Leadership in any setting requires discovering the congregational culture that may sound presumptuous at times. For centuries, religious leaders have been confronting the distinctive cultures of congregations. It is evident that immigrant congregations fought over changing the liturgy to a common language (English) and also battles took place during the Irish clergy period. History gives information that a number of anthropologists and ethnographers studied local congregations just like their colleagues would study the remote tribes both in South America and Africa. This paper aims at putting down the ideas learnt from the book of “Lead like Jesus” by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges. Besides, the paper will consider the settings in leading a local congregation and further give relevant quotes of the discussions and their chapters. In the old paradigm, religious sociologists like R. Stephen Warner had a preoccupation with roles of religion as a tottering sacred canopy over several cultures. Thinking about religious leadership has thus obscured both the nurturing and generative role that congregations played at the sub-cultural and local levels.
The book provided talks about worldwide leadership, difficulties in leadership and how religious leadership should be. Heart, head, hands and habit are key areas that the provided book establishes for good leadership. Religious leadership in this book is said to have been established by Korean immigrants and an example of the congregations involved is “New Life Korean Church”. Since the establishment of the leadership institution, there have been several changes depending on the businesses and residents of the congregation members. An example of the New Hope Church comprises of Korean-Americans and African-Americans with a very high growth rate annually. The New Hope Church is characterized by an organized ministry setting and from the book “Lead like Jesus” by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges, a lot is learned. Leadership changes are still emphasized by the writers for better religious settings. Effective design for personal and communal leadership are learned to be very important in enhancing changes and improvement in leadership.
The book states that leadership in various settings has got potential conflicts. Besides, it has a growing struggle in the multi-cultural, multi-generation and multi-racial contexts. Reasons that have caused the conflicts and struggles services that do not satisfy the human spiritual needs, more conflicts among the congregation and lack of gratitude for the pastor and the programs the churches offer.. The stated issues of the church suggest that leadership in churches is not at peace, and one can easily learn that since formation of many churches there have been movements from one place to another (physical relocation). It is also stated that the original location of the churches available is not the present location today thus since their establishment, there have been movements and even further proposed movements. The human spiritual needs also seem to be higher than that provided by the churches making the congregation not appreciate the church leaders and their services.
It is learned that most of the church members in the provided book have a deficit of the community service relationship. It is unlike the other general members who value relationships. Most members in congregations explained by the book get to church in order to main their cultural tradition, social services, fellowship and social statuses and positions. These behaviors do not promote good relationships between churches and other denominations. Most churches’ individualism also does not promote a good relationship between it and the society, and this is evident whereby these churches do not share their buildings with other congregations. Churches further prioritize use of their buildings for purposes of profits and neglect the architectural offerings available.
Several church members base an importance in the concept of material blessing. Material blessings are not only important to the first generation, but also the other people who join these churches later. It is juts evident that the groups considered as first generations in several churches value material life more. Particularly, the church’s first generation lay leaders make financial sacrifices that to them is very great and important. The first generation is further stated to have a concern for the spiritual well-being of the members of the second generation.
Finally, the book “Lead like Jesus” by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges has various settings in its operations. The most learned setting is that the church can be transformed through leadership and a proper one in that matter. Phil Hodges and Ken Blanchard have served the church through leadership and I have observed from the book that Phil served the church as human resource manager and at times public relations officer. Other settings observed are that the discussed congregations are not permanent as they move from one place to another and at times have new members join and quit. The religious services are rather unsatisfactory and characterized by material worship. The churches are also stated to lack a community service relationship.
Bibliography
Blanchard, Kenneth H., and Phil Hodges. 2008. Lead like Jesus: lessons for everyone from the greatest leadership role model of all time. Nashville, Tenn: Thomas Nelson.
