This study reveals the essential spiritual leadership qualities vital for revitalizing the Christian Church Union in DR Congo. How can these transformative traits enhance church growth and foster a deeper connection with the divine? Discover the insights that could redefine effective leadership in local congregations.
II.3. QUALIFICATIONS
Several identifying marks are revealed in the Scripture which characterize the kind of leadership needed:
II.3.1. Spiritual reality
Church leaders must possess the reality of the presence of Jesus Christ in their lives. Having experienced the saving grace of God, the leader ministers in the power of the Holy Spirit, demonstrating the gifts of God.
First and foremost, the leader is a genuine christian who walks with God and ministers out of the overflow of union and communion with Christ. Worship, prayer, and a firsthand, personal knowledge of God are absolutely essential. Men of God must be in vital touch with spiritual realities and demonstrate powerful faith in God.
II.3.2 Biblical authority
Much is discussed and debated today regarding the subject of authority. It should be abundantly clear that Jesus Christ is the absolute head of the church Eph. 1:22; 4:15. No one has the fight to usurp his authority.
It should also be noted that God has called, chosen, and therefore authorized spiritual leaders to administer the church under his divine direction 1 Thess. 5:12, 13; Heb. 13:7, 17. That authority is given by the word of God and is also limited to the word of God. The God-given authority of the pastors, elders, and teachers of the church should never exceed the authority of the scripture, nor should personal opinions be imposed on the people. Biblical leadership does not demand or dictate, but rather patiently perseveres in the teaching and application of the word of God.
Biblical leadership is best expressed in faithful, loving service to the congregation. It includes accountability to Christ, to the scripture, and to the local church.
II.3.3 Personal integrity
No one can lead God’s people effectively without personal integrity. Sincerity, honesty, and credibility must be modeled. a high and holy standard is required, 1 timothy 3:1–13 describes that scriptural standard as it is applied to both pastors (bishops) and deacons. In 1 timothy 4:12 the apostle Paul gave a young leader by the name of Timothy the charge to be an example « in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. » in all public and private matters, the leaders of the church should exemplify the very best in behavior.
With leadership there is great responsibility because leaders will be held in more severe judgment than followers James 3:1. The leader is set apart by standards which require inward and outward character which is Christ like. In particular the leader most exhibits a quality family life with a strong, healthy marriage, if he is married; he must live in a godly way with the children and each member of the family.
II.3.4 Moral purity
A primary characteristic of the leader’s life is purity. The leader must be pure in heart and lead a holy life. In a day in which moral standards are constantly lowered and accommodated to sinful society, Christian leaders are not immune to temptations. However, if one is to lead god’s people effectively, he must maintain moral purity in the power of god’s spirit, who is holy.
Any sinful habit or questionable behavior should be discarded 1 Tim. 6:11. Many people, including children and teenagers, are looking to church leaders for guidance and a godly example and should be able to expect a consistent testimony and blameless life from their leaders. A virtuous life is the platform upon which all of ministry rests.
« Be clean, you who bear the vessels of the lord » is. 52:11.
II.3.5 Practical humility
The Christian leader is a servant: a servant of God and a servant of the people. The Lord Jesus was the greatest leader of all time. He is the Lord of all, yet he humbled himself and took the posture of a servant and even died shamefully on a cross in sacrificial love for us phil.
2:5–8, he never considered himself too good to mix with common people, to touch a leper, to wash his disciples’ feet, church leaders should demonstrate that same spirit of Christ today, a Christ like attitude of gentleness and the disposition of humility should be exercised in practical service which helps to heal the hurts of broken humanity.
Christian leaders are not celebrities, but servants. God uses humble servants who are willing to sacrifice self and prideful pursuits for the sake of god’s people. god’s servants lead with love and by faithful ministry toward those in need.[12]
2.3.3. The core requirements to be a Biblical leader within the church are character and calling.
A Biblical leader must be saved, baptized, and surrendered in Jesus. A Biblical leader must live godliness in the power of the Holy Spirit. Character is about applied godliness in thinking, speaking, and lifestyle. We suffer in our culture because of church leaders who lack godly character, and the enemy uses such disgraces to drive seekers away from our holy God.
Character counts a lot. When we talk about character, it is about lifestyle, choices, actions, and speech. It’s about public and private godliness. It looks like service, generosity, spiritual healthiness of the leader and their family. It’s about reputation within the church and the greater community. It is big. It is complicated.
It is holistic. And we need to take it more serious than we tend too, as all the church scandals indicate. Let’s have godly integrity – personally, within our households, as leaders, as teams, as a church. God’s calling is about the Holy Spirit selecting the person to the mission, responsibility, and accountability of Biblical leadership within the church.
If a leader in the church lacks godly character in private and public and lacks divine calling to the position and ministry, they are disqualified.
A Biblical leader’s task involves training up the next generation leaders. A servant-leader tries to replace them because eventually a leader moves on, moves away, or moves up. In Bible terms, this is discipleship. Jesus did it to the twelve and the seventy-two. Paul did it to Timothy and John Mark. Following Jesus’ example and commands about discipleship with his application from Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 by sending out pairs in Luke 10, the principle of discipleship applies to leaders: mentee-me-mentor.
II.3.6 Leadership Style
Every company has a president, board chairman or leader. For the most ways we agree that someone individually needs to head our businesses and social institutions. The leader of any organization expectedly completes his role which is given by communicating the values of the organization he or she represents. Leadership skills are required by a manger to operate effectively at a strategic level and a successful manager will be able to identify personal skills to achieve strategic ambitions as well manage personal leadership development to support achievement of strategic ambitions.
Where he will be able to evaluate the effectiveness of the leadership plan and promote a healthy and safe environment that supports a culture of quality. Leaders have good impact in our daily lives and futures. In good times and bad, there is always need for strong leadership.
The success of a business or an industry is determined by the leaders it chooses or inherits. How does someone earn the designation of being a great leader? History and current experiences provide guidance on how one might develop the abilities demonstrated by respected leaders. This case study examines the characteristics of and need for leaders in business, health, politics, education, sports and communities.
There are many leadership styles from which to select one but depends upon the situation of business. But everything new is not good and everything old is not bad. Different styles are needed for different situations but leader should know when to use a particular approach. Leadership strategies define leader’s own leadership style.
Leadership style is the manner and approach of providing direction, implementing plans, and motivating people.
II.3.7. Autocratic Leadership
This leadership is a classical approach where managers retains as much power and decisions making authority as possible which means all the powers have been retained only with the managers and in this approach managers does not consult with staff and staff bound to obey orders without any kind of explanation. This approach is a set of rewards and punishments.
II.3.8 Bureaucratic Leadership
This leadership styles is followed by certain rules or standards which has been set already. In this style everything is done accordingly to ensure safety and / or accuracy. We can find this style of leadership where the situation of work is bit dangerous and specific sets of procedures are compulsory to make sure and safety. The bureaucratic leadership’s best examples in jobs are construction work. This style is most useful when staff is performing the routine tasks again and again.
Where staff needs to understand particular standards and procedures. In this style some safety training are conducted and this is commonly followed staff where staff performing tasks that require handling cash. This style should not be used when employee’s habits cannot be changed.
II.3.9 Democratic Leadership
This Style is also known as participative. Leaders with participative leadership style, include one or more of their subordinates in the decision making process, such as what exactly needs to be done. However these leaders keep the final decision making authority to themselves. This is a good way of increasing employee’s motivation and if used properly always have positive effects on the normal business of the organization.
This style is best where the leader knows only about a part of the problem needs further information in order to decide the how to solve it. In this style also leader produce high quality and high quantity work for long period of time as well staff likes the trust they get and respond with faithfulness and high morale.
The leader develops plans to help staff evaluate their own performance. This style gives permissions to establish goals, encourages to grow on the jobs and promotions, recognizes and encourages to achievement among the employees. This style should be used when leader’s wants to keep staff informed about matters which affect them and wants to share decision making and problem solving by staff.
And should not be used when there is not enough time to get everyone’s input also when cannot afford mistakes and the staff safety is critically concerned.
II.3.10 Laissez-faire
Laissez-Faire Leadership style is known « hands – off » style where managers provides a very little or no directions and maximum freedom is given to staff. All authority given to the staff and they determine goals, resolve problems also makes decisions on their own. The effective use of this style is when staff is highly skilled experienced and educated. Staff have capacity to the work done successfully by their own and also when the staff is trustworthy and fully competent to perform tasks. This style should not be used in the absence of manager when staff feels insecurity, also managers unable to thank staff for their good work which has been done by team members.
II.3.11 Coaching Leaders
Leaders focus on helping other staff in developing their skills and abilities. The coaching leader works closely with the other staff in order to make sure that they have all the required skills to carry out the job. This style is best where all the people already understand their weaknesses and are receptive to all the ideas for improvement.
II.3.12. Affinitive Leaders
This style is most effective in boosting the team moral and motivation, by giving the employees a sense of recognition and affiliation in the process of decision making. This is almost same as the democratic style of management but relies more on praising and appreciating the hardworking staff; unfortunately, poor performance may also goes without reprimand.
II.3.13. Coercive Leaders
This style of leadership is based in the concept of command and control where the leader commands and subordinates only follow the orders. This style can be damaging some times as it causes decrease in the motivational level of the employees. This style is most effective where the company needs a complete changeover regarding its culture and ways of carrying out business, and during disasters or dealing with underperforming employees – usually as a last resort.
II.4 LEADERSHIP THEORIES
It is not very difficult to understand leadership theory, if it’s presented right. There are many different types of theories on leadership. There is Fielder’s situational theories, contingency theory and House’s path-goal theory on leadership. These theories are adopted to make someone or individual or manager a good leader. These theories are:-
II.4.1.Trait Theory:
This theory is based on the personal characteristics of a leader. Which represents that « A Leader is a Hero »? It is been assumed that leader are born than made. Leadership consists of certain characteristics or personality traits. The main categories of characteristics are physical features, ability characteristics and personality traits.
II.4.2. Style Theory:
This approach is made popular by the work of Mc Gregor Blake, Mounton, and Likert, which concerned with the effects of leadership on to the followers and effectiveness has to do with how the leaders behave with the followers.
II.4.3. Contingency Theory:
Made popular by fielder and Vroom, this shows the effectiveness of leadership is affected by the situation/context means leader should take the decisions according to the situation.
II.4.4. Situational Theory:
In this approach of leadership there is no single style of leadership appropriate to all situations, because every time there is a different situation in an organization so according to the situation leader should change his behavior.
II.4.5. Path-Goal Theory:
The theory states that a leader’s behavior is contingent to the satisfaction, motivation and performance of his subordinates. This theory originally refers originally manager’s ability on the job as guiding workers to choose the right and best paths to reach their visions and missions as well company goals. This also refers the different behaviors depend on the nature and demands of a particular situation. Servant Leadership theory: Servant Leadership is a leadership philosophy « The Servant as Leader. » In this theory it is been stated that leaders are first servant and then leader later. Such people have a natural tendency to serve and power to lead. This is in sharp contrast to the traditional leaders who aspire to lead.