Exploring Essential Qualities of Spiritual Leadership in DR Congo

This study reveals the essential qualities of spiritual leadership within the Christian Church Union in DR Congo, addressing the critical issue of weak leadership hindering church growth. How can these insights transform local church dynamics and foster effective leadership?

Research Question 6

Where is the strength of your church/ organization and why?

Figure 6: Strength of your organization

The researcher has shown through this chart, that the strength of any organization is based on the leadership capacity. Discipline and the moral values have about 27% of leaders who said discipline and moral value is important. This is important because any organization needs these important elements for the organization to grow.

Discipline has to do with correction, self-control, chastisement and self- restraint. The pastor demographics has about 21%, this was suggested mainly by those denominations who prescribe to the idea that the church should be administrated by trained pastors. The interviews showed that trained pastors were more vested in the church affairs than those without formal training.

20% of the respondents established that the soundness of the teaching, scripture delivery and prayer is the strength of an organization. They said if sound teaching is there, the people are equipped and grounded in faith.

17% of the respondents alluded to the existence of properly institutionalized or follow traditions as strengths of an organization. It is very important for us to know that a local church as an institution has a background with traditions to be followed from its apostolic succession.

15% was commended by leaders as ministry of all believers. They said, this has to do with establishing the members of the local church in the body of Christ in various areas of ministry and respecting their gifts of grace Eph 4:11-13. This is very important for a growing local church, just to make sure people’s gifts and talents have been recognized, nurtured and developed, they said.

They said a leader with a vision has a vivid picture of where to go, as well as a firm grasp on what success looks like and how to achieve it and he calls that ‘the climate for organizational excellence’. « Good business leaders create a vision, some on the leaders assert that, a leader must be able to communicate his vision in terms that cause followers to buy into it.

This must be communicated clearly and passionately. They said a good leader must have the discipline to work toward his vision single-mindedly, as well as to direct his actions and those of the team toward the goal. A leader must have a positive influence over others.

Research Question 7

How do you see leadership in the church?

Figure 7: Perception of church leadership

The researcher discovered that most of the leaders who desired office had not been exposed to these challenging offices. They come in and they begin to see the other side of what the leaders do while in office. What happens here is that the leaders noted there is a negative attitude concerning the building of the local church. It was because the leadership has closed its ears to the cries of the followers. About 46% of the leaders who confirmed this .There was very little room for innovation from the leadership. These negatives include, inflexibility, being critical in issues, traditions, lack of transparency, lack of good governance and no respect of others.

The positive side is about 54% which shows that the church is healthy with the leaders who are positive. The church cannot do without these leaders, they are the motivators, manager and they have a responsibility to influence others to join the good acts of leadership without compromise. The approach of viewing the leadership is a normative task of practical leadership

Interpretation focused on good practice, this is very important because the model of doing this good practice helps in imagining how the leaders might do things better. This will give a good reputation to the organization. This is good practice which offers guidance to all.

Research Question 8

What role do you think a spiritual leadership plays in the growth of a church?

Figure 8: Spiritual Leadership role in the growth of the church

The intention is to communicate the role of spiritual leadership in the growth of the church showing their relationship to leadership and ministry. The role of spiritual leadership plays in building up the local church .The leadership suggested that a person with vision, who is therefore visionary, can perform a better role in building the growing church. 24% of leaders affirmed that one needs to be focused, faithful, dedicated, motivated and embrace opportunities as they come and you also needs strong structures that support you if you wish to build a growing local church. They said a leader should have a vision to see and to be surrounded with strong structures of leadership to help the local church to grow.

18% of the interviewed leaders in growing churches said their role is to be exemplary, teachable, and faithful. Furthermore, they should use sound doctrine and encouragement and these are the things the followers desire to see in their leaders. 21% focused on the individuals who are trying to get the maximum opportunities and who are serious about church business. They said the leader should be business minded and should be able to delegate duties.

They however noted that most leaders treat the church as their home business or private entity rather than the business of God.

It was therefore affirmed that the role of leadership was to equip, energize, orient, train and organize leadership in the local church. The chart shows that 18% of the leaders believe that being exemplary, courageous and to teach sound doctrine to members will bring better results than focusing on the roles of leadership.

The leaders commented on this, saying that, it is a very effective tool to be used, and that is why people are looking for role models. 20% suggested that the leaderships’ role was to be faithful and available. They said most leaders have weak areas and elements in leadership of not being faithful and available to their church.

They said it is a problematic area for leaders in growing churches to show their capacity for being leaders who execute the desired leadership role. 17% depicted the importance of leadership in influencing others, motivating them, growing them into maturity as a leader, and being well developed. In the interview they suggested the other role was to guide and that leaders should be able to give guidance all the way.

They proposed areas which leaders should check and improve on in order for the leader to be productive; to build, to train, to equip and to create products for leadership that will last and to create an environment for appreciation. They argued that leaders should focus on the goals. The research has found that the leader is the key to any success of the organization.

The leadership that does have priorities helps in the building up of a local church. They said no vision for ministry is a barrier as no role and priority for growing the local church. Vision help to transform dreams into reality. The role of the leader is to possess a clear vision for the growth the local church.

Vision helps a leader to step over and make great sacrifices for the building of the local church. The leader brings in knowledge to the growth of the local church, they said. Lack of knowledge and understanding on the side of a leader brings disasters in the local church (Hos 4:6).

The respondents argued that this type of knowledge will inspire, motivate, encourage and teach people to mature enough to take authority in the building of the local church. Leaders said that the role should bring in powerful teachings and training materials tare needed to establish and build the local church.

CONCLUSIONS

Building up of the local church as a ministry is conducted under the leadership and training of the leaders. By the ministry of the « joints » Eph 4:12, 16, the body builds itself. Hence the service leaders have a ministry in building up the local church. This is essential in that the training of leaders, if taken seriously, will change the outlook of things in the building of the local church. Leadership is understood in terms of servant hood. The identity of a Christian leader is that of a servant. Ministry means service.

This type of training is a process. Leadership training for service is inevitable for the building up of the local church. Building up the local church, like any other research in practical theology, usually starts with an awareness of a practical problem. Every church admittedly has a leader; either he is motivated to do the job or is unmotivated.

A leader needs to be motivated towards the renewal of building up the local church. Building the local church does not happen until God makes it happen. Motivation is essentially about leading people towards recognizing their identity. Church leaders describe at least leadership characters and behaviors as one cause of the problem as major or significant in their congregation.

Most churches in the survey are already engaged in systematized or informal activities to address related needs in their communities, especially leadership crisis, churches in conflict, breakaways and the defecting of membership to other churches, which has been sighted as the problem of weak leadership, can be corrected if the leaders themselves desire to take a step toward this.

Church leaders are aware of at least one significant problem, related problem in their parish that they are doing little or nothing about to help to equip and empower their membership in the area of leadership, especially the laity. Leaders agreed their church could be doing more to tackle this leadership problem in their local churches.

The main barriers for doing more are seen to be a lack of resourceful persons in the church, leaders and funding, although the churches that are doing the most are often not particularly large or wealthy. Among churches that are currently doing little or nothing to meet significant local needs, « lack of passion within the church » and « not knowing where to start » are cited as barriers by a large majority.

Spiritual leadership can be applied in any organization , this is an important conclusion. It does not mean that spiritual leadership is easy in all environments; however, it can be interpreted to mean that spiritual leaders can be effective most anywhere.

The study of spiritual leadership produced a picture, a brief look, of what it is to be a spiritual leader. Spiritual leaders are leaders who get strength from deep within. They work at self-improvement, not only as leaders but also as persons.

Recommendations

In order to fulfill the servant leadership the researcher submits the following proposals as recommendations for the way forward to be considered in any other studies in servant leadership of the building of the local churches as discussed before: These principles included:

1. Church and leadership culture

2. Training through mentoring and coaching;

3. Training through on-the-job ministry;

4. Careful selection of emerging leaders;

5. Lifelong process of development.

I recommend that churches focus on their capacities and resources, surroundings and environment they are in, because each studied church is different, each has their own strengths, weaknesses, and main concern.

Leaders should plan, implement and evaluate the church and leadership culture and begin to work on making changes that will facilitate leadership development that includes laity in the church. These changes could be small ones in order to facilitate momentum.

As I look back, I am humbled by what God has done, especially in using these principles and practices of leadership in my life and in the lives of the leaders I interviewed. A good leader leads, while a great leader develops others who lead. Naturally, one of the main challenges is the lack of resources. Having completed the research, I am committed to set aside time in my regular schedule to develop leaders.

No matter how busy ministry gets, leadership development has to be included as part of the usual ministry.