Quality Characteristic 1:
Empowering Leadership
By Christian A. Schwartz
Please notice that our first quality characteristic is not called "empowered" but "empowering" leadership. Let me explain the difference. "Empowered leadership" could mean that there is one (sometimes several, but usually just one) ingenious multi-gifted leader with a great vision. And this leader needs volunteers to help him turn his vision into reality.
Outside the Christian realm this concept is sometimes known as "guru-leadership." But similar models can be found also in Christian churches. Some even defend this concept as an especially efficient growth principle — here is the guru-leader with the great vision, there you have the lay troops who willingly serve their powerful leaders to fulfill their life dreams.
Our study shows, however, that this could not be farther from the truth. Leaders of growing churches do not try to build up their own power to become all-powerful. Exactly the opposite. They consider it as one of their most important tasks to help Christians develop greater degrees of empowerment, which according to God's plan already belongs to them. They equip, support, motivate and mentor individuals to become all that God wants them to be. Some of these Christians may even be led to go very different ways than their leaders. But empowering leaders can rejoice about such a Christian with all their heart because they know that God has an unique calling for every individual.
What is interesting is that most of the pastors who reached the highest scores in our survey are hardly known to a wider public. And yet they provide us with more helpful basic principles of leadership than most of the world-famous spiritual "superstars." Leaders of growing churches do not have to be superstars. In fact the superstar model can be a hindrance for church growth. God generally does not fulfill his plans through super-gifted stars. If someone plays this role (or has to play this role because the church expects it) it is usually a sure sign that something is not going right in this church.
From "The ABC's of Natural Church Development." © 1998 by Christian A. Schwartz. Used with permission, ChurchSmart Resources, www.churchsmart.com
Copies of "The ABC's of Natural Church Development" will be available in district offices by mid-November, or you may order online now from Church Smart Resources.
