Cross-Shaped Leadership, Pt. 3
Faith Improvised
June 16, 2014
Cross-shaped leadership constantly adjusts to God’s agenda. This is significantly different from worldly forms of leadership, which are oriented by the leader’s agenda.
Worldly leadership is leader-determined. It’s all about “my dream,” or “my vision for this church.” Churches with charismatic leaders are often compelling communities for a time, but they seldom manifest cruciformity.
I remember talking with a pastor about his church. He was looking for people who would “buy into” his vision.
We spoke some time later about his struggle with one person who didn’t fit the profile of his ministry target audience. He was struggling to figure out how to gently move this person on to “where she belonged.” He was caught between genuinely caring for people and his training in a corrupted style of ministry.
Churches oriented by a singular leader’s vision that require “buy in” on the part of those participating don’t manifest cruciform leadership. They can’t afford to. The leader’s vision is the ultimate end and people become the means to that end.
In a tragic irony, the leader is going around putting people on crosses in the name of the ministry vision.
What happens when people who don’t fit the profile find a home in that community? They may be seen as obstacles rather than gifts.
Cruciform leadership, on the other hand, is God-oriented. Ministry goals and ministry means are shaped by God’s program and God’s agenda. God’s aim is to break into peoples’ lives with love and grace and blessing so that God might redeem, reclaim, restore, and save.
God’s agenda must become our agenda.
We serve on behalf of God, who sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but to seek and to save what was lost.
We minister in the name of God, who sent Israel into exile because they were neglecting the orphan and the widow, oppressing the poor and the needy, exploiting the weak and defenseless.
God, who heard the prayer of Hannah—the marginalized wife of Elkanah.
God, who is exalted above the heavens, but who bends low to look into the face of the lowly and the neglected.
God, who puts himself on the cross for the redemption of the world.
Cruciform leaders regard people out of a healthy fear of the Lord who gave his life for those who “don’t fit the ministry profile.” They are careful to treat people the way that God treats people.
If we sacrifice the awkward and marginalized on the altar of our cherished “vision” for what we think our churches should become, we invite the fearsome judgment of the God who passionately loves and pursues those who don’t fit the mold, those on the margins.
Cruciform leaders go the way of the cross. This means that their pride, ambition, and ministry goals are on crosses, too. This is the only way to unleash resurrection power into the lives of those to whom they minister.
Cruciform leaders stay on the cross, knowing that this is the only contact they have with the life of Jesus. And they constantly evaluate the extent to which their visions become idols that put others on crosses.
Worldly leadership is leader-determined. It’s all about “my dream,” or “my vision for this church.” Churches with charismatic leaders are often compelling communities for a time, but they seldom manifest cruciformity.
I remember talking with a pastor about his church. He was looking for people who would “buy into” his vision.
We spoke some time later about his struggle with one person who didn’t fit the profile of his ministry target audience. He was struggling to figure out how to gently move this person on to “where she belonged.” He was caught between genuinely caring for people and his training in a corrupted style of ministry.
Churches oriented by a singular leader’s vision that require “buy in” on the part of those participating don’t manifest cruciform leadership. They can’t afford to. The leader’s vision is the ultimate end and people become the means to that end.
In a tragic irony, the leader is going around putting people on crosses in the name of the ministry vision.
What happens when people who don’t fit the profile find a home in that community? They may be seen as obstacles rather than gifts.
Cruciform leadership, on the other hand, is God-oriented. Ministry goals and ministry means are shaped by God’s program and God’s agenda. God’s aim is to break into peoples’ lives with love and grace and blessing so that God might redeem, reclaim, restore, and save.
God’s agenda must become our agenda.
We serve on behalf of God, who sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but to seek and to save what was lost.
We minister in the name of God, who sent Israel into exile because they were neglecting the orphan and the widow, oppressing the poor and the needy, exploiting the weak and defenseless.
God, who heard the prayer of Hannah—the marginalized wife of Elkanah.
God, who is exalted above the heavens, but who bends low to look into the face of the lowly and the neglected.
God, who puts himself on the cross for the redemption of the world.
Cruciform leaders regard people out of a healthy fear of the Lord who gave his life for those who “don’t fit the ministry profile.” They are careful to treat people the way that God treats people.
If we sacrifice the awkward and marginalized on the altar of our cherished “vision” for what we think our churches should become, we invite the fearsome judgment of the God who passionately loves and pursues those who don’t fit the mold, those on the margins.
Cruciform leaders go the way of the cross. This means that their pride, ambition, and ministry goals are on crosses, too. This is the only way to unleash resurrection power into the lives of those to whom they minister.
Cruciform leaders stay on the cross, knowing that this is the only contact they have with the life of Jesus. And they constantly evaluate the extent to which their visions become idols that put others on crosses.
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