(spiritual) leadership development

In chapter three of Spiritual Leadership, the authors point to a different book titled The Making of a Leader by author Robert Clinton. Clinton offers a six stage model of how God develops leaders.

Phase One: Sovereign Foundations
God's activity during life's formative years. Parental love, birth order, childhood illness, prosperity or poverty, loss of loved ones, stability versus upheaval are factors over which children have no control...the way emerging leaders respond to these factors determines much of their leadership potential.

Phase Two: Inner Life Growth
The period in which people develop their character as well as their spiritual life - no longer subject to whims of fate but are in a position where they can systematically be transformed to think and act like Christ. Leaders without the Holy Spirit are much more subject to their pasts than those whose characters are shaped by the Holy Spirit working within them.

Phase Three: Ministry Maturity
This is when people make their earliest attempts at Spiritual leadership, perhaps volunteering in some capacity in their church. What leaders learn from these early experiences will largely determine how they advance in leadership ability.

Phase Four: Life Maturing
When spiritual leaders begin to focus on their strengths and find leadership opportunities in which they can be most effective - God moves from working in the leader to working through the leader.

Phase Five: Convergence
When people's ministry experiences and their life experiences meet in a specific job or responsibility wherein they draw on all they have learned in order to enjoy maximum effectiveness. This will be the job or role for which they are best known and in which they experience their greatest fulfillment.

Unfortunately, many never reach convergence. Some leaders never find jobs or challenges that bring to fruition all that has gone before in their lives. When leaders neglect the Holy Spirit's role in their lives, they never reach their full potential.

Phase Six: Afterglow or Celebration
This is a level of leadership few achieve. It comes after one has successfully led others for a significant period of time. A time for teaching the next generation. These leaders have nothing to prove. Others respect them not because of their position of influence, or even because they are continuing to lead, but because of who they are and what they represent.

What an impressive trajectory! What makes the difference between those who complete the phases and those who don't? According to the authors, it is reliance on the Holy Spirit's promptings. I believe I have passed through phases 1-4. I hope and pray for convergence. I long to find the right opportunity that utilizes my experiences in a God honoring way. I want to reach that culmination of effort. God has led me to this place, which exceeds my wildest dreams, I trust he will lead me on.

Which phase are you in? Is that where you would like to be?

(spiritual) leadership

I am currently working my way through the Spiritual Leadership:Interactive Study. The book is written by Henry T. & Richard Blackaby. It has been a challenging read, not just because of the content, but also because of our current circumstances.

The basic premise of the book is that people are more than just physical beings - they have a soul, a spiritual component. I think that is why people want their work to be rewarding, fulfilling and part of something greater.

Which leads to the second premise, work is not just about producing results, but it is part of a divine purpose whether you are placed in ministry or the marketplace.

Thus, leaders don't just achieve goals, they point people toward God and Kingdom purposes. Talk about responsibility!

Since my early days of leadership I have wanted to be a leader worth following, not just someone who holds a position and wields power. To me that was about developing character and integrity. After reading this book, I am realizing how little leadership has to do with me. I am not placed in a position of leadership for my own purposes, but for Kingdom purposes. My ambition should not be to garner recognition and praise, but rather to build up those who are entrusted to me under my leadership. The most encouraging thing about all of this, is my only responsibility is to be obedient to God. That's it. If I am faithful in that, He will take care of the rest. Not that it is always easy, but at least the way is clear.

My salvation and my honor depend on God ; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. ~Psalm 62:7

Happy Anniversary, numero dos

Today, Kenyon and I have been married two years. They sure have gone fast! It has been a good two years. I am in Africa currently so we could not celebrate today, but he gave me the sweetest card, hidden with a thoughtful gift where he knew I would find it while packing. What a man! The beauty of having two weddings is you can pick when to celebrate. So, for our second wedding anniversary we will celebrate on the date of our second wedding (mostly because I will be in the country then). We did get a chance to do our top 10 list for the year and here it is:

10. Kenyon got an International drivers licence and Sheri got her second, second passport (I have two passports and one recently expired)

9. Kenyon being deployed for disaster response to Haiti

8. singing songs and playing games with the kids in Lesotho

7. our photo session on the beach in the outer banks of North Carolina

6. the Whincop's coming to visit and our river rafting trip with them

5. attending Reverend Billy's 90th birthday party at the most beautiful hotel Kenyon and I have ever stayed at, it was like a real life castle in West Virginia

4. Kenyon completed his EMT basic course and become a certified EMT (Emergency Medical Technician), he then completed the EMT intermediate and began clinical rotations, he completed disaster response training and became certified in International Trauma Life Support (ITLS) - my husband found a field of work that interests him!

3. speaking at the church in Kansas City and having our first visit with family and friends there since or move to North Carolina

2. eating dinner at Nelson Mandela square in Johannesburg, South Africa and Kenyon eating the largest plate of ribs we've ever seen

The number one memory from our second year of marriage is...wait for it!

1. the cruise we took to see my brother and Kenyon getting his haircut in Jamaica

Interesting International Facts

Did you know?

In Ukraine, there are lots of American movies and television shows available, but the English is hard to hear with Russian or Ukrainian dubbed over it. Yes, they have both audio tracks running at the same time. I asked one of the girls who is American, but grew up in the soviet republics, “is it confusing to hear both languages?”

She said, “Yes, I have to pick one track to listen to or I don’t actually understand anything.”

Did you know?

I am coming to believe that the universal word for tea is “chai. ” It works in Africa, India, Russia and America. When traveling, ask for chai and I bet you will get some variety of tea.

radio interview

earlier this week I was interviewed for a local radio program. they have a series called Go MAD (Make a Difference). I was asked to speak on behalf of our department. the interview was about 10 minutes long and they created 5 one-minute segments from the conversation. one of my team members told me she heard it on the radio on her way to work and started yelling Woo-hoo!

if you would like to hear the radio interviews you can check it out online at: http://www.wmit.org/ministry/go_mad.html

I think this the first time I was the subject of a radio interview. the morning we did this I had arrived around midnight from Ukraine, spent a few hours in a hotel and then left at 6 am from Charlotte for work. I was sick and feeling the jet lag like nobodies business. it is a very good thing this was a radio interview and not a TV interview!