Christian leadership is a combination of managerial skills, leadership qualities, and a high level of personal development on the religious path. A Christian leader must be able to inspire people and lead, but at the same time do it not selfishly, but focusing on serving people and God, on helping others. Moreover, the modern world is a rapidly changing world, so the success of the mission is associated with the ability to adapt to the environment to find new approaches.1. This is impossible without developing communication and negotiation skills with the people one will serve.
Malfurs Aubrey’s book “Being Leaders: The Nature of Authentic Christian Leadership” offers a set of personal audits to determine leadership qualities and readiness to become a Christian leader. The Leader’s Core Values Audit, Church’s Core Values Audit, and The Servant Leader Audit audits help assess commitment to Christian values and one’s personal and leadership qualities.2. Ideal Ministry Circumstances Audit, the Ministry Circumstances Audit, and Pastor-Organization Fit audit allow a person to assess the environment and learn how to communicate correctly with people and organizations, taking into account the values, interests, traditions, and desires.3. These questions can make an assessment and identify weaknesses so that a person knows what they should strive for.
The test questions seemed very direct to me, but the results can be interpreted ambiguously. Since a person evaluates himself, his selfishness and narcissism can push him to choose ideal answers. The audits suggest that a person should reach such a level of enlightenment that he will not struggle with pride. The scores that I got in the audits showed that I rated my leadership qualities higher than they are. Doubts and uncertainty lower the results of the tests. In The Servant Leader Audit, I got the highest mark of all, which came as a surprise to me. I think it means that my leadership qualities leave much to be desired, but the strong wish to serve others can help develop and improve them.
According to the Christian Leader Audit, self-doubt and the strength of one’s faith torments make a person a weaker Christian leader. However, a person who sincerely believes his thoughts are pure and his faith is unshakable may do so out of pride and narcissism. The Christian leader must understand that we are all sinners; we all have difficulties and doubts. One should not be blind to one’s problems because this makes one insensitive to the challenges of others. Thus, I do not think that self-doubt and self-doubt automatically indicate a weak leader.
The study of the audits presented in the book motivated me to start working on gaining self-confidence. The desire to help people and the mediation of Christian morality are not enough to reach out to people and benefit them. I realized that people should see a confident and high moral personality in a Christian leader. Reputation must not be forgotten, which must be maintained, not out of a desire to please people, but to draw them to the word of the Lord.4. High moral character and personal development are indispensable components of a Christian because a righteous life naturally attracts and inspires others. Therefore, I consider learning management skills and working on my values to be the most important thing for me now.
Bibliography
Bolsinger, Tod E. Canoeing the Mountains : Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory. Downers Grove: Ivp Books, 2018.
Malphurs, Aubrey. Being Leaders : The Nature of Authentic Christian Leadership. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books, 2003.
Krispin, Keith R. “Christian Leader Development: An Outcomes Framework.” Christian Education Journal 17, no. 1 (2020): 18-37. Web.
Footnotes
- 1 Bolsinger, Tod E. Canoeing the Mountains : Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory. (Downers Grove: Ivp Books, 2018), 12-13.
- 2 Malphurs, Aubrey. Being Leaders : The Nature of Authentic Christian Leadership. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books, 2003), 222-225.
- 3 Malphurs, Aubrey. Being Leaders : The Nature of Authentic Christian Leadership. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books, 2003), 223-224.
- 4 Krispin, Keith R. “Christian Leader Development: An Outcomes Framework.” Christian Education Journal 17, no. 1 (2020): 28.