Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Feb/87

Contributor - Rev. Murray Moerman

Title - A Matter of Leadership Style - Part Two

Topic - Leadership

Last month we suggested that because of innate differences in personality temperament, leaders will have different leadership styles which will equip them to make unique contributions at various stages in the life-cycle of any given church. This is true both of ordained leaders and of lay leaders.

In order to maximize what any leader or group of leaders may be able to do to promote church growth and advance the Kingdom of God in a given local church, it is important to understand two things:

1.) what kind of leader you are, and

2.) where the church you serve is in its life-cycle.

During the infancy stage (one to three years) in the life-cycle of a church, the leadership type most effective in leading a church to growth is that of a 'catalyzer'.

During the youth stage (three or four to ten years) in the life-cycle of a church, the leadership type most effective and needed is that of an 'organizer'.

(Both of these leadership temperaments are discussed briefly in last month's column.)

The next stage in the life-cycle of a church is that of maturity (ten to thirty years). The leadership style needed during this stage is that of an 'operator'. By 'operator' we mean one who is adept at keeping the system working. An operator is less creative than the two previous leadership types, but he is steady, a good administrator, does not rock the boat, and knows how to keep people happy. He never forgets when the church anniversary is coming up or when to order this year's Vacation Bible School supplies. He is a good politician in consistory and at congregational meetings; he knows much better than the two previous leadership types how and when to compromise to avoid potential damaging conflict. He takes few risks.

This leadership type has a weakness however: he tends to do the same thing each week, month, and year again and again without much thought, creativity, or change. Sometimes he will continue to repeat, very efficiently and with great administrative finesse, the same program or pattern year after year, regardless Of whether it is working, without serious evaluation or openness to considering other, perhaps more effective, ways Of doing it. He lacks imagination.

As a local church reaches its twenty-seventh to thirtieth year of existence ' almost invariably, it peaks in its attendance and potential for growth, and, unless steps are taken to prevent it, the h will gradually begin to decline. Conservative leadership is entrenched, young people begin to leave the church, and, while the decline is gradual over a great many years and many people will hardly even seem to notice it, the decline, unless addressed with redevelopment and renewal, will threaten the very existence of that local church.

The years after thirty can be very difficult for a church. Younger, more aggressive, and vital churches seem to be nipping at their heels, winning more people from the community and even young people from the older church itself. Most of the church's leadership and power base consists of families who were young when the church started and have reason to want to keep the church the way they worked hard over these years to make it. These families tend to resist both significant change and power sharing with younger potential leaders and newcomers to the church.

It is at this point in the life of a church that a fourth leadership temperament and style is needed: that of a 'redeveloper'. A 'redeveloper' is one who sees the problem, knows what will happen if the trend is not reversed, and has the wisdom, strength of personality, and thickness of skin to do what needs to be done for the sake of the church. A redeveloper has the wisdom to move gently so as not to offend unnecessarily, but the vision and tenacity to continue to encourage the changes necessary to make the church viable for the next generation. The redeveloper will call for spiritual renewal, sustained prayer, a refocusing on the priorities and philosophy of ministry of the church, and then lead the congregation to make the changes, however drastic, needed to make a new beginning. Sometimes those changes will involve a fundamental spiritual renewal, sometimes a building relocation, sometimes the discovery of a new responsive target population in the community, sometimes a significant change in internal leadership.

Redevelopers are rare and have a difficult job, but if they are successful, the church experiences a new lease on life and has growth potential for another generation.

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