Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Ha ha, I beat Justin this week!
Three Overlooked Leadership Roles~ Alan Hirsch
Alan Hirsch writes in this article of the three missing roles in leadership today. To start he outlines the following as the 5 broad leadership models in the church. Apostles—the “sent ones.” These are the people who are always thinking about the future of the kingdom and how to establish the church in new contexts. Prophets—these are the people who most clearly know God’s will and truth for today, they are willing to challenge the dominant assumptions of the Church. Evangelists—are recruiters. These people are effective communicators who draw in new people to the potency of the gospel. Shepherds—are the nurturing and protective folks. They are caregivers to the community. Teachers—understand and explain God’s truth and wisdom. Hirsh explains them in ‘unchurchy’ terms as well as (in the same order), Entrepreneur, Questioner, Communicator, Humanizer and Philosopher.
Neat huh? Well Hirsch’s point is larger than simply that we should identify with one or more of these groups. He argues that the church is suffering from an overwhelming lack of the Apostles, Prophets, and Evangelists, or APEs as he calls them collectively.
I know in my own denomination, an overwhelming (90%) of pastors are shepherds. Hirsch is suggesting not only that we need more APEs, but that solid leadership, especially corporate leadership like that in a church, is best done with all of these models present. Each of these styles provides things that the others don’t and have holes that will leave an incomplete body of believers if left out of the equation.
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Miles, Great Post. Thought provoking and clever. I really appreciated Hirsch’s vision to see the deficiency of having a dominant leadership group in churches. I especially agree that, “corporate leadership like that in a church, is best done with all of these models present.” I have seen the abuse of so many churches that seem to favor one dominant model over another. IN evangelistic churches the focus is on new believers and seekers. In teaching churches everyone brings their bibles. Apostolic churches are small and but have large missions programs. Prophetic churches usually close down within five years. The lists continue. I appreciate the balance that you and Hirsh are advocating. Unless we as leaders are self aware enough to chart ourselves and natural gifting, we may stray into one of these dominant models. This has the effect of attracting similar parishioners all while driving away those who have different spiritual gifting. Any one dominant model in itself leads to a creates a barrier for people to experience Jesus Christ. The complete body of Christ needs to stress diversity of spiritual gifts. Leadership needs to stress a balance of leadership models. If leaders are not leading the charge in accepting various models of ministry than chances are our churches are not either.
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