Practicing Christian Leadership, Mentor's Guide, MG11

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P R A C T I C I N G C H R I S T I A N L E A D E R S H I P

occurring between those who prefer more contemporary styles of worship and those who embrace more traditional forms and liturgies of service. One dear mother in the church, frustrated with the kinds of things going on in service, shared with the pastor recently, “This new kind of worship is not right. You’re doing it all wrong. We need to return to how we always did it.” How would you counsel the pastor in his leading the church in these new/old style dialogues about services of worship?

“I’m Not Being Fed.”

While using the lectionary (i.e., those ordered yearly lists of texts shared by many denominations and assemblies guiding worship), you notice that many in the body are expressing dissatisfaction both in the subject matter and the presentation of the sermons. While many have commented that they are growing much through your teaching, a small but vocal group is expressing deep concern over your teaching. One dear member bluntly said the other week, “I am spiritually hungry. Your sermons and teaching aren’t helping me grow. I’m not being fed!” If confronted with these concerns, how would you respond.

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“I Don’t Believe I Need to Do That.”

While teaching the importance of our shared devotional life and ongoing practice of the sacraments together, one member disagreed openly. She believes that only her personal faith in Jesus Christ is necessary for her to mature in Christ. Salvation is through him, and growth is in him. She flatly disagrees with the idea that she must attend weekly services or participate in sacramental observances to grow. She has her faith, her Bible, and her love for Christ, and she is convinced that she needs nothing else. How would you go about seeking to persuade her that she cannot grow without her shared worship in the body, her nourishment of the Word in community, and her participation in the sacraments of the Church? What would you do if she remained firm and unconvinced? The biblical understanding of representation is the fundamental concept in practical Christian leadership: the leader does not represent him or herself but the authority and purpose of the Lord. As those who belong to the Lord, our leadership can never be about ourselves, but rather we must speak and act for God as we strive to represent his purposes and interests in all we say and do. The four dimensions of

Restatement of the Lesson’s Thesis