Spiritual Leadership
by Tim Moss
Spiritual leadership is a term we hear with increasing frequency! What does it mean? Recently, staff at the General Board of Discipleship were challenged to define spiritual leadership. This article summarizes the conversation. The staff identified these characteristics of spiritual leadership:
- Practice spiritual disciplines. Transformation by the gift of God's grace, observation by others of spiritual fruit, and continuing Christian formation are the foundation of spiritual leadership. Essentially, the Christian spiritual leader is on a journey to become like Christ. One's integrity of life actions and belief is seen by others and attracts others to explore the Christian faith for themselves.
- Listen (to others and to God). The critical importance of listening is stressed in Session 7 of FaithQuest.
- Vision. This is the ability to see possibilities for a future that includes elements of what we call the Realm of God. Developing vision requires (1) discernment in which the Holy Spirit is a partner and (2) conversation with others to build shared vision. Spiritual leaders are able to remind the whole congregation of the shared vision and of the hope of building a future full of God's love, justice, and mercy.
- Watch over (oversight). Spiritual leaders take on the role of watching over the well-being of others, or accountability. This role requires seeing the big picture rather than focusing on details. " . . . watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers . . ." (Acts 20:28, NRSV).
- Invite. Spiritual leaders are invitational through the entire primary task. They invite people into fellowship, into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, into learning, and into roles of leadership as disciples.
- Care. Leaders embody the caring presence of God by building loving, caring relationships in the community of the congregation.
- Covenant. Spiritual leaders enter partnerships with others in the faith community. For spiritual leaders to be developed and sustained, congregations must be places where relationships are governed by trust, truth, and love.
- Equip. Spiritual leaders nurture and encourage ministry. They ensure that they and others are equipped with skills, tools, and knowledge to carry out the tasks at hand. They serve as teachers and mentors.
- Discern. Spiritual leaders listen deeply to others and to the Holy Spirit with a desire to know the will of God. Discernment begins with a deliberate centering on God and continues with careful recognition of cultural and historical realities in the church and the world. Centered in God, the spiritual leader can be released from captivity to his/her own cultural baggage and be open to God's leading.
- Learn. Lifelong learning is a passion of a spiritual leader. These people are continuously learning for personal growth, for equipping for the ministry at hand, and for mentoring others.
- Build. Spiritual leaders build and shape Christian community to be a place of trust, hospitality, and love where people can grow and change to become more faithful, effective disciples.
Adapted from an article by Tim Moss in Links, May 1998. Tim Moss is retired from the staff of the General Board of Discipleship
Model for Comprehensive Leader Development and Renewal