Set Me Free
“My fake plants died because I did not pretend to water them.”1 Is leadership simply pretending to do what others expect us to do? How often do we as christian leaders fake it, pretend to know what we are doing. The line between inspiring the greatness in others and hypocrisy, can be very narrow. The Bible says, “If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”2 The tension between becoming the leader that God created and being who the world expects us to be, has created a gulf of uncertainty and self doubt that makes some flee from any appearance of leadership. When we are all set free to be, do and go where God is leading, then we are free to live a life walking in His presence.
Lowney’s Heroic Leadership: Best Practices from a 450-Year-Old Company That Changed the World, defines it using historical and Jesuit theological techniques. His examples of effective leadership did not always 
produce mass followers nor have high returns on the time and investment given. This was seen specifically in his account of Benedetto de Goes’s 3000 mile journey that ended in death; what many would see as failure. How many leaders through the centuries have not been remembered because their actions didn’t produce desired results or achieve top-down given goals?
Lowney has received some unwarranted criticism. “The problem with his approach is that he has not clearly defined his audience. He is trying to tap into that huge market eager for more books on leadership, but I doubt this group will appreciate his long historical accounts.”3 Boers sees this book as another way to make money. He is especially critical of Lowney for trying to separate these Jesuit leadership principles from their faith and devotion to God. “Lowney’s attempts to secularize the Jesuits is troubling[…]Yet how one lives and works reflects ones values and is intrinsic to spirituality.”4 In my opinion, the Jesuit approach to leadership is inseparable from their walk with God. Their philosophy teaches that they are leading all the time and believe that leading comes from within. For them, it is a way of living and an ongoing process.5
“Lowney does not convince me that the Jesuit leadership pillars can be motivated by anything but deep Christian convictions[…] The amazing achievements of Jesuits can not be separated from faith; their motivations belie much that drives the corporate world.”6 Boer’s criticisms have merit only if Lowney is trying to separate faith and leadership. I believe the examples that Lowney uses shows the opposite of this. Jesuits of the past persevered because of their faith to accomplish what they knew God had called them to. I don’t believe each example Lowney provided could have accomplished their goals without faith, prayer, or the help of God’s leadership. He might be writing to a mostly secular audience but has in my opinion creatively incorporated true leadership principles based on leaders dedicated and devoted to serve God. “Jesuits trained every recruit to lead, convinced that all leadership begins with self-leadership.”7 Even if I am reading faith-based leadership into this book, it still allows me to see how ea
ch member should be trained as a leader. Each attender to our churches, each person that comes to faith, each child in Sunday school should be considered on the track of leadership development. In my research, studying the obstacles and techniques to develop leaders in a Chinese context, I have found that the groups that are growing are the ones that are teaching leadership from even before a prayer of belief happens.
Jesuits are portrayed as “forging seamless multinational teams, motivating performance and being open to change and staying adaptable.”8 If I have a criticism for this book, it is that I felt as if we did receive a little of the white washed version of the story. Matteo Ricci challenged the way European missioners approached a foreign land by learning the language and adapting his techniques and philosophy to the people he wanted to reach. This was revolutionary and radical for its time. Lowney doesn’t talk about the obvious obstacles within his own organization to new approaches that could be seen as contrary to the direction of the company. Goes, Ignatius, Ricci, and Clavius were not leaders that desired to keep the peace, but rather they saw something greater and pursued it even at the cost to disruption within the institution.
When leaders are all encouraged to follow what God has placed in their lives and released into the world to love and serve in His name, then we find fulfillment as a leader. Jesuits are a group portrayed as “living with one foot raised— always ready to respond to emerging opportunities.”9 Jesus invites his disciples to follow him, not to come lead in his name. The world is preoccupied with leadership methods and we do not need to blindly follow. Like the Jesuits, our faith and call to develop leaders comes not from ourselves rather from a deep and committed longing to be who Christ modeled.
1Boss, Jeff. 7 Funny Quotes With Serious Leadership Lessons. 2014. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/236547
2Luke 6:39
3Boers, Arthur. “Heroic Leadership: Best Practices from a 450-Year-Old Company That Changed the World / God’s Soldiers: Adventure, Politics, Intrigue, and Power-A History of the Jesuits.” The Christian Century 121, no. 21 (2004): 62-64
4Ibid
5Lowney, Chris. Heroic Leadership: Best Practices from a 450-year-old Company That Changed the World. Chicago: Loyola Press, 2003.15
6Boers, Arthur. “Heroic Leadership: Best Practices from a 450-Year-Old Company That Changed the World / God’s Soldiers: Adventure, Politics, Intrigue, and Power-A History of the Jesuits.” The Christian Century 121, no. 21 (2004): 62-64.
7Lowney, Chris. Heroic Leadership: Best Practices from a 450-year-old Company That Changed the World. Chicago: Loyola Press, 2003. 9
8Riess, Jana. “Heroic Leadership: Best Practices from a 450-Year-Old Company That Changed the World.” Publishers Weekly 250, no. 21 (2003): 65.
9Lowney, Chris. Heroic Leadership: Best Practices from a 450-year-old Company That Changed the World. Chicago: Loyola Press, 2003.29
About the Author
Greg
Greg has a wife and 3 children. He has lived and work in Asia for over 12 years. He is currently the Asia Director of Imanna Laboratories, which tests and inspects marine products seeking US Coast Guard certification. His company Is also involved in teaching and leadership development.11 responses to “Set Me Free”
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Hi Greg,
I really appreciate the fact that you read the critical reviews and presented your own case of why you believe criticism is unwarranted. However, I do think you are correct that the story is a bit white-washed, and probably could go a bit further to be power and privilege washed as well. How can you apply Jesuit leadership principles to an Asian culture? Will it work?
Good question Jean. I was really drawn to the leadership development aspect of seeing each person (member) as a leader in training. This is something we have attempted to do with (I hate to use the word) success. Leaders that can train and produce other leaders has always been our goal.
Hey Greg,
I especially appreciated in this post where you talked about your own work and context. The idea that growing groups in China are those who are teaching and modeling leadership, even before people are “in” is an interesting one. It goes along with what Lowney wrote about how we are all leaders (in some way), and the way that there is no neat distinction between “the leaders” and “everybody else”. Glad for that possibility to keep growing up among Chinese Christians!
Thanks Dave. It is interesting to be in a group and ask for someone to pray and a person that you know is not a believer says, “I can pray.” It is neat to see God work while the person is still saying that they are not a believer but are interested in learning more.
I wonder if you feel you have the freedom to practice the same intuitive practices in your own context. Do you feel you can do what you feel is the right thing to do for your context with the full blessing of your sending agency and those that support you? How might you be turning missions on its head much like the Jesuits did? Do you ever experience push-back from the agency?
Your ability to see through the critique of Boer and recognize the flaws in his thinking are well considered. The spiritual impetus of the Jesuits comes through in almost all of the examples Lowney provides. It doesn’t seem to matter that this text might have been written for a ‘secular’ audience, readers receive instruction on some powerful spiritual practices.
My sending group has lots of freedom. That is one thing that I really love about our leadership. They trust us. This is not true of ever group or org. in this area.
Greg, wonderful first line…talk about an attention grabber! I think your post reminded me of one of the points I probably should have made, but didn’t. One reason I appreciated what Lowney was trying to accomplish was because I did not feel that he was trying to say that the Jesuits had planned on perfecting the leadership handbook for 2017, but rather that their methodology could be valuable for building leadership in 2017. I, in a number of ways, did not agree with all that the Jesuits stood for, and for that reason, would not strive to be considered one today. However, I did see great value in a number of their principles, the greatest of which is the “love” factor, and the second of which would be that every person has a role to play. Truth be known, I am not convinced that everyone is a “leader”, but I am convinced that everyone has value and is important, and therefore, should not be overlooked.
I am not sure about Lowney’s true motivations, but I do believe there are too many in the church today that are financially ore power motivated rather than Jesus motivated. I do believe that the principles taught by Jesus can make the difference in spiritual or worldly settings…that’s what makes them so valuable. For this reason, I truly appreciated the conclusion to your post; I hope that we are all able to glean some “Jesus” from each other as we interact together.
If I have to be mostly serious in most of the blog, I like to find something funny (or at least makes me laugh). I have to admit that not everyone is a leader either, but we teach and train everyone to be a leader. I am reminded often that who I would have picked to be a leader was not who God had picked. (little Moses story comes to mind here) So we train everyone and have discovered some will walk away and some will stay and work alongside.
I don’t know if you have the temptation, but I find myself having to ask “was that too preachy”. I was worried the end got a little into that category. 😉
Hi Greg,
I am so glad you said, “I felt as if we did receive a little of the white washed version of the story.” I agree! How can a guy who only spends 7 years in an organization suddenly tout only the best of this so called “business” society?
I think you did great critical thinking on this project and I am thankful for your critique.
thanks Jay. We have both been around enough to know that 7 years doing anything doesn’t make you an expert. Although anyone that took 7 years to finish college we did call a “professional student.”:-)
Thanks for your post Greg. Like you, I wasn’t nearly as concerned about Lowney’s so-called “secularizing” of the Jesuits as were his critics. I saw it as positive and integrative and a helpful way to apply faith to the workplace.