Spiritual Leadership – College to Emerging

The Summer Camp Structure of Leadership paradigm has been used to classify all types of leaders in previous articles. In that paradigm, there are the college, the emerging, the support staff and the top dog leaders. The college leader is easy to understand. They are simple and easy to work with. They know that they know nothing and are really just happy to help, be with the youth, be at the beach and share Jesus Christ with a smile. The emerging leader (or following leader) is a bit more complex but is really just a college leader who has hung around and “wants to do more”. He has realized that the kids will follow him. She has realized a desire to see the “program” succeed in a longer sense and she is willing to work, invest, watch and learn so that this can become a reality.

In the Battle of Transitioning, our common enemy gets us to focus on our increasing ability and our desire. He and original selfish sin get us to think, “Do they think they are the only ones who know…”, “If it were me...”, and “This is the right…” The common enemy wants you to steal leadership, grab it, demand it and be indignant that you can’t get it.  If we are not careful, we begin to become the all-knowing and central source of all leadership and information; then, the very people we want to lead will be destroyed along with the work and their dreams. The focus of this battle is always “me” even if it is cloaked in “I just want the best for these people.” Success in this battle is found as the leader remains cognizant of questions such as, “When did I become my teacher’s teacher? Is this from God? Is this reflective of God’s methods or the enemy’s?” The leader who faces this battle well knows that even with God’s call he still has no right. He remembers that the ones who are above him and have gone before him are leaders who have been called by God as well.

Chris failed to transition from College Leader to Emerging (Following) Leader. He still believes that he is by now a “Top Dog” but there are no leaders below him, working with him, or following him. He is no longer involved in the effort of spiritual group leadership. His departure hurt people, divided a spiritual group and made people chose sides for he could not be with both people at the same time. He became one who put down other leaders in effort to prove his success and knowledge as a leader. Interestingly, the leader he rebelled against is still a leader of many. Time tells the true story. His failure came because he could not be satisfied with “just hanging out and helping” in leadership while those above him gained confidence in him. As he began to realize his desire to lead and to affect those around him, he became insistent that now was the time. He was intelligent but unable to submit to others who could have taught him much about teaching. He became impatient and created new Bible studies that were “not part of the group” and met at his house or a coffee shop. In this way he could righteously say, “I can lead this. It isn’t part of the ministry. People can come and go as they please,” while really just trying to steal leadership and get it done his way. He countered leaders as they lead and taught. He tried to one up them. His frustration grew. His life was typified by “they just aren’t good enough.” He still blames everyone for his absence and for the problems that he caused.

Jason made the transition from College Leader to Emerging Leader well. He is an excellent Following Leader. He really gets it. He knows he can teach and he does as requested. He knows that he can reach young people, encourage them and get them to have fun – and he does all of this. He also realizes that his boss – his leader – has 7 years of intenese experience to his 1 year. He is comfortable with the fact that God has not called him to be a Top Dog. His eyes are set on becoming a Support Staff Leader. Those in the ministry follow him well. He is cautious, realizing that he doesn’t know everything, and careful in his directions, claims and instructions. He honors the thoughts of his spiritual leader. When he disagrees, he discusses it privately seeking to learn not to just win. He rallies other Emerging Leaders to simply do their job. He doesn’t even realize that he is a great leader because “he” is not the focus of “his” leadership – those in the ministry are his focus. Following his leader, learning and doing ministry are his focus. In fact, Jason probably doesn’t even realize that he has transitioned to being an Emerging Leader.

Chris has something to prove. Jason is humble spiritually and in leadership. Chris claims to have arrived. Jason somehow lives as if he will never arrive but will be successful along the path. Chris can’t follow so he will never lead. Jason can follow, does follow and therefore has learned to become a great leader. Chris is concerned for God deep down but his actions reveal a short term plan that is all about him. Jason is concerned for God deep down and he wants the best for the effort and the followers.

Chris did not make the transtion and probably never will.

Jason is on his way to becoming Support Staff.

Good stories – which one are you?