- Building Transformational Leadership Skills
- Empowering the Church to be faithful to God’s call, reflective of Christ’s mission, and open to the surprises of the Holy Spirit.
- Strategically creating the future of God’s Church.
- Witnessing in the public square to God’s redeeming power.
- Performing necessary and appropriate administrative tasks.
- Working collaboratively with intercultural awareness and sensitivity.
- Encouraging leadership development of self and others through continuing education and lifelong learning.
1. Empowering the Church to be faithful to God’s call, reflective of Christ’s mission, and open to the surprises of the Holy Spirit.
This mark asks me to help congregations discern God’s call and equip members to participate in ministry rather than concentrating responsibility in one leader. Through my internship, we developed a yoga program that consisted of inviting those who had not previously participated in leadership opportunities a chance to use their gifts in unique ways. Developing this community outreach initiative involve inviting members to identify local needs, share their gifts, and help shape the response. I learned through this process as an intern that people are more invested in ministry when they have a meaningful role in creating it. I need to grow in releasing control and allowing others to lead, even when their methods differ from mine, by practicing shared decision-making and supporting emerging leaders.
2. Strategically creating the future of God’s Church.
This mark asks me to look beyond maintaining existing programs and help congregations imagine faithful responses to changing community needs. A congregation might explore a dinner church or community meal ministry after listening to residents who experience isolation or food insecurity. During my internship at Penbrook United Church of Christ, I had the opportunity to lead the congregation through the exploration of implementing a yoga church program. While the program did not launch the way that was originally envisioned, through this process I have learned that innovation should begin with identifying what a community’s needs are, seeing how those needs can be met through the congregation’s mission rather than a desire to attract people at any cost. I need to strengthen my skills in strategic planning and evaluation by developing measurable goals, establishing timelines, and assessing whether new initiatives genuinely serve people.
3. Witnessing in the public square to God’s redeeming power.
This mark asks me to connect Christian faith with public life. Not only does it invite me to this connection, but it also calls me to speak faithfully about justice, dignity, and the common good. Supporting efforts to address issues such as food insecurity, immigrant needs, or discrimination can demonstrate how the Gospel informs a congregation’s public witness. Through various opportunities through Wesley Theological Seminary as well as opportunities provided through the seminary’s location in Washington DC, I have had the opportunity to participate in several protests related to the rights of immigrants and persons who are undocumented. I have learned from participating in this witness that silence about suffering can communicate a message just as powerfully as public advocacy. Through these experiences, I have also recognized that faithful witness requires listening as well as thoughtful engagement. Protesting can be about holding up signs on the street corners of cities, but I have learned it is also in intimate conversations with others. One area where I need to grow is in communicating difficult issues in ways that are clear and compassionate, while remaining willing to challenge injustice rather than avoiding conflict simply to preserve comfort.
4. Performing necessary and appropriate administrative tasks.
While administrative tasks are not glamorous, nor always the most appealing, this mark asks me to recognize administration as an essential part of responsible ministry. This includes a variety of tasks, including budgeting, scheduling, recordkeeping, confidentiality, and policy compliance. Through my 13 years of experience in child welfare, with over seven years as a supervisor where I supervised child welfare caseworkers, I have learned to manage competing priorities, communicate expectations, document decisions, and follow regulations. I have learned that effective administration protects people, supports staff, and allows organizations to fulfill their mission. I need to continue developing ministry-specific skills in church finances, personnel practices, and congregational governance through training and collaboration with experienced church leaders.
5. Working collaboratively with intercultural awareness and sensitivity.
This mark asks me to work with people whose cultures, histories, identities, and experiences differ from my own effectively. While employed in a variety of human services positions throughout my career, I have found that collaborating with families and professionals requires me to recognize that people may likely have different understandings of authority, family relationships, and institutional systems. I have learned through my child welfare career that the assumptions I hold are not universal. I have discovered that cultural humility requires curiosity instead of quick judgment. One area that I have identified as a growing edge is that I need to deepen my understanding of how race, class, language, and power influence relationships within the church and I am working on this through continued education, self-examination, and listening to people whose experiences differ from mine.
6. Encouraging leadership development of self and others through continuing education and lifelong learning.
This mark asks me to remain willing to learn as well as willing to help others develop their gifts for ministry, at times simultaneously. My academic studies at Wesley Theological Seminary have challenged me in a variety of ways which has included to examine various biblical texts, engage theological perspectives that differ from my own, and reconsider assumptions I previously held as being true. For example, I maintained assumptions about the prophet Isaiah have been altered due to my academic pursuits, learning that there are three different authors from three different time periods. I have also learned that education is not only about acquiring information and knowledge. It is also about allowing this new knowledge to change and develop my practice. As an ongoing endeavor, I must continue translating my academic experiences and education into accessible congregational ministry. One way that I can do so is by seeking feedback on sermons, participating in continuing education, and mentoring others as they develop leadership skills.
Building Transformational Leadership Skills
I see transformational leadership as helping the congregation recognize that they have the ability to be more than the programs they have always offered. While historical programming can be a guide, helping a congregation to see where God is at work around them is also important. It doesn’t mean assuming that every new idea must be accepted. I seek to listen to not only the congregation, but also assess community needs, invite participation from the congregation and community, and guide the Church toward a faithful response to God’s call.”
