Uncovering and Communicating Values in Church Leadership: A Interview Jim Singleton and Kevin Ford

Summary

In this episode of the Faith Roundtable, host Josh Burtram interviews Kevin G. Ford and Jim Singleton about their book Attentive Church Leadership."The guests discuss the importance of listening and being attentive in church leadership and how it can redefine the role of a church leader. They emphasize the need for leaders to clarify the true north of their church, including its identity, mission, vision, and strategy. They also explore contemporary church leaders' challenges, such as navigating diverse opinions and making tactical decisions. The conversation highlights the three types of leadership: tactical, strategic, and transformational. The conversation explores the importance of values in church leadership and how to identify and communicate them effectively. It emphasizes the need for leaders to be attentive and listen to the stories and experiences of their congregation. Uncovering values involves excavating and clarifying what the church truly is and wants to become. It is important to differentiate between actual and aspirational values and continually align and reinforce them through various mediums. The impact of attentive church leadership is seen in the renewal of churches and communities, focusing on making a difference in people's lives.

Key Takeaways

1. Attentive church leadership involves listening and valuing the congregation's input.

2. Leaders must clarify their church's true north, including its identity, mission, vision, and strategy.

3. Tactical leadership focuses on getting things done, strategic leadership adapts to the changing context, and transformational leadership deals with unexpected challenges.

4. Church leaders face challenges navigating diverse opinions and making tactical decisions.

5. The book Attentive Church Leadership provides principles and guidance for balancing administrative and tactical decisions with the community's spiritual and emotional needs. Values are essential in church leadership and should be identified and communicated effectively.

6. Leaders must listen attentively to their congregation's stories and experiences to uncover and clarify values.

7. Differentiate between actual and aspirational values and continually align and reinforce them.

8. The impact of attentive church leadership is seen in the renewal of churches and communities.

9. Focus on making a difference in people's lives and communities.

Chapters

#churchleadership #listening #attentive #truenorth #identity #mission #vision #strategy #tacticaldecisions #challenges #LeadershipTypes #values #stories #excavation #clarity #communication #renewal #impact