Developing Leaders, Intentionally
By Patrick Cheng, NECF Senior Executive Secretary
MOST church leaders and pastors recognise the need to groom successors but many lack an intentional programme. To remedy this, the NECF Leadership Commission has outlined a framework for a five-year leadership development programme which church leaders can implement with those they are discipling. The framework covers five areas of growth:
1. Leadership and Management
For the first three years, NECF has collaborated with the Eagles Leadership Institute Singapore to hold the yearly Eagles Leadership Conference (ELC) Malaysia. Emerging leaders need only attend two days of training a year at the ELC. Outside the conference, ELC participants will be required to write reflection papers, complete assigned readings, engage in e-learning, apply theories to specific projects and visit a church or organisation for on-site learning. The cost of training for three years is RM450 per person. Upon completion, participants will be awarded a certificate of Leadership Development.
Conference dates are:
Year One: 22-23 June (Fri, Sat) 2012 - Theme: Leading Self
Year Two: 22-23 March (Fri, Sat) 2013 - Theme: Leading Others
Year Three: 28-29 March (Fri, Sat) 2014 - Theme: Leading Organisations
To see the brochure and register for the conferences, click here.
2. Theological Understanding
NECF suggests that the remaining two years under the framework be spent in seminary to help emerging leaders undergird their development with a theological foundation. Proper theological reflection is necessary to address issues in life, church and society. Consider the debates some of these doctrinal statements generate: "The reason a person is not healed is because of his lack of faith", or "Our problems are caused by demonic influence" and "We simply need to praise the Lord and all our problems will be solved". Are church leaders of the future equipped theologically to tackle such thinking?
There are a number of seminaries which have agreed to give accreditation to the ELC Malaysia certificate. This accreditation allows certificate holders to upgrade their leadership training to undergraduate or graduate studies. The seminaries have flexible programmes - part-time, off-campus and night classes - to accommodate students.
3. Character Development
Besides attending the ELC and/or seminary, emerging leaders should also get practical ministry experience. Their churches are urged to create ministry opportunities for them to serve in. All theory and study is ultimately tested when trainees get involved in practical ministry. An individual may have skills, charisma and knowledge, yet without a strong and credible character, he/she will not be gain the respect of the people he/she is required to lead. Like sandpaper which hurts when it rubs against the skin, real character will only surface when participants work and interact with other people. The practical ministry aspect is like the "wilderness experience" many leaders in the Bible like Moses, Joseph and David, had to go through to build their characters before they were placed in leadership positions.
4. Financial Remuneration
Discussion on remuneration for emerging leaders who will soon take up leadership and ministry positions within the church should be dealt with at some point in the five-year framework. There is nothing taboo about discussing a pastor's salary; Bible scholar Jay Adams once said, "It is not unspiritual to discuss and even negotiate [salaries] since salaries offered by many congregations are scandalously inadequate." In fact, there are several occasions in the Old Testament where the needs of the temple were neglected for lack of full-time priests and Levites (Malachi 3:10, Nehemiah 13:10-11). Responding to this need, King Hezekiah instituted a "salary structure" to pay the various categories of full-time temple workers (2 Chronicles 31:14-19). The NECF Leadership Commission had in 2009 suggested various factors that churches should take into account when fixing pastors' salaries. These were listed in the Nov-Dec 2009 issue of Berita NECF and included the pastor's job responsibilities, congregation size, decision-making, scope of control, years of experience, qualifications and urban or rural location.
5. God's Call
Ideally, pastors should come from the local church itself because they are acquainted with the culture, leadership ethos and inter-personal relationship dynamics. On this premise, confirming God's call upon an emerging leader's life is not a one-off incident, but a process in which the larger church should be involved in. When a person responds to God's call to serve full-time, this calling also needs to be recognised by fellow elders and leaders. The church is thus exhorted not to simply lay hands (1 Timothy 5: 22) or appoint someone to leadership in a hasty manner. But once the church recognises God's call upon the person, it should come alongside the person to seek God and implement His purposes for the church.
Conclusion
This suggested five-year framework is an intentional structure for local churches to help potential leaders undergo character formation. It can be viewed as a time of preparation to pass on the leadership baton. The timeframe also provides room to study and revise church salary structures. As we begin to do what we can through our frail human endeavours, let us trust God to call people into the ministry. Let's work together to raise more leaders for the Malaysian Church.
5-year Leadership Development
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