post Nominal Letters: CB)
The Order of the Bath is another order with ancient roots. It takes it name from the ceremonial bathing that preceded investiture in medieval times. The order was formally established in 1725 and is awarded to state servants (including members of the Armed Forces). It has a military division and a civil division. The chapel of the Order is in Westminster Abbey.

The Order of St Michael and St George
• Motto: Auspicium Melioris Aevi (Token of a better age)
• Date Created: 1818
• Levels: Knight/Dame Grand Cross (Post Nominal Letters: GCMG) Knight/Dame Commander (Post Nominal Letters: KCMG/DCMG) Companion (Post Nominal Letters: CMG)
This order was created in the early part of the 19th century to reward service in Malta and the Ionian islands. It has since evolved to encompass any members of the Diplomatic Service and those who render service to UK interests overseas. The chapel of the order is in St Paul's cathedral.

The Order of the British Empire
• Motto: For God and the Empire
• Date Created: 1917
• Levels: Knight/Dame Grand Cross (Post Nominal Letters: GBE) Knight/Dame Commander (Post Nominal Letters: KBE/DBE) Commander (Post Nominal Letters: CBE) Officer (Post Nominal Letters: OBE) Member (Post Nominal Letters: MBE)
This order was instituted by George V to recognise all levels of service to the country during the first 'total' war. It has evolved to embrace service and achievement in all fields. The Order has a military division and a civil division. The chapel of the order is in St Paul's Cathedral. The British Empire Medal has not been used in the United Kingdom since 1993.

Building God’s House 2008

It is so exciting to be following our legendary Senior Pastors, Alan and Elena Hood, into year number two of our church building program. Pastors Alan and Elena are an awesome couple and Building God’s House 2008 provides an exciting opportunity to get behind their vision for City Church Tauranga.

How awesome will it be to see our church facility upgraded to one of excellence in every area? A facility that is functional, attractive, inviting, and that honours God.

How awesome will it be to see more space for our every growing church and church ministries? More space for staff with new offices (and air-conditioning hallelujah); more space for City Church Kids and their amazing kids program (there are sooo many kids squashed into one hall at the moment); more space for our parents and new babies in our parents lounge (there are babies crawling all over babies all over the place); more space for our café (its chaos every Sunday); not to mention, new toilets, larger stage, air-conditioning, new lighting, upgraded foyer etc, etc.

How awesome will it be to see a facility built that will serve future generations of believers as we invest today for tomorrow?

It’s so exciting!

The challenge for all of us in 2008…

It was exciting in 2007 to step up to the mark and commit to giving and believing God for great things as we set about our building program. The challenge in 2008 is to step up to the mark again and get behind the project; to engage with the Holy Spirit and take a step of faith again this year in our pledges and support of the program. While it is still exciting, it is no longer a brand new project, and it’s not going to be all over and completed in 1 year. It’s going to take a number of years and a step of faith again and again. That’s all good though because the Christian life, the faith journey isn’t about a step of faith once upon a time, years ago. It is about walking in faith everyday, believing a fresh every day. Trusting God again and again and again, stepping up to the mark again and again.

It’s going to be awesome! Remember, God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8).