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Articulating Vision is Leadership’s Essential Task

5/29/2013

2 Comments

 
One of the essential tasks of a leader is articulating the vision of the congregation. Yet the congregation’s vision arises from God’s call for the congregation and is not an invention of the leader.
So a second essential task of a leader is listening to God speak through a congregation. This requires teaching a congregation how to listen to God speak and how to share the Spirit’s insights collectively. Listening, gathering information and assembling the information into actionable ministry are the basic steps for discerning to what God is calling the congregation.


The Spiritual gift of “wisdom” is knowing God’s word for a congregation. The Spiritual gift of “counsel” is giving direction to a congregation that derives from God’s word. They are essential qualities and tasks of leaders. And by the Spirit’s grace they are gifts that can be learned.


Discerning God’s Mission: Trust-building and Teamwork for Collective Insight is training in leading congregational listening to God, identifying a congregation’s calling, building congregation trust so as to act on their calling, and organizing ministry to carry out God’s calling.


It is training, practice and practical tips on collectively listening to God. The course goes beyond the usual management techniques of common leadership training. It is about eliciting group wisdom as God gives it and then organizing congregation action around God’s vision.
2 Comments
Peter Alexander link
6/1/2013 12:48:30 pm

Good question answered well concerning the relationship between Pastor and Congregation in the essential vision-setting role and how both are involved.....I have pondered this issue often in my intentional interims with the assumption that prompting the people to do their share of shared vision will be productive at the time of the arrival of their next pastor or even during the search process. What pastor-elect would not be exciting when hearing about what the congregation discerns already about the future God has in store!

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Chris Hagen
6/3/2013 01:18:40 am

The Holy Spirit speaks in many ways. The underlying framework for this approach is the Spirit speaking from within the community. As we listen to each other and ponder together, the Holy Spirit joins the conversation and we hear God.

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