Grace to Lead

By Steve Manskar

wesleyan-leadership-grace-to-lead“Christian leadership is defined, formed, and shaped by, as well as rooted and deployed in accordance with, who God is, where God is, what God is doing, and what God would have individuals and communities be and do. Leadership in the Christian community is a sharing in the life and mission of the triune God, which means that it begins, continues, and ends in communion with, obedience to, and praise of the God we know as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Such leadership is much more than institutional direction and management.”

This densely packed statement about the character of Christian leadership is from a new book written by Bishop Ken Carder and Dr. Laceye Warner. Both these authors teach at Duke University Divinity School. Their book, Grace to Lead: Practicing Leadership in the Wesleyan Tradition, is a clear and concise guide for the formation and practice of Christian leadership. As the title indicates, the book focuses on approaches to leadership derived from the theology and ministry of John and Charles Wesley.

When Carder and Warner look at the life and witness of the Wesley brothers and the movement they lead, they see that leadership is rooted in doctrine and mission. This is countercultural for much of the leadership literature circulating in the church today. They teach that leadership is rooted in technique, relevance and power. The goal of leadership is organizational success; with success judged according to market standards. When applied to the church, this market-oriented approach to leadership is dependent upon programs with broad appeal and satisfying perceived needs of members all with the goal of attracting as many people as possible. An alternative to such market oriented leadership strategies is to focus on the historic doctrine of the church that direct the church toward participation in God’s mission for the world. This shifts the telos, or goal, of leadership from institutional success to missional faithfulness. It shifts the focus ministry from the church and onto God and God’s mission in the world.

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John and Charles Wesley

wesleyan-leadership-grace-to-lead“Christian leadership is defined, formed, and shaped by, as well as rooted and deployed in accordance with, who God is, where God is, what God is doing, and what God would have individuals and communities be and do. Leadership in the Christian community is a sharing in the life and mission of the triune God, which means that it begins, continues, and ends in communion with, obedience to, and praise of the God we know as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Such leadership is much more than institutional direction and management.”

This densely packed statement about the character of Christian leadership is from a new book written by Bishop Ken Carder and Dr. Laceye Warner. Both these authors teach at Duke University Divinity School. Their book, Grace to Lead: Practicing Leadership in the Wesleyan Tradition, is a clear and concise guide for the formation and practice of Christian leadership. As the title indicates, the book focuses on approaches to leadership derived from the theology and ministry of John and Charles Wesley.

When Carder and Warner look at the life and witness of the Wesley brothers and the movement they lead, they see that leadership is rooted in doctrine and mission. This is countercultural for much of the leadership literature circulating in the church today. They teach that leadership is rooted in technique, relevance and power. The goal of leadership is organizational success; with success judged according to market standards. When applied to the church, this market-oriented approach to leadership is dependent upon programs with broad appeal and satisfying perceived needs of members all with the goal of attracting as many people as possible. An alternative to such market oriented leadership strategies is to focus on the historic doctrine of the church that direct the church toward participation in God’s mission for the world. This shifts the telos, or goal, of leadership from institutional success to missional faithfulness. It shifts the focus ministry from the church and onto God and God’s mission in the world.

Reading the works of John and Charles Wesley reveal that leadership is derived from a life steeped in grace; the power and presence of God in the world. Leaders are persons who habitually open themselves to this grace and freely share it with others. This means that leadership and discipleship are inseparable. In the Wesleyan tradition leaders are persons who practice the disciplines of love known as “means of grace.” These practices form their identity and worldview in ways that conform them to the image of Christ. One implication of this, according to Carder and Warner, is that authority for leadership is derived more from baptism than ordination.

Grace to Lead is the best book on leadership in the Wesleyan tradition I have encountered. It is an excellent resource for small group study. The authors include questions to lead discussion at the end of each chapter. My prayer is that Grace to Lead will be on every Bishop’s “required reading” list in every annual conference in 2011.

Grace to Lead: Practicing Leadership in the Wesleyan Tradition by Kenneth L. Carder and Lacey C. Warner is published by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. It is available from Cokesbury. You can read an excerpt online here: Leadership in the Wesleyan Tradition.

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