Five Words, Like the Chromatic Scale in Music
“Listen. See. Learn. Do. Love. Five words, like the chromatic scale in music, are the leadership notes upon which all God-honoring, kingdom-seeking, biblically rooted leadership activity is built. The sound of leadership repeatedly plays these tones, creating a song for all to enjoy.”[1]
The Sound of Leadership
Jules Glanzer, in his book, The Sound of Leadership: Kingdom Notes to Fine Tune Your Life and Influence, describes everyday leadership through the terms of music and song. He describes the essence of leadership as an “influence that equips and inspires a group of people to go to a place they either could not or would not go by themselves.”[2] He emphasizes the importance of listening to others and the voice of God, ending his book with a personal story of transformation during the Covid-19 pandemic and this final challenge: “May our ears hear God’s voice and honor his call to influence his world to be all he intended it to be.”[3]
I was especially intrigued with Glanzer’s thoughts on entrepreneurship. He notes that what is most tangible and visible to the people we are called to lead is our “service mentality and our entrepreneurial spirit… getting our hands and feet dirty while practicing creativity and innovation.”[4] Quoting an unknown author, Glanzer offers this inspiring thought: “I create. I take risks. I live my passion. I am an entrepreneur.”[5]
This description of entrepreneurship made me think of our DLGP cohorts, groups one through three, courageously and creatively innovating and implementing our NPO projects in service to God and with and for the people around us. Especially for those of us in our third year, we have pursued Glanzer’s notes of leadership: listening, seeing, and learning, and are now adding the process of doing. And doing so with love. Glanzer’s “leadership notes” have caused me to reflect upon my process of observing, listening, and creating as I seek to hear God and follow his lead with my NPO project.
Consilience: Overlaying the Sound of Leadership with my NPO
In listening to the voices of my community and in asking God for guidance, I have noticed the emergence of several themes around human health, challenges of the local church, and the emergence of research highlighting the benefits of nature on human wellness. I have also noted the unique spiritual and physical contexts of the Pacific Northwest. My project brings together these themes, offering people in local churches in the Pacific Northwest an opportunity to deepen their relationship with God and improve overall health through connecting with nature. Glanzer reminds me to maintain a single point of focus: love.
Listen, See, Learn: Some Themes Observed
- The cultural landscape in which our churches sit is changing rapidly, causing challenges and opportunities for ministry. Over the past few years, research has reflected a rise in the number of “nones” and “dones,” those people who do not identity with any religion and those leaving “established religions, most notably Christianity.”[6] In Oregon, Washington, and Montana over fifty percent of people indicate they are atheist, agnostic, or affiliated with no religion.[7] In addition, with the rise of postmodernism, relativism, the denial of absolute truth, individual experience as truth, and subjectivism have gained traction and created dominant strategies for thinking and living in our world today.[8]
- The Covid-19 Pandemic has caused challenges and opportunities for local churches. The Covid-19 Pandemic created a multitude of change for humans on a global level. The pandemic “has been described as a global x-ray, revealing what was hidden in our systems and relationships all along… an acceleratedx-ray, revealing and amplifying these hidden truths at an expedited pace.”[9] Research suggested that up to one-third of churchgoers stopped attending church during the pandemic and the majority of churches are still below their pre-pandemic attendance.[10] On the flip side, the pandemic has created an environment in which people are willing to try new routines and practices in their daily living.
- Global tensions have increased feelings of instability and fear for many people in the world. Many people are experiencing increased anxiety, due to the mental, physical, and social effects of the traumatic world events witnessed daily through media access and experienced first-hand.
- Scientific findings confirm that human interaction with nature increases well-being. Studies show that the natural environment can restore our bodies, rejuvenate our minds, boost our attention, and keep us healthier mentally and physically.[11]
- Pacific Northwest churches sit firmly in a physical landscape rich with mountains, rivers, valleys, lakes, and ocean beaches. Nature is accessible for most people in the state and a natural gift through which to understand God’s love.
Do: A Project Emerging
In response to the themes above, I am designing a model that fits within the local church context and offers people an opportunity to deepen their relationship with God and improve overall health through movement and engagement with nature. As somatic beings, it is through body, mind, and movement that we create meaning, worship the God who designed us, and engage God’s creation.[12]
Love: A Point of Focus
I pray that God’s love will be woven in and through my project and that the end result will increase particpants’ love for God and each other.
Conclusion
“May our ears hear God’s voice and honor his call to influence his world to be all he intended it to be.”[13]
[1] Jules Glanzer, The Sound of Leadership: Kingdom Notes to Fine Tune Your Life and Influence (Plano, TX: Invite Press, 2023), 7.
[2] Glanzer, xxv.
[3] Glanzer, 128.
[4] Glanzer, 122-123.
[5] Glanzer, 123.
[6] Mike Moore, “The Rise of the ‘Umms,” Christianity Today, March 29, 2022, https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/march-web-only/church-statistics-return-in-person-nones-dones-umms.html.
[7] Ryan Burge, “Which States are the Least Religious? Which are the Most?” Graphs About Religion, October 19, 2023, www.graphsaboutreligion.com/which-states-are-the-least-religious. This data comes from the Cooperative Election Study of 2022. It is interesting to note that across the country, more than thirty-five percent of people polled indicated they are non-religious.
[8] Stephen R.C. Hicks, Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault (Redland Bay, QLD: Connor Court Publishing Pty Ltd, 2019), 14-15.
[9] Moore, https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/march-web-only/church-statistics-return-in-person-nones-dones-umms.html.
[10] Moore, https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/march-web-only/church-statistics-return-in-person-nones-dones-umms.html. A study released in 2022 revealed that church attendance was down by 6 percent, from 34 percent in 2019 to 28 percent in 2021. Interestingly, a significant number of people who were active in their local churches before the pandemic have been described as the “Umms,” unsure of how to reengage with the church, having become disoriented, demotivated, discouraged, or disembodied.
[11] Courtney Ackerman. “What is Kaplan’s Attention Restoration Theory (ART)?” Positive Psychology, Nov. 13, 2018, 1-31. https://positivepsychology.com/attention-restoration-theory/.
[12] James K. A. Smith in Clark, 219.
[13] Glanzer, 128.
About the Author
Jenny Steinbrenner Hale
8 responses to “Five Words, Like the Chromatic Scale in Music”
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I am happy to hear you are making strides in your project. I believe that as the leaders that we have all become, Glazers themes will show top in each project. Which concept or way of leading will help you solidify your work?
Thanks, Shonell. I so appreciate all of your thoughts and questions. I think one leadership concept that will show up in my project is living and leading with joy and love, with God’s strength. What about for you?
Outstanding post, Jenny. Truly amazing how well thought out your blogs are each week. I really enjoy them.
I agree with your quote “Scientific findings confirm that human interaction with nature increases well-being. Studies show that the natural environment can restore our bodies, rejuvenate our minds, boost our attention, and keep us healthier mentally and physically.” Have you noticed transformations with your prototype, stakeholders, or in yourself through nature? Does sound play a role in your NPO?
Thanks, again.
Hi Michael, Thanks so much for your comments. I have noticed transformation in my own life when I spend time in nature, and my stakeholders shared during our workshops that they have been touched by their time in nature. It was so interesting to hear people share their unique and personal experiences in nature that spoke to them. There was a lot of overlap and also some unique stories. My husband and I went for a hike today in the pouring rain, but it was amazing! 🙂 The Fall leaves were “on fire” with color and we felt energized and full of joy. Whew, what a great way to regain some perspective in my life. I need to do that more often.
That is such a good question regarding sound. I have so much still to learn, but I have learned that of all the natural soundscapes, birdsong and the sound of running water are the top two sounds that lower blood pressure and boost our mood.
Jenny,
Great post! I love the connection between entrepreneurship and our NPO project. What a great connection between listening, seeing, learning and doing. What part of this entrepreneur process do you connect with the most?
Hi Chad, Thanks so much for your comments and question. I think the part of the entrepreneur process that I like and connect with the most is the listening and seeing and from there, the daydreaming on what could be! 🙂
You are doing it! You are at the finish line!
I pray that God’s love will be woven in and through my project and that the end result will increase particpants’ love for God and each other.
I am praying this over you and your project right now!
Thank you, Alana! I so appreciate your encouragement and prayers. Thinking of us all as we get close to the finish line. It’s exciting. I’m praying for you, too! 🙂
You’re on a roll tonight!