Crazy thinking about leadership styles

[Willow]

I think most of us came out of authoritarian style churches. I was just thinking and writing about which style of leadership should be right for churches... and is it every correct to have the authoritarian type (autocratic) in church. One example that I see working in my community of an autocratic leadership church is a biker ministry. Most of them have come out of addictive lifestyles and need the rigid format to recover. When I first got saved, I also needed that rigid structure as I had been on drugs.

What do you all think? How does that work in a church? Maybe it's a matter of timing rather than style... Maybe the leadership has to know when to let go and when to dominate. Seems like a delicate balance to me...

[Anna Marta]

I think most of us came out of authoritarian style churches. I was just thinking and writing about which style of leadership should be right for churches... and is it every correct to have the authoritarian type (autocratic) in church. One example that I see working in my community of an autocratic leadership church is a biker ministry. Most of them have come out of addictive lifestyles and need the rigid format to recover. When I first got saved, I also needed that rigid structure as I had been on drugs.

What do you all think? How does that work in a church? Maybe it's a matter of timing rather than style... Maybe the leadership has to know when to let go and when to dominate. Seems like a delicate balance to me...

Hi Willow,

Good question.

Have you read John Maxwell's "Developing the Leader Within You" ? Highly recommend it for everyone interested in any kind of leadership.

I would venture to say that the biker pastor has earned the respect of the biker pastor. That means that he is more than a positional leader.

If you are interested, I will look up the levels of leadership and post them for you - or - I would think the local library has a copy of the Maxwell book, which has a great chart in it of the levels that you could photocopy.

In my opinion, autocratic leadership is not healthy in any church situation. The Body of Christ is not autocratic it is a theocracy with Christ as the head and everyone else using their gifts to support each other. The leadership is servant style and designed to come lovingly (albeit tough lovingly at times) under the followers to lift them up in their spiritual journey to become more like Christ and learn to use Spiritual gifts for the good of all. Accountability in a healthy Body of Believers is not condemning nor judgmental, it is evaluatory and helpful in allowing someone to learn the effect of their choices and behavior on the family. It seeks to accept and love the sinner while helping the person to deal with and get rid of the sin.

The charging a nickel for bad gd is a great example of that kind of leadership and accountability. Everyone sees the sin, the sinner suffers the consequence without feeling condemned and everybody learns something with nobody being rejected. That's what works in that milieu.

Why do the bikers agree to pay the fine and put up with and listen to that pastor? Answer that question and you have a key to his leadership influence.

Hugs
Anna Marta

[Willow]

Hi Anna... great input!
The biker pastor that charges 50 cents for the GD word is different than the one that has the full-blown biker church and ministry. I would not consider the first one autocratic. The pastor with the church, clinic, and AA recovery groups... he's the one I am evaluating. I probably wasn't at that church long enough to get to the very core, but I suspect he's the top dog and what he says goes. However... once from the pulpit, he mentioned he didn't want it to be that way. As you can see... I'm not in his church... LOL! However, I did see the AA ministry using tough love and highly structured leadership to keep the addicts sober. I think I am correctly assessing that as autocratic style leadership. That was the only arm of his ministry that I saw functioning that way... and they seemed to understand who needed it and who didn't... as they never tried to tell me what to do or how to live.

At any rate... I'll google the book you mentioned and see what I can find. Thanks for the reference!

Hi Willow,

Good question.

Have you read John Maxwell's "Developing the Leader Within You" ? Highly recommend it for everyone interested in any kind of leadership.

I would venture to say that the biker pastor has earned the respect of the biker pastor. That means that he is more than a positional leader.

If you are interested, I will look up the levels of leadership and post them for you - or - I would think the local library has a copy of the Maxwell book, which has a great chart in it of the levels that you could photocopy.

In my opinion, autocratic leadership is not healthy in any church situation. The Body of Christ is not autocratic it is a theocracy with Christ as the head and everyone else using their gifts to support each other. The leadership is servant style and designed to come lovingly (albeit tough lovingly at times) under the followers to lift them up in their spiritual journey to become more like Christ and learn to use Spiritual gifts for the good of all. Accountability in a healthy Body of Believers is not condemning nor judgmental, it is evaluatory and helpful in allowing someone to learn the effect of their choices and behavior on the family. It seeks to accept and love the sinner while helping the person to deal with and get rid of the sin.

The charging a nickel for bad gd is a great example of that kind of leadership and accountability. Everyone sees the sin, the sinner suffers the consequence without feeling condemned and everybody learns something with nobody being rejected. That's what works in that milieu.

Why do the bikers agree to pay the fine and put up with and listen to that pastor? Answer that question and you have a key to his leadership influence.

Hugs
Anna Marta

[Anna Marta]

Hi Anna... great input!
The pastor with the church, clinic, and AA recovery groups... he's the one I am evaluating. I probably wasn't at that church long enough to get to the very core, but I suspect he's the top dog and what he says goes. However... once from the pulpit, he mentioned he didn't want it to be that way. As you can see... I'm not in his church... LOL! However, I did see the AA ministry using tough love and highly structured leadership to keep the addicts sober. I think I am correctly assessing that as autocratic style leadership. That was the only arm of his ministry that I saw functioning that way... and they seemed to understand who needed it and who didn't... as they never tried to tell me what to do or how to live.

At any rate... I'll google the book you mentioned and see what I can find. Thanks for the reference!

Willow,

Here's a thought - there is a statistic (somewhere) that states a large number of people who struggle with addictions to alcohol and some drugs also have ADHD. People with ADHD function very well in organizations that have clear (enforced) boundaries. The military seems to be a place where they excel. Steinar, who has ADHD, used amphetamines as a young person like many of his peer group. Interestingly enough, he had no ill effects from them while many of the others are "gone". He said he felt "normal" when "abusing" them as an illicit unprescribed drug. Today he uses Ritalin and an antidepressant and feels GREAT!

This is not a simple subject, but may explain why this pastor and the bikers he serves need strong, lovingly enforced boundaries. The pastor seems to be sensitive to these people's individual needs and not to be on a power trip.

Here's a question: Is this autocracy or a therapeutic model to learn to live out one's faith for people needing lots of structure - who respect the leader?

Hugs
Anna Marta

[Willow]

Here's a question: Is this autocracy or a therapeutic model to learn to live out one's faith for people needing lots of structure - who respect the leader?


Great input Anna... I am thinking therapeutic model might be the answer to this one. I only went to that church a short while, but they never have tried to love bomb me or pressure me to go back. Nor do they show any amount of condemnation to me not attending a church. Not that they are perfect... but I think they're helping and not hurting people. That's the bottom line, isn't it?

[Anna Marta]

Not that they are perfect... but I think they're helping and not hurting people. That's the bottom line, isn't it?

Yep, it sure belongs on a bottom line along with the rest of authentic Body of Christ stuff.