Invisible Vulnerability
“It is madness to wear ladies’ straw hats and velvet hats to church: we should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares: they should lash us to our pews. For the sleeping god may wake someday and take offense, or the waking god may draw us out to where we can never return.”[1]
Every morning the most highly classified document in the United States government is delivered to the president. It’s called the President’s Daily Brief. Delivered by the director of national intelligence, the brief summarizes critical information that the United States’ intelligence agencies have learned in the last twenty-four hours. Every morning, the president listens and hears the raw, detailed account of all the threats facing the country. Afterwards, he hears the rest of that day’s agenda: ceremonies, meetings, press conferences, dinners. All the while, the person in this office knows what no one else can comprehend with the same degree of detail.
Every word is confidential.
However, if you are like me and watched 2-3 seasons of Scandal, you become immediately aware of greater and more evil powers assailing the White House attempting to destroy the leader of the free world. What makes this show cringy and unbearable to watch is what lies at the heart of “president’s” desire: dominance of a woman who is his mistress and not his wife. Watching too many episodes of this show started making me feel cynical about all people in power–I started asking myself, “Is there no escaping the influence of powers no matter who you are?” The president of the United States carries an image of authority that can be perceived as the good and flourishing life. However, for those who have authority, (of nations, families or churches) there’s an invisible vulnerability that all kinds of leaders bear–a vulnerability that no other person can see–except the powers at be, in the spiritual world, according to this week’s reading.
JR Woodward’s extensive work, Scandal of Leadership: Unmasking the Powers of Domination in the Church[2] starts with a conceptual framework of The leader, Imitation, a Theology of Power and Imitation of Christ. With a myriad of scholarly works, models and philosophies, Woodward is largely saying that domineering leadership must be seen from a cosmic viewpoint–he answers the dilemma of dominance stating leaders must become aware of their desires. What the author really drives home is that all of us should be mindful of what is at work and what is seeking to subvert our leadership. He repeats three themes of Image, Institution and Ideology. I offer three questions following each one:
Image: How Am I as a leader concerned about Status and Prestige?
The first time I heard Dallas Willard speak in person was in a room with 20 other leaders at a very small conference in Orlando, Florida. I had just finished reading two of his books, The Divine Conspiracy[3] and several of his writings on the Spiritual Disciplines. It was 2004 and my first book had just been published so I was prepared to take notes not only on his content but also how a renowned theologian like Dallas Willard would present his talks to us; I was concerned with status and prestige as a new author and I was desperate to learn how he handled feeling weak after experiencing any spiritual warfare. With pen in hand and an eager spirit, I was not prepared for this seemingly mild man who did absolutely nothing to draw our attention as he began. The topic of his lecture that morning was the humility of Christ. Although I was surprised by how uncharismatic Dallas delivered his speech, I was on the edge of my seat listening to every word: “under no uncertain terms should a Christian leader show pride–not in words, eye contact, body language, persuasive talking, dressing for attention–but every behavior about the leader should mimic Christ’s humility.”[4] Those few hours with Dallas came back in flashes as I researched humility for my NPO and came across academic research (not faith based) calling forth similar behaviors in leaders.[5] I can testify to what Woodward said about the “subversive work of power,”[6] which he bases on Graham Houston’s work helping us see how leadership is connected to the Powers through mimetic desire. Dallas Willard’s example of choosing weakness in humility saved me from the destructive problems of egotism and selfism that surround communicating to the public.[7] I had an inner vulnerability that at that moment turned to Christ’s humility. I experienced God’s Power.
Institution: Where Else Have We Read Where Leaders Seek to Accomplish for Love instead of God’s Love?
In Rare Leadership,[8] I am reminded that the fruit of four uncommon habits related to emotional intelligence dramatically increases trust, joy and engagement: Remaining relational, Acting like Yourself, Return to Joy and Endure Hardship well. Many times throughout Woodward’s chapters, I could hear authors like Wilder and Marcus, Simon Walker,[9] Tom Camacho,[10] and Eve Poole[11] (her first book we read), challenging leaders to stay relational by continuing to act like themselves–like the person God made them to be–especially during suffering. Woodward repeats the theme of paying attention to invisible vulnerability this way:
“Become aware of your desires because the Powers seek to distort them–by fully imitating Christ through embodied practices, our desires can be reshaped toward God, His Kingdom, His Righteousness.”[12]
Ideology: Why is there no Escaping the Influence of Powers?
By the end of Woodward’s book, I concluded that there is no escaping the influence of the Powers as they are at work through all ideologies that unconsciously hold people captive. It seems from our readings, our dialogues in class, and the trainings I engage in for work that our world depends upon ideologies to frame where we see wicked problems. Perhaps the work of the Church is to help rescue people from any Domineering system. Allegiance that does not center on God is idolatry which leads to the opposite of the Flourishing Life. Every so often when I am praying the prayer of Examen, I take the time to ask God what blocks me from living by the faith he measured out to me. Without fail, God speaks plainly in a way that my simple mind can understand. Most recently it was from his passage:
“But I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt. You know no God but Me and besides Me there is no Savior.”[13]
Like you, I want the good life and the Good Power that Annie Dillard writes about in the quote above. I fully imagine it starts with our invisible vulnerability.
[1] Annie Dillard
[2] Woodward, J. R., David Fitch, and Amos Yong. The Scandal of Leadership: Unmasking the Powers of Domination in the Church. 100 Movements Publishing, 2023.
[3] Willard, Dallas. The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life In God. 1st edition. San Francisco: Harper, 1998.
[4] CCCU Conference Orlando, Florida 2004. Dallas Willard.
[5] Liu, Wenxing, Jianghua Mao, and Xiao Chen. “Leader Humility and Team Innovation: Investigating the Substituting Role of Task Interdependence and the Mediating Role of Team Voice Climate.” Frontiers in Psychology 8 (June 30, 2017): 1115.
[6] Woodward, J. R., David Fitch, and Amos Yong. The Scandal of Leadership: Unmasking the Powers of Domination in the Church. 100 Movements Publishing, 2023. P. 46.
[7] I want to note that a few years later when I felt God lead me again to pursue publishing, a literary agent who was responsible for the marketing plan of The Jabez Prayer, asked me if I was prepared to sell my soul for the business of selling books. I am so grateful for the Christian models of leaders like Dallas Willard and Eugene Peterson who never sought to build a kingdom. Christ has often led me to say no and I have found a deeper walk with HIm and others.
[8] Warner, Marcus, and Jim Wilder. Rare Leadership in the Workplace: Four Uncommon Habits That Improve Focus, Engagement, and Productivity. Chicago: Northfield Publishing, 2021.
[9] Walker, Simon P. Leading Out of Who You Are: Discovering the Secret of Undefended Leadership. Piquant Editions, 2007.
[10] Camacho, Tom. Mining for Gold: Developing Kingdom Leaders through Coaching. Nottingham: IVP UK, 2019.
[11] Poole, Eve. Leadersmithing: Revealing the Trade Secrets of Leadership. London ; New York, NY: Bloomsbury Business, 2017.
[12] Woodward, Fitch, and Yong, The Scandal of Leadership. P. 51.
[13] Hosea 13:4, NIV.
About the Author
Pam Lau
Pamela Havey Lau brings more than 25 years of experience in speaking, teaching, writing and mediating. She has led a variety of groups, both small and large, in seminars, trainings, conferences and teachings. Pam’s passion is to see each person communicate with their most authentic voice with a transparent faith in Jesus Christ. With more than 10, 000 hours of writing, researching, and teaching the heart and soul of Pam’s calling comes from decades of walking alongside those who have experienced healing through pain and peace through conflict. As a professor and author, Pam deeply understands the role of mentoring and building bridges from one generation to another. She has developed a wisdom in how to connect leaders with their teams. Her skill in facilitating conversations extends across differences in families, businesses, schools, universities, and nonprofits. Pam specializes in simplifying complex issues and as a business owner, has helped numerous CEOs and leaders communicate effectively. She is the author of Soul Strength (Random House) and A Friend in Me (David C. Cook) and is a frequent contributor to online and print publications. You can hear Pam’s podcast on Real Life with Pamela Lau on itunes. Currently, Pam is a mediator for families, churches, and nonprofits. You can contact Pam through her website: PamelaLau.com. Brad and Pam live in Newberg, Oregon; they have three adult daughters and one son-in-law. One small, vocal dog, Cali lives in the family home where she tries to be the boss! As a family they enjoy worshiping God, tennis, good food and spending time with family and friends.15 responses to “Invisible Vulnerability”
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Great post, Pam. You had three questions around image, institution, and ideology. So, I have three questions, too. First, if you could start a new institution that helped emerging leaders to think Christianly about status and prestige, what would you include in the institution’s design or curriculum? Second, what would you do to help the institution incorporate emotional intelligence and differentiation…staying connected but separate…in their curriculum/design? And third, what might a tool/resource look like to help emerging leaders in encountering the Powers? Feel free to pick only one of those three questions to answer.
Travis, I feel compelled to answer your second question: what would you do to help the institution incorporate emotional intelligence and differentiation…staying connected but separate…in their curriculum/design?
I would incorporate the SKILL set of learning to become a Conflict-Informed leader. My NPO is circling around this as we “speak”. I would teach Christian students how to talk again, how to find their voice, how to sound like Christ in the real world and not avoid conflict–solve problems as they live!
Travis~ You know how college students are near and dear to my heart! Although not completely new, I would gather the professors and administrators for a character retreat where we would read David Brooks’ Moral Bucket List, Richard Foster’s Becoming Like Christ and Simone Weil’s Reflections on School Studies. The reason it’s paramount to focus on character first is parents have abdicated their responsibilities on raising their children with character–basic character. One of the reasons I mention Simone Weil is her writings on paying attention. IF students can pay attention to lesser things like their studies, then they can direct their attention to God. To answer your excellent question about status and prestige being instituted into the curriculum, I believe humility must be taught and practiced. Should an elitism begin to light up amongst faculty and students, it’s the responsibility of the administration to speak up and take action. Serving the poor, seeking ways to practice justice with groups that lack privilege, and bringing all these character qualities together is what builds a person’s character. Might these qualities be put into a biology syllabus because the professor expects his/her students to work interconnectedly, to know one another’s stories and really know a person and to have empathy? Honestly, if friendship, real friendship, was modeled and expected, character would sky rocket. I may answer the next two questions in another response. Thanks for asking!
Hi Pam,
Thanks for reaching out.
You wrote, “By the end of Woodward’s book, I concluded that there is no escaping the influence of the Powers as they are at work through all ideologies that unconsciously hold people captive.”
Fortunately (as you mentioned) we have the Bible. If we are rooted in His word we might just survive the world!
Shalom…
Russell~
I was thinking about you on Monday after our Zoom call. If there was space in my blog post, what I really wanted to write about was spiritual warfare in relationship to what Woodward’s driving point was: He talked about the religious temptation of Christ and how we are so easily drawn to Satan’s temptation to idolizing religious power. As a Christian, I have no idea where I would be mentally, spiritually or emotionally without the Scriptures. I am drawn to how Christ himself relied on them. As always, I want to hear more about how you view spiritual warfare from your military background.
Hi Pam,
Coming late to Christ (33), I was a Captain in the U.S. Army. The movement from spiritual darkness to light was truly a battle. The first year was the most difficult.
It made perfect sense to me that Satan would attack people. It was such a relief to also discover Ephesians 6 and the Spiritual Armor of God.
Selah…
Pam,
You penned your post so well!!! Thank you! I appreciate your personal stories and reflections. I also greatly appreciate the works of Dallas Willard. A little side note, my dad was a friend of Mr. Willard at the University of Wisconsin. They were in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship together. No claim to fame here, my dad likes to remind me from time to time about his university friends. When you think about what Woodward was driving home. . that all of us should be mindful of what is at work and what is seeking to subvert our leadership. What spiritual practices or disciplines help you to be mindful of the Powers and those things that seek to subvert your leadership? Thanks again!
Wow! Cathy~ Your Dad knew Dallas Willard from the days of youth–did they keep in touch? You always ask thoughtful questions – I appreciate that. You asked:
“What spiritual practices or disciplines help you to be mindful of the Powers and those things that seek to subvert your leadership?”
I could write a book (literally) on the spiritual practices that have helped remind me of my truest identity. The most practical spiritual practice for me is personal worship–I have a story I can tell you about sometime that is better told by voice. I also practice early morning journaling every day of the consolations and desolations. One discipline I try to incorporate is to check in with myself about my attitude toward others who are coming it with new things to do–am I encouraging them? Being a part? Or do I only show up or things in which I was the originator?
Taking long walks in nature without being distracted by phone is my favorite practice in being silent. Silence and solitude are lifelines for me.
Scripture, especially praying Lectio Divina Style, brings me closest to the Lord as He is always speaking, guiding and directing me in the inner parts of my thought life.
I would love to know what you practice?
They did not keep in touch. But my dad was very fond of him and their friendship.
I am a journaler too. Journaling for me looks more like intercession, letters to the Father (praising, pleading, and venting or a combination of the three), and documenting movements of the Spirit (stories of God’s grace and goodness). Slowing is one that I find to be very helpful, but very challenging. Refraining from doing all the time (especially in these days of multiple deadlines, life events, etc.) not for the sake to just slow down but for the sake of being more present to God in each moment of the day. I find that taking time at the end of the day to reflect on the day, where I have felt God’s presence and pleasure and likewise confessing where the Powers have influenced my attitudes, motivations, actions, thoughts, etc. is a helpful practice for becoming more aware. A Daily Examen. Do you happen to remember the Amy Grant song titled, “Fat Baby”? Sometimes the temptation is to add more, or habit stack, but I find that I need “to do” less. Thank you for asking. I would love to hear the story.
Cathy,
I listened to and memorized every breath of Amy Grant’s songs growing up! I will go back and listen to Fat Baby! I wholeheartedly agree! Less is more! What do you mean by Habit stack? Teach me, please.
Pam, I love hearing about these practical disciplines that you’ve relied on and have helped you. Many of them I have tried off and on, but this is a good encouragement to renew my intentionality. Thanks!
Kim,
What are you realistically able to practice now in this season of your life and ministry?
Hi Pam, I enjoyed reading your post and the reminder that our vulnerabilities are invisible, sometimes to ourselves and to others. We need safe people to help us see what we don’t see and to help us attend to our vulnerabilities. I appreciate you experience of Dallas Willard and his example of humility. What a fantastic opportunity! I am curious if there have been women that you looked up to in which their character, humility, example of Christ etc… was something you desired to imitate?
Jenny,
Good to see your name! I feel like we haven’t “talked” in awhile! I hope your research is going well. That’s a helpful question in this discussion. When I was pulling together my journaling and research for my second book, the lives of the women who impacted my life came to the forefront. Two in particular shaped the life of my faith more than any others.
LeAnne Lau, Brad’s Mom, was a deeply committed follower of Jesus who God used to start BSF Bible studies along the Front Range in Colorado–each study had more than 500 women. Along with that, she was a professional public speaker who trained government officials around the country. LeAnne came into my life when I was 21 years old and once Brad and I were married, she lovingly created a mentoring relationship with me. Believe me when I tell you that I was not the same woman then I am now–I was resistant about Bible study, Church, Christian women of all kinds, and especially organized religion. As a literature major, I had my own ideologies about the world and God. LeAnne pursued me even in my obstinance (obviously, she loved her son!) but we developed an authentically loving mentoring relationship. She invited me to speak and minister with her when I was young, and it was her humility in telling me time and time again that she felt God asking her to pour all she learned into me, that softened my heart toward things of the Spirit, Scripture and the Church. Yes, LeAnne was my mother in law, but more than that, she was a spiritual mother whose influence infiltrated my DNA. When her youngest son and his fiance were killed in a tragic car accident, I walked alongside her for the remainder of her life listening to her cling to her faith in Christ, resisting bitterness, anger and self-pity. That’s humility.
A second woman whose humility in Christ and work is a woman named Dorothy, who God brought into my life and ministry as an intercessor from 2008-2021. She was called to pray privately for speaking, writing and ministry while traveling with me. I had never met a woman who was willing to be hidden for the benefit of another person’s flourishing. I have SO MANY stories of what God performed through her ministry–miracles, healings, repentance, etc. Her humility brought a healing to my heart that to this day I shake my head in wonder at God’s work in our lives. He is always at work. I’ve learned that if I am willing, He will do more than I can ask or imagine. How about for you?
Thank you for sharing, Pam! What a rich experience with your mother-in-law and your friend. Their support of you is incredible!