In Doug Pagitt and Tony Jones’ edited work An Emergent Manifesto of Hope, Tim Keel present as article entitled, Leading from the Margins. In this article he notes a contemporary shift “altering our basic understanding of reality.” As Keel points out, there was, and is, an occurring shift from a modern milieu, which “was ruled by science and structures of control” to a postmodern milieu, which operates on “creative, artistic, intuitive, organic, prophetic and poetic” structures. As Tim states, this shift in emphases necessitates a shift in our approach to leadership.
This is not to say that one must be creative and intuitive to be a leader, but it does mean that it will require them to create the necessary space for people with these skills to lead. As Tim states, “Leaders in the emerging world must be able to help create, shape, and nurture environments where life can emerge and grow organically.” The previous power structure and leadership style, only aided in the marginalization of creative and intuitive forms of leadership. Tim Keels thesis is that “we need men and women who have previously been on the margins to come forth and lead us. [Because] in focusing so exclusively on our cognitive capacities, we have lost our imagination.”
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ReplyDeleteIt’s interesting that you would post this blog because I have been thinking about this recently. As more and more creatives enter into churches, we must begin to rethink what type of individuals we are looking to be involved in leadership. In the past, church boards and ministries have been led by Type-A personalities, often business leaders in the community. What do we analytical, linear thinkers do with creatives? Do we push them into the corner with the arts ministry, only allowing them to lead when we need a new set design or the stations of the cross? How do we incorporate creatives into the vision casting of the church? How do we involve them in the beginning and ending of ministries?
ReplyDeleteI believe that we must shift the attributes and personalities that we look for in our leaders. There is a larger model of leadership than the CEO type. I like what the article said, “...we have lost our imagination.” If we want to recover the sense of God’s grand narrative, than we need our creatives, our storytellers to come to the front and help lead us further into the future that God has for us.