{"id":23889,"date":"2019-09-06T15:21:49","date_gmt":"2019-09-06T22:21:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dminlgp\/?p=23889"},"modified":"2019-09-06T15:21:49","modified_gmt":"2019-09-06T22:21:49","slug":"a-more-excellent-way-of-leadership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/a-more-excellent-way-of-leadership\/","title":{"rendered":"A More Excellent Way Of Leadership."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Is it not interesting that the light attracts all manner of insects and they will come from as far as the light is visible. A trip to one of the world\u2019s biggest fresh water lakes, Lake Victoria in Kenya was very interesting when at night a \u2018city\u2019 emerged over the lake and I inquired what multiples lights across the lake meant. The fishermen, each had a lantern that attracted insects to their fishing vessel which in turn attracted fish into their nets. The fish in the process of following the insects are trapped in the fisherman\u2019s net. I could not help but remember this scenario as I read about Francis of Assisi[1]<\/a> who led by his example. When you lead others by doing it yourself, you put on a light for others to see and inspire them to follow your example.<\/p>\n

Reading the journal on the theology of leadership underscores that fact there\u2019s so much to learn about leadership from the Characters in the bible and from Christian values. Just from the artwork[2]<\/a> on the cover illustrating different elements of Christian leadership, so much can be inferred. Francis of Assisi, is an unusual leader who chose not to take leadership titles yet exercised leadership influence on others because what he did was worth of imitation and emulation. His example stands out even today and many are inspired by his commitment to help the marginalized, his commitment to rebuild the church that lay in ruins with his own hands and his readiness to suffer for the ideals that he believed in. His example attracted followers who emulated him but the number kept growing to the point where they needed coordination as a group. Francis in the context can be referred as a reluctant leader but by his reluctance to take titles and to give command, chose the more excellent way of showing by example, wielded even more power of influence on his followers. This kind of leadership is highlighted in the words of the bible that likens us Christians as epistles written not with ink but with the Spirit of The Living God;[3]<\/a> not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.\u00a0 Jesus Himself says that true Christians to be the light of the world a city set on a hill that cannot be hid[4]<\/a>, this a superior way of leadership and a great example of servant leadership.<\/p>\n

As I contemplate on the my dissertation work of financial literacy and as I develop a relevant Financial Literacy tool for pastors and church leaders to use; I realize that it will be easier to get more buy-in from other church leaders by using the tool practically in our church. It\u2019s the results of practical and consistent training and the application of the principles by our church members that will draw the attention of other churches and inspire them to use the tool in their church congregations. It\u2019s also a great encouragement to me of my conviction to develop the financial literacy tool. Just as Francis\u2019s persistence in what he was doing attracted followers, I have to walk the talk by using the tool even when the results may take long to be seen which is typical of new things. As a leader, I have to arm myself with the attitude of persistence and consistence as I also apply the same principles in my life as an example to the trainees.<\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> Theology of Leadership Vol 1 No 1 (2018) http:\/\/theologyofleadership.com\/index.php\/tlj\/issue\/view\/v1i1\/v1i1<\/a><\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Ibid\u2026cover, pg 2.<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Bible, KJV. 2 Cor 3:3.<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> Bible, KJV. Matthew 5:14<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Is it not interesting that the light attracts all manner of insects and they will come from as far as the light is visible. A trip to one of the world\u2019s biggest fresh water lakes, Lake Victoria in Kenya was very interesting when at night a \u2018city\u2019 emerged over the lake and I inquired what […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":126,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[669,1336,1327],"class_list":["post-23889","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-christian-leadership","tag-dminlpg9","tag-theology-of-leadership-journal","cohort-lgp9"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23889","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/126"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23889"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23889\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23891,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23889\/revisions\/23891"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23889"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23889"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23889"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}