Basic Principles of Ministry Leadership

These are the foundational skills or Principles of Ministry Leadership. These are offered on a seminar or workshop basis using team exercises, role-playing, case study discussions, gaming and one-on-one exercises to learn practice the skills.

• Be Yourself as God Intended. The cornerstone of  a successful ministry leadership is the recognition of one's own spiritual growth (relatedness to self and to God). Ministry leadership is optimized when the leader is sensitive of his or her spiritual condition and discernment of vocational calling to serve as leader in a ministry. Participants are able to complete the Spirituality Assessment Scale (iSAS) and recognize the role of their spirituality to the ministry. Other topics include Personal Ideal, spiritual depth

• Lead by Example. The context, style and motivation of ministry leadership revolve around the basic principle of leading by example. Through case studies, role-playing and video vignettes, this module helps ministry leaders create a framework of leadership style and promotes the use reflective skills and peer consulting as tools in assessing and nurturing the ministry group.

• Recognize who you work for (God). A common fallacy in ministry leadership is believing that one "owns" the ministry group. This module reinforces the dynamics of ministry leadership with the realities of the broader community (Church, diocese, parish, etc.) in dealing with successes and failures, and assists the ministry leader is formulating strategies to maintain the ministry group focused on the right objectives.

• Prepare to Endure. This module recognizes the value of difficulties a leader will experience in dealing with the relational aspects of ministry leadership. The delicate balance between fostering individual member growth while promoting a sense of community will invariably create tension within the group. Creative tension is a positive sign of growth and rich life, but can also become a burden for the leader. Through role playing and video vignettes, the participants learn the value of creative tension and recognize a broader meaning for the hardships of ministerial leadership.  

• Focus on Service To Others. Another ministry leadership fallacy is applying the same methods used in the business world or social groups to measure success in ministry groups. The true measurement of ministry performance is a balance between the ministry group's service AND the spiritual enrichment of each member within the ministry group,as a member of their parish community The concepts of servant leadership presented and are discussed and case studies (peer consultation) are presented by each participant.                                                                                                     
• Developing a Sense of Community. Building a true community seldom happens naturally, yet community life remains an essential part of spiritual formation. Many individual, situational, contextual and relational ingredients are required to form community. This module helps understand the meaning of community and helps establish community forming strategies. The focus is not as much organizational effectiveness, but the effectivity of experiences in satisfying individual and collective developmental needs within a common goal.                                                                                          Back to Home Page