Raukura 2007: What is Leadership in our Society?
January 16, 2008
This is part of a series of posts using reflections produced by staff and participants at the Raukura: Intro to Strategic Leadership Module held at St Johns College, Auckland, in December 2007.
These reflections have been compiled as a Study Guide, and are available in printed form for below cost at $10.00 a copy including postage and handling (contact us for more details). Alternatively, you can download a PDF version here.
What is Leadership in our Society?
By Lorren Sahayam, Shelyn Kiram, and Sonia Rajan - Youth Coordinators for the Diocese of Polynesia
In this modern world leadership has become a very important aspect of our society. Good leaders are needed for a better future for our Churches and Community. Leadership refers to those qualities of a leader that leads its subject or group to success, just as a shepherd would be to his flock of sheep.
In the Gospel of Luke (22:24-27), the disciples were arguing about who would be the greatest of all. Jesus clearly explains that the greatest is not the first, but the last, and the one who serves all. Similarly we leaders cannot simply dictate to our subjects but rather earn their respect and support by working with them and also taking into account their wishes and ideas.
On the other hand, it is not so easy to become a good leader. The person needs God’s calling and a vision to see their group move forward. There will be many instances when a leader will face lots of problems and discouragements. Such instances could be getting or communicating with other ethnic groups and lack of support and encouragement from our church leaders, elders, and the community at large.
The important things are not the problems, but how a leader deals with those problems. A good leader would firstly seek the Holy Spirit and then with guidance tackle the problems with understanding and patience.
Therefore, every leader must always try to create a much closer relationship with God every day. They must also read their Bible and know it very well so that when they encounter a problem as stated above they could always use the word of God to encourage themselves, and also defeat Satan for his hindrance.
The most important thing in a leader is that they can encourage others to become a role-model themselves. Our subjects will always follow whatever their leader does. For instance, where the shepherd goes the sheep will follow. A great shepherd knows how to lead his flock.
In summary, Mark 9:33-34 states that whoever wants to be truly first of all must make themselves like the last of all, and the servant of all.
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