Leadership Beyond Influence

In Praise of Diligence

Dr. Corne Bekker — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 21:35:11 GMT

When public leadership is merely described in terms of money (as is evident in the theme song of Donald Trump’s television show “The Apprentice”, or the business section of newspaper USA Today), leadership and organizational labor turns from the purposive ends it once had toward the sole pursuit of financial goals as ends-in themselves. Leadership is not longer about the honor of leading or labor, it is about the accumulation of wealth, prestige, and power.

This was no always so. John MacDonald, in his 1886 book, Elements Necessary for the Formation of Business Character asked a central question of his day (and maybe one that needs to be asked in this age again): “Who are the men in any of our cities who are the leaders of men?” (p. 21). His answer was a simple one, but a provocative one that would form the base of his persuasive argument more than a hundred years old: “They are the diligent”. For MacDonald the virtue of diligence would be of prime importance in the moral formation of leaders. In an effort to underscore the eternal nature of this reality he ends his short book with a quotation from the Book of Proverbs (Proverbs 21:5, NKJV): “The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.”

The virtue of diligence is part of a Christian list of seven virtues, originally named by the Christian poet Aurelius Prudentius Clemens (348-413 A.D) and based on the Nicomachean Ethics of the Greek Philosopher, Aristotle, the Wisdom writings of the Old Testament and teachings of the Apostles Paul and Peter of the New Testament. The Greek word used by the New Testament authors to describe the virtue of diligence is the Greek word spoudē and its closest meaning is the disposition to think and act with a proper sense of urgency and zeal. The original term literally meant to make “haste,” or to be “eager”. The Apostle Paul lists diligence as a central Christian virtue (2 Corinthians 8:7, NKJV): “But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see that you abound in this grace also.”

The Apostle Peter echoes this Pauline sentiment and places diligence in both of his lists of virtues in his second letter (2 Peter 1).

Later on the Desert Fathers and Mothers of the third century would use the virtue of diligence as part of their spiritual arsenal against the temptations of the evil one. The great Medieval theologian, St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274 A.D.) would refer to the virtue of diligence by the terms of solicitude and vigilance. In St. Aquinas’s use of these terms he proposes that that the virtue of diligence includes the values of love and care. To be diligent is to take care to do what we value or prize.

Diligent leadership starts with a determined re-evaluation of what we value. When we are clear about what we prize above all then our leadership will be clear and effective. As Jesus said: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21 ESV)

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Dr. Corné Bekker joined Regent University in 2005. He previously served as the associate dean for academics of Rhema Bible College in Johannesburg, South Africa and now as an associate professor for the School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship. Dr. Bekker teaches in the doctoral programs of the School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship and is actively involved in research on the use of biblical hermeneutics and spirituality to explore leadership. He is the editor of the Journal of Biblical Perspectives in Leadership (JBPL) and the co-editor of Inner Resources for Leaders (IRL).

Dr. Bekker is an ordained minister and has traveled in Africa, Europe, the East and North America to present at churches, ministries, seminars and academic conferences on the subject of Christian spirituality and leadership formation.

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Loose Lips Sink Ships

Dr. Corne Bekker — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 14:19:44 GMT

Loose lips sink ships. This old saying that warns about the destructive power of uncontrolled words remains true in our day. This warning is of particular worth to leaders. We are inundated with news stories of leaders in all spheres in society that have reacted to quickly, shared too much, spoke to harshly, and in doing so did great harm to themselves and their organizations. How should leaders control their tongues? Christian leaders from all generations counsel us that the discipline of silence is pivotal in the quest to tame our loose lips.

The Scriptural witness is clear: Silence is an important part of worship, devotion and prayer. The Psalmist instructs us to “be still, and know” that He is God (Psalm 46, 10, ESV). Jeremiah counsels us to respond to the discipline of the Lord with silence, when he writes “it is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” (Lamentations 3:2, ESV). Even Job, at the end of all his struggles and God’s revealing of Himself, understood that the wisest response to suffering and God is often to lay our hands over our mouths (Job 40:4-5). Jesus warned about the misguided belief that many words make good prayers: “and when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words” (Matthew 6:7, ESV) .The Apostle John described a period of appropriate silence in Heaven in response to the final judgment of God on the world (Revelation 8:1).

The Christian witness of the ages gives echo to the Scriptural call to wait for God in silence (see Psalm 62:1). The early Christian Desert Father, Diadochos of Photiki (fifth century AD) gave the following advice concerning prayer and silence: “spiritual knowledge comes through prayer, deep stillness, and complete detachment, while wisdom comes through humble meditation on Holy Scripture and above all, through grace given by God.” The Byzantine Christian Leader, Simeon the New Theologian (949-1022 AD) instructed his followers to “sit down alone and in silence” when they pray. The famous missionary to India, Mother Teresa (1910-1997 AD) valued silence as necessary to hear the voice of God. She wrote: “silence gives us a new outlook on everything. We need silence to be able to touch souls. The essential thing is not what we say but what God says to us and through us. Jesus is always waiting for us in silence. In that silence, He will listen to us; there He will speak to our soul, and there we will hear His voice.“ The wealth of Church History attests to the importance and value of silence in prayer.

There are many reasons why the prayer of silence is of importance to our prayer life. Here are a few Biblical reminders of the purpose of this God-given exercise of stillness:

1. Silence provides us with perspective and balance. When we are silent, we provide God with an opportunity to help us see the bigger picture. One of the best examples of the power of this God-drenched silence is found in the advice that David gives when things do not go our way: “Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.” (Psalm 4:4, ESV).

2. Silence allows us to place our complete trust on God. When the children of Israel faced certain destruction with the uncrossable Red Sea in front of them and the armies of Pharaoh behind them, Moses encouraged them that “the Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent” (Exodus 14:14, ESV). There is nothing more powerful than a firm, silent stand on God’s promise to save.

3. Silence can be a form of intercession. When words fail us, when can stand before God in silence knowing that He knows and that He is intimately involved in the unfolding of this world. The Old Testament prophet Amos, when experiencing the ultimate betrayal of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, declared: “he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time, for it is an evil time“ (Amos 5:13, ESV).

4. Silence is at times the appropriate response to the presence of God. I have often experienced this kind of “holy silence” when a sacred, hushed presence of the Lord is manifested in a worshipping congregation. This act of standing, kneeling, sitting in silence reminds us of the wonderful exhortation in the Old Testament book of Zephaniah: “Be silent all flesh, before the Lord, for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling” (Zephaniah 2:13, ESV).

How does one practice the prayer of silence? As always, the sacred Scriptures point the way:

A. Find a secluded place where you will not be disturbed. Like Jesus, you might need to rise early: “and rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed” (Mark 1:35, ESV).

B. Settle in a relaxed posture that will help you stay in silence. For most of us this will simply mean, as Isaiah puts it, to “sit in silence” (Isaiah 47:5, ESV).

C. Place all your cares on Him and rest in His love. It is precisely because of His great concern and love that we can find true peace and calm: “He will quiet you by his love” (Zephaniah 3:17, ESV).

D. Listen for His voice. Like Elijah we will learn that He often speaks with the “sound of a low whisper” (1 Kings 19:12, ESV). Make the firm decision to obey His voice.

E. Offer your silence as worship to Him. As Habakkuk declares; “the Lord is in his holy temple;
let all the earth keep silence before him” (Habakkuk 2:20, ESV).

The prayer of silence does not replace all the other forms of Biblical prayer. But in times of trouble, this form of silent trust is one of the most powerful ways that leaders can find perspectives, control their tongues and regain their strength. May we once again heed the Word of God: “in returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15, ESV).

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Uncovering Underground Innovators

Dr. Corne Bekker — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 20:45:12 GMT

Today's guest blogger is Dr. Gary Oster from the Regent School of Global Leadership and Entrepreneurship.

For who has despised the day of small things? (Zechariah 4:10, NKJV)

Every shopkeeper, service technician, and administrator knows that the clientele they serve today is not the same as they served five years ago. Customers today have very different needs and expectations. Fresh ideas and innovations to serve customers’ changing needs are the lifeblood of every organization, and failure to keep up with customer needs means they will take their business elsewhere. But where can we dig up more important new ideas?

Organizational leaders may have unintentionally overlooked a powerful source of fresh, innovative ideas: current company employees. Sometimes labeled “emergent innovation” by the business press, the heartbeat of innovation is already alive and at work somewhere in the organization, regardless of how small or seemingly insignificant. It is “emergent” because it requires a process to seek out, recognize, and promote “underground” innovation methods already successfully at work in the organization.

Leaders play an important role in recognizing and promoting underground innovation and, at the same time, making the internal environment more amenable to innovation efforts.

Why Are Innovators Underground?

An “underground innovator” is any employee who quickly and quietly develops products, services, ideas, environments, or processes, informally and outside of regular organizational channels. He or she exists and works “off-radar.” The work of the underground innovator is often focused on meeting customer needs but with a physical or performance level outside of normal company standards. This maverick is adept at sidestepping traditional rules and may skip entire stages of the formal innovation procedures.

Underground innovators may be hiding their innovation efforts to avoid the glare of scrutiny in an organization that doesn’t routinely support, and may instead be toxic to, their innovation efforts. Most innovation today comes from the minds of top organizational officials.

Yet Job said of God:

He is not partial to princes, nor does He regard the rich more than the poor; for they are all the work of His hands” (Job 34:19, NKJV).

Fresh, new ideas never depend upon the age, position, or seniority of the source: in God’s economy, all are equally equipped to produce new ideas.

Going Underground

Innovators are often forced underground by a number of circumstances:

Organizational Priorities: This underground innovator focuses on customers, and echoes the apostle Paul, “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4 NKJV). He or she often attempts to fulfill a customer need by using solutions far different from existing organizational requirements for cost, quality, or margins. In addition, there may be no way to accurately prove the size of the potential market.

Corporate Innovation Process: Approval for innovation projects in organizations is often lengthy, highly political, and supportive of the status quo. Rigid internal budget cycles often run one to two years, eliminating funding for all fast-track innovation. The underground innovator may instead complete a project in weeks or even days.

Tradition: Organizations aid innovation resistance by rewarding employees for their allegiance to the historical past of the company. The corporate structure typically has little support for those who question tradition, orthodoxy, and legacy strategies, yet finding new solutions to customer needs often requires escape from a rigid past.

Personality “Fit”: Underground innovators are sometimes misfits. They may be rebels, lack traditional credentials, or exist on the edges of their professions. They often possess personal idiosyncrasies, a strong will, a touch of hubris, and a tendency to ignore or reject organizational rules, causing them to be suspect in the organization. And yet, “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty” (1 Corinthians 1:25-29 NKJV).

Why Underground Innovators are Important

Underground innovators currently at work inside your organization are already successful. Learning and incorporating their methods may insure that your organization exists a year from now. First, as in all other matters, leaders must ask God for guidance: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him”(James 1:5 NKJV). Next, leaders must communicate to all that innovation is crucial to the success of the organization. Surfacing the activities and methods of underground innovators must be done quietly and gradually. The goal is to begin an informal conversation with each individual innovator. It may be necessary for a trusted person to mediate between leadership and the invisible innovator. The mediator may discover the methods that have worked for the underground innovator, the hindrances that drove their efforts underground, and what would be required to informally spread successful methods to other areas of the corporation.

Why would the underground innovators agree to be “uncovered?” Because they anticipate being rewarded with a clearer pathway for implementation of their innovations, including recognition and appreciation, endorsement by leaders, and increased availability of resources to expand production of their innovative ideas.

Moving Forward

Instead of rigidly formalizing the methods learned from underground innovators (and thus driving it back underground again), training on workable techniques discovered from successful underground innovators should be provided to all employees who wish to receive it, and each should be encouraged to innovate. At the same time, corporate executives must intentionally eliminate those barriers within the organization that regularly force innovation efforts underground. The result will be an increasing number of “small wins,” driven by motivated and opportunistic employees to quickly meet changing market needs. The quiet, invisible innovation successes of the past may lead to positive innovation change throughout the organization, and help the organization to thrive in the challenging years ahead. Working together in this process may provide the lesson, "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Corinthians 2:9 NKJV).

Buy Dr. Gary Oster's book: The Light Prize -- Perspectives on Christian Innovation

Dr. Gary Oster is Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Regent University School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship. His recent book is titled The Light Prize: Perspectives on Christian Innovation.

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Constructing Compelling Vision

Dr. Corne Bekker — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 20:16:26 GMT

In recent years, leadership scholars and practitioners have agreed that we need a new model for leadership- a model that can inspire followers to participate in the transformation of their worlds.

Jean Lipmen-Blumen, the Claremont Graduate University Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Organizational Behavior writes about this growing conviction asking for change: “…we finally began to reexamine more critically our traditional concept of leadership. It is based on an outmoded ego ideal glorifying the competitive, combative, controlling, creative, aggressive, self-reliant individualist…”

One such new approach to leadership has been called transformational leadership. In transformational leadership, it is the leader that enhances the motivation, morale, moral compass and performance of his or her followers. Transformational leaders motivate their followers by what scholars sometime refer to as “motivational inspiration.”

Motivational inspiration is the degree to which the leader articulates a vision that is compelling, right, appealing and inspiring to followers. Leaders with inspirational motivation challenge followers with the highest of standards, communicate clearly and with optimism the future goals of the organization, and they provide meaning for the work that the followers do.

How do leaders then construct inspiring visions? Here are five proposed steps that leaders can use to construct visions that are not only moral and inspirational, but compelling:

1. Locate the vision in the organization. Leaders should study the history of their organizations, ask the difficult questions concerning purpose and destiny, and examine the aspired and actual values of the group they are leading. If a vision is to be authentic and compelling, it must be built on the reasons for the existence of the organization. Questions such as “why are we here? What do we do? Where do we want to go?”, should be asked before the leader constructs a new vision. Leaders locate the purpose of the organization.

2. Develop the vision. Clarity is everything in organizational communication. It is the duty of the leader to clearly, and in simple ways, communicate the vision. The leader should then map out the steps needed to implement this vision. The vision should be clearly linked to the over-all strategy of the organization. A great way to test this practical development of the vision is to ask if one could share it during a short elevator ride – a good vision is clear, practical and short.

3. Communicate the vision. Good leaders communicate often and to all. Consistency is the key to success here. The use of aesthetics is of prime importance in this wide and consistent communication of the vision: logos, corporate colors, product design, etc. should all reflect the vision. Anyone should be able to enter a building of an organization and know what the vision of the organization is about. One the primary functions of a transformational leader is to make sure that every follower knows where the organization is going.

4. Lead personally. Transformational leaders lead with their own values and principles. They embody the compelling vision of their organizations. Followers of such leaders indentify their leaders with the vision – they become synonymous with the best values of the organization. The values of integrity and humility become key attributes for such leaders.

5. Measure the vision. Good leaders consistently measure the acceptance, implementation and success of the vision. A leader should never hesitate to ask the difficult questions: “How are we doing? Are we true to our vision? Are we succeeding?” The leaders should also celebrate key success points in the implementation of the vision. Followers remain inspired and motivated if their hard work is seen, valued, and celebrated.

Followers are so hungry for true vision that they will often follow immoral and impractical direction in the absence of authentic leadership.

Transformational leaders have high success rates in keeping their followers motivated and inspired. Transformational leaders inspired the followers by locating the true purpose of the organization, developing that purpose into vision, and communicating the vision consistently and clearly. Such leaders lead through integrity and humility, and the always recognize and reward the efforts of their followers.

There is no greater transformational leader than God. May we learn to lead as He does.

For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; He guards the paths of justice, and preserves the way of His saints. (Proverbs 2:6-8, NIV)

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Ten Reasons Why Christian Leaders Should Study Church History

Dr. Corne Bekker — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:43:09 GMT

Church History is not often on most Christians’ list of favorite topics. As I travel throughout the world, I remain surprised by leaders’ vocal disinterest and sometimes even avid aversion to explore the history of God’s involvement in and through His Church. So why should Christian leaders study the history of the Church? Here is a short list of ten reasons of why the study of Church History remains important for the development and growth of authentic and biblical Christianity and Leadership.

1. To be obedient: We study the history of God’s people as a simple act of obedience to the Word of God. The Scriptures repeatedly instructs the faithful to explore and search out the historical accounts of those that have gone before us. The Book of Job (Job 8:8-10, NIV) offers this advice for the ones seeking wisdom and understanding in their own day: “Ask the former generations and find out what their fathers learned, for we were born only yesterday and know nothing, and our days on earth are but a shadow. Will they not instruct you and tell you? Will they not bring forth words from their understanding? “

2. To understand God: The study of Church History is not only the study of the historical Church but also the exploration of God’s active involvement with His own people in our world. Knowing the acts and ways of God in working with His people throughout history provides us with a better understanding of God Himself. As the psalmist (Psalm 44:1, NIV) declares, “We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago.”

3. To develop humility: Our, current generation suffers from pride-filled perspectives and attitudes when we declare that we are the greatest generation of believers in the history of the world. For instance, reading about the courageous commitment to serve Jesus unto death in the letters of the Church Father, Ignatius of Antioch (35-108 AD), places our own efforts in perspectives. The words of Ignatius to the church in Rome, about his own willingness to die as a martyr, should humble us in the light of the “easy-living” approach of many of today’s Christians: “I am writing to all the Churches and I enjoin all, that I am dying willingly for God's sake, if only you do not prevent it. I beg you; do not do me an untimely kindness. Allow me to be eaten by the beasts, which are my way of reaching to God. I am God's wheat, and I am to be ground by the teeth of wild beasts, so that I may become the pure bread of Christ.”

4. To keep us from error: Not knowing about the many errors in the history of the Church dooms us to repeat those failures again. Many of the heresies of the first, few centuries of the Church have surfaces once again in our times. Knowledge of those early heresies will help us to remain on the clear path of Biblical truth.

5. To be renewed: The Scriptures declares that our God is the same, yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Understanding His ways of renewal and revival in the past, prepares us to receive His work of grace and liberty in our own midst, today.

6. To be communal: Church History reminds us that we are part of a larger, eternal community of believers. The Scriptures describes these saints of old as cheering us on from heaven (Hebrews 12:1). These saints are not dead in Christ, they remain alive in Jesus.

7. To be encouraged: The good example of the believers that have gone before us encourages us to imitate them as they have imitated Jesus (1 Corinthians 11:1). They remind us that it is possible to not only serve God well in this life, but to endure right until the end.

8. To understand our own time: Church History helps us to understand our own time better. The author if the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes once wrote that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). History, in very real and concrete ways, moves in circles and cycles. A fuller understanding of our past helps us to understand how we have arrived at this point in history. It helps us to see today from God’s perspective.

9. To boldly step into the future: We are only able to move with confidence into the future if understand our past. One can use the example of a swing or pendulum to explain this principle of truth. In order to “swing” into the future, we must first “pull” back by studying our history – in doing so we will have enough momentum to move beyond the struggles and challenges of our own time and embrace God’s purposes and blessings for our future. The apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 10:11, NIV) offers further clarification on the study of history prepares us for tomorrow: “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.”

10. To give glory to God: The ultimate and most important reason to study Church History is that it facilitates true and extravagant worship of our God. Our hearts are filled with awe and wonder when we explore the mighty acts of God in the past. The apostle John (Revelation 4:8, NIV) recorded that in heaven four living creatures, surrounding a throne, do not stop day or night declaring the glory and holiness of God, “who was, and is, and is to come.”

We are a people of history, a history of God’s passionate and loving involvement in our world. May we once again commit to study and learn from the great work of God in and through His people in ages past.

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Leading Tens, Leading Thousands

Dr. Corne Bekker — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:53:40 GMT

Are all leaders equal? Do the roles, responsibilities and functions of leaders differ according to the size of their followers? Does the very nature of the leadership of a visionary leader of a mega-size church differ from that of a youth leader or a small group facilitator? The answers to these questions are both yes and no.

The leadership of leaders of small and large groups are at the same time similar and yet very different. The leadership of these leaders are different in that the duties and roles of leaders differ significantly according the number of followers, context of the leadership role and specific duties of the leader. But at the same time these leadership roles are similar, because the ethical and moral requirements of all leaders always remain the same.

The leadership scholar, Peter Northouse, defines leadership as a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal.

Good leaders influence their followers by doing four things well:

They construct a compelling vision;
They communicate that compelling vision to their followers in a very clear manner;
They empower their followers to follow the vision; and lastly,
They instill good and appropriate values in their followers by modeling the way themselves.

But the four actions described above look very different between a leader of thousands and a leader of tens. One major difference is how these leaders operate with regards to vision.

A senior leader of a congregation is called to construct, communicate and live the vision given by God to the congregation. It is the call of this kind of leader to hear from God and to communicate clearly. A small group leader of tens leads not by constructing vision, but by interpreting and applying the vision or direction given and communicated by the senior leader. Leaders of tens seldom construct vision. Such leaders lead by finding ways to implement the vision in their respective contexts.

A great example of this kind of dynamic is the differing roles seen in the leadership of Moses and Aaron in the Book of Exodus. Moses functions in a visionary leadership role when he encounters God in the famous burning bush and receives the vision to liberate the Israelites from slavery to the Egyptians (Exodus 3:10). Aaron, the brother of Moses, leads by supporting the arms of Moses and helping him find ways to implement the vision (Exodus 17:8-13).

Confusing these leadership roles can be detrimental, if not outright disastrous for leaders and followers alike. The Books of Exodus and Numbers record that Aaron twice misunderstood his role as a supporting leader and tried to take the place of a visionary leader: the first time it resulted in Aaron fashioning a false idol in the shape of a golden calf (Exodus 32: 4) and second event saw Aaron together with his sister Miriam publicly criticizing Moses for marrying a Cushite (Ethiopian) woman (Numbers 17:1-13). Both events caused great suffering and pain for Aaron and his followers.

Freedom and healing come to leaders who in humility recognize their rightful place and accept the particular role that they have to fulfill in leading.

Even though the specific roles and duties of leaders of tens and thousands differ, the moral and ethical responsibilities of these leaders remain the same. Once again, the Book of Exodus tells of an event in the life of Moses, where his father-in-law, Jethro recognizes Moses’ folly in trying to fulfill all the leadership roles and wisely counsel him to appoint leaders that will lead groups of “thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens…” (Exodus 18:21). Jethro explains the differing roles of these leaders and then provides Moses with three main criteria in the selecting of “capable men” (Numbers 18:21): they must fear God, be trustworthy, and not lead for dishonest gain. These three moral requirements of leaders are the same for any leader, whether they lead tens, fifties, hundreds or thousands.

Jethro’s list of the ethical requirements of leaders (Exodus 18:21) continues to serve us well in the selection and formation of leaders. Leaders who fear God are known for boldness in their decision-making because they no longer aim to merely please men, but they have found the door to eternal wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). Trustworthy leaders are people of integrity and are consistent in always doing the right thing, at the right time, for the right reasons, and to the right people (1 Timothy 3:2).

Lastly, godly leaders do not use their position of leadership to gain prestige, power or wealth. They do nothing in leadership out of selfish ambition, but always consider their followers as higher than themselves (Philippians 2:3-4).

How do leaders move from leading tens, to leading fifties, and then to hundreds and maybe even thousands? The key in Scripture seems to be the virtue of faithfulness. Jesus, in a parable he told about people receiving differing gifts and abilities in life, describes a master praising his servant: “'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things…” (Matthew 25:23, NIV, emphasis mine). The Apostle Paul, in instructing his follower Timothy in the selection of future leaders in the congregation, advises: “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2, NASB, emphasis mine).

Faithfulness opens the door to leadership promotion.

Find the leadership role that God has called you to, embrace the specific duties and role, and then most important - stay at it. Remain faithful in service and leadership until the end.

I like the maxim that Charles Wesley taught his followers: “…do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” This is good advice for any leader, be that a leader of tens or thousands.

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Rediscovering the Power of Frugality

Dr. Corne Bekker — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:58:40 GMT

Ethics of frugality or simplicity have long been part of the economic norm of most Christian and biblical traditions. The sociologist, Max Weber noted that frugality combined with the values of industry, equity, generosity, and solidarity formed the core of a Protestant Christian ethic and went on to describe it as worldly asceticism.

But within the current Western culture of progressive plenty, frugality has been portrayed as “unfashionable, unpalatable, and even unpatriotic”. But the wealth of insights from our Christian heritage tells of the power of biblical simplicity.

Two Christian counter-movements that had their start in the seventeenth century (it could be argued that both were birthed in response the religious formalism and economic excesses of seventeenth century Anglicanism) had the ethics of frugality or simplicity at part of its core values.

George Fox (1624-1691), a laymen, started a counter-movement (later known as the Quakers) centered in the belief that a time of renewal by God’s Spirit had come and that the ultimate guide of faith was the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit enlivening God’s Word. Fox encouraged voluntary simple living based on the guidance of the Spirit and did not allow any ministers to receive any form of monetary payment for ministry.

During this same time period another spiritual movement arose from the critique that the over-emphasis of “salvation by faith alone” of some the Protestant churches resulted in little interest in serious spiritual and character formation. This counter-movement became known as the Puritan revival and soon sought to balance Protestant theology with elements of patristic and medieval devotional disciplines, amongst those elements the disciplines of frugality and simplicity.

Both these Christian movements became known for the radical commitments and stances their adherents embodied, such as resistance against slavery, complete commitment to non-violence and the values of frugality and experiential simplicity. It is important to note that the discipline of frugality and simplicity were not limited to economic and lifestyle choices, such as where to live, what to wear, what kind of work to do; but also intra-personal (such as worship, introspection, etc.) and inter-personal dynamics.

Puritan and Quaker spiritualities have long influenced Christian proponents and activists of a simpler lifestyle. The Christian ethicist James A. Nash, deeply inspired by biblical and Puritan thought, argues that in order to bring a revival and reformation to contemporary Christian witness, that one needs to not only bring back the Puritan value of frugality, but also that frugality must be rediscovered as a truly biblical virtue.

The transformative, witness-facilitating, counter-cultural values of frugality and simplicity have started to make something of a comeback in larger Christianity. At the International Consultation on Simple Lifestyle, sponsored by the previous Lausanne Committee on World Evangelization’s Theology and Education Group (held at Hoddesdon, England, March 17-21, 1980) a statement was produced and endorsed, entitled, “An Evangelical Commitment to Simple Lifestyle”. Amongst the many statements concerning the need and practice of simplicity, the following commitments regarding personal witness were expressed (Stott and Sider, 1980):

“Our Christian obedience demands a simple lifestyle, irrespective of the needs of others. ... While some of us have been called to live among the poor, and others to open our homes to the needy, all of us are determined to develop a simpler lifestyle. We intend to reexamine our income and expenditure, in order to manage on less and give more away. ... Yet we resolve to renounce waste and oppose extravagance in personal living, clothing, and housing, travel and church buildings. We also accept the distinction between necessities and luxuries, creative hobbies and empty status symbols, modesty and vanity, occasional celebrations and normal routine, and between the service of God and slavery to fashion.”

The biblical calls to simple living through the practice of the disciplines of frugality are counter-cultural calls to authentic Christian witness and sincere efforts to model the anti-materialism truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a world steeped in an ideology of “more, better and faster”.

Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD ' or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. (Proverbs 30:7-9, NIV)

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References:

Bittinger, E.F. (1978). The simple life: a chapter in the evolution of a doctrine. Brethren Life and Thought 23.2, 104-114.

Callen, B.L. (2001). Authentic Spirituality. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.

Fager, C. (1971). Experimenting with a simpler life style. Christian Century 88.1, 9-13.

Nash, J.A. (1995). Toward the revival and reform of the subversive virtue. Annual of the Society of Christian Ethics 15.1, 137-160.

Stott, J.R.W. and Sider, R.J. (1980). An Evangelical Commitment to Simple Lifestyle. Occasional Bulletin of Missionary Research 4.4, 177-179.

Weber, M. (1958). The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

Work as Worship

Dr. Corne Bekker — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 22:59:12 GMT

We live in a generation that considers work as a necessary evil, simply as means to an end, and ultimately only as an avenue to secure wealth and provisions for the “real life” that occurs outside of our work time. The British playwright, Oscar Wilde, holding this worldly view famously declared that “work is the refuge of people who have nothing better to do.”

But the wisdom coming from the wealth of Christian thought on the nature of work, speaks of another reality: The ancient and biblical truth that work can be a way to imitate God, an activity that can bring healing to the soul and an avenue of worship of the one true God.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the word used for work (avodah) could be translated as meaning both to worship and to labor. In biblical terms work and worship are connected. In the New Testament, Jesus declared the holiness of work when He declared:

My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working (James 5:17, NIV).

The Desert Fathers and Mothers in the Fourth and Fifth Centuries of the Christian era understood something of this healing nature of God-given work. It is said in the Philokalia (the collection of writings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, literally called "The Beautiful Writings") that one of the Fathers, called Abba Paul "proved that without working with his hands a monk cannot endure to abide in his place, nor can he climb any nearer the summit of holiness." For the early church work was seen not only as worship, but also as part of God’s process of sanctification.

This wholesome perspective on work finally gave place to Benedict of Nursia's (480-547 AD) monastic maxim of "Ora et Labora" (prayer and work) that reminds all of us that the two activities of work and worship indeed operate together and are complimentary dimensions of a "whole and holy life". The Medieval Church Theologian, Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274 AD) would later agree: "There can be no joy in living without joy in work."

It is clear that work and worship are intimately connected in the foundations of a Judeo-Christian worldview. One of the great recoveries of the Protestant Reformation under the leadership of Martin Luther (1483-1546 AD) and John Calvin (1509-1564 AD) was an affirmation of the dignity of all honest occupations and manual labor as vocations (literally callings to worship God).

How do we recover a redemptive and Biblical theology of work in a world that has a broken view of work?

I have been considering Thérèse de Lisieux's (1873-1897 AD) theology of doing the smallest of things with great love and devotion unto God, as a possible foundational construct in a renewed theology of "redemptive work". It strikes me that the beginning of this exploration must start with the ultimate purpose of all our action in this world: love. The twentieth century American monk and author, Thomas Merton (1915-1968 AD), describes this biblical approach as follows:

"We do not exist for ourselves alone, and it is only when we are fully convinced of this fact that we begin to love ourselves properly and thus also love others. What do I mean loving ourselves properly? I mean, first of all, desiring to live, accepting life as a very great gift and a great good, not because of what it gives us, but because of what it enables us to give to others."

How will our perception and practice of work change when our first and ultimate motive is love? What would our leadership look like if love was the first and last reason to lead? But maybe more importantly, what if that motivating love in work was defined as our love for God?

The Apostle Paul writes:

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” (Colossians 3:17, NIV).

If we did our work not only in the Name of God but also for the love of God (and the love of our neighbor), then maybe we could transform our work into the pure worship of the only true God. The work would recover its original purpose of glorifying God, healing our souls and serving all of mankind.

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Healing the Narcissistic Wound

Dr. Corne Bekker — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 15:40:28 GMT

Wrong perceptions about leadership tend to produce the wrong kinds of leaders. Never has this been more true than today.

In a recent edition of the Harvard Business Review, psychoanalysis and anthropologist, Michael Macoby writes:

“Today's business leaders maintain a markedly higher profile than did their predecessors of previous generations. A growing need for visionary and charismatic leadership has brought to the fore executives of a personality type psychologists call ‘narcissistic’."

It was the Austrian, Sigmund Freud who first coined the term “narcissism” to describe a condition of an extreme and dysfunctional self-love. Freud used the Greek myth of Narcissus, who in his attempt to reach out to his own reflection in a pool drowned, to explain the destructive behavior of people who are caught in a whirlpool of self-obsessive focus.

Psychologist use this construct of narcissism to explore the often human attempt to compensate for the fragility of life and the emptiness that sin brings by constructing a false self in which the self is the primary ground of reality.

When it comes to leadership, narcissistic leaders are leaders that have decided to avoid experiences of emptiness, lack of worth and powerlessness by turning in on themselves and using their experience of power and influence as the primary focus of their existence – their flawed self-perception becomes the primary source of reality.

The narcissistic leader avoids feelings of fragmentation and vulnerability by making the self the center of their existence; and in doing so choose illusive grandiosity and self inflation. They always make themselves bigger than what they are.

Narcissistic leaders are destructive to any organization. Kathy Schnure at the 2010 annual Conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology made the following remark, a remark that clearly describes the devastating effect of narcissism to both the leader and the organization:

"Narcissists are intensely competitive, self-centered, exploitive and exhibitionistic. They tend to surround themselves with supplicants they see as inferior. When they are challenged or perceive competition, they often derogate and undermine anyone, even those closest to them, they perceive as threats (and unfortunately, they are vigilant in scanning for threats)…”

Can the wound of narcissism be healed in leaders who have fallen prey to unbalanced self-love? Jesus of Nazareth offered a redemptive solution to His own followers at the outset of their ministry of service: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23, NKJV).

According to Jesus, healing the wound of false self-love begins with a desire to follow the ultimate leader (“desire to come after Me”), continue on in learning to say no to our own destructive desires and flawed plans (“deny himself”), ever submitting to God’s purpose for us on a daily basis (“take up his cross daily”), and finally conclude in the quest to follow the gentle leading and guidance of Christ (“follow Me”).

Paradoxically, when we let go of our self-constructed ideas of self and look towards Christ, we find ourselves and our true identity hidden in Him (Colossians 3:10).

What would happen if leaders would allow the Spirit of Jesus to heal their wounds of emptiness and in the process find their purpose and identity in following God and serving others?

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Pride as Madness

Dr. Corne Bekker — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 17:19:12 GMT

Baruch Spinoza, a 17th century Jewish/Dutch philosopher (1632-1677 A.D.) described pride as a form of madness:

"Thus we see that it may readily happen, that a man may easily think too highly of himself, or a loved object, and, contrariwise, too meanly of a hated object. This feeling is called 'pride,' in reference to the man who thinks too highly of himself, and it is a species of madness."

The English author, C. S. Lewis (1898-1963 A.D.) described pride as the "complete anti-God state of mind...the great sin."

The problem of pride in leadership is that it provides leaders with a completely false sense of themselves. They find their identity in their talents, expertise, accomplishments and possessions. The only cure for this kind of prevalent leadership madness is a clearer vision of God in which we find our own true self, created and sustained in Him.

The reformer, John Calvin (1509-1564 A.D.) made this helpful observation,

"...it is certain that man never achieves a clear knowledge of himself unless he has first looked upon God's face...For, because all of us are inclined by nature to hypocrisy, a kind of empty image..."

I am persuaded that authentic Christian leadership starts with the quest for a clearer vision of God in which the false images of pride are stripped away to provide, in the words of John Michael Talbot, "an empty canvas" ready to bear the image of our Lord.

But leaders sometimes locate their leadership orientation and behavior in hostile competition with others - the thinking goes something like this: that we construct our own credibility and leadership position by discrediting the person and characters of others. In our increasing virtual world it has become so easy to cast doubt on other’s orthodoxy and credibility, all under the cloak of cyber, anonymous commentary. How do we change this obvious tendency to act in pride? I am increasingly convinced that authentic Christian leadership only makes sense in true community where we transform our "natural" hostility towards others into Gospel hospitality.

Maybe the first step in this process of transformation is to change our perception and understanding of community and thus leadership. No true transformation happens without a repentant surrender to the Cross of Jesus. This is where we find true community and truth. I am reminded of an old 17th Century Puritan prayer that says it best:

Lord Jesus, it is my chief design to bring my heart back to You.

Convince me that I cannot be my own god, or make myself happy, nor my own Christ to restore my joy, nor my own Spirit to teach, guide, rule me. Take away my roving eye, curious ear, greedy appetite, lustful heart.

Show me that none of these things can heal a wounded conscience, or support a tottering frame, or uphold a departing spirit.

Then take me to the cross and leave me there. Amen.”

May we move away from ego-affirming, competitive approaches in leadership to the Christian call to consider others "better than ourselves" (Philippians 2:1-4). For me, this also means accepting those who find themselves in this kind of competitive orientation towards us in true Christian hospitality and to act towards them always in love ensuring our hearts and actions are devout of "selfish ambition or conceit."

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