WWJD When it Comes to Leadership?

When I think about leadership, I sometimes wonder how would Jesus lead?  OK, I admit that HWJL does not sound as good as WWJD but I found myself asking that question when I was in church two weeks ago.  When I think about how Jesus would lead, I am pretty sure he would lead just like Pastor Stuart at St. James Lutheran Church in Limerick, PA.

I have had the privilege of watching Pastor Stuart lead for a little over a year now.  I have been impressed with the way he communicates and inspires the congregation.  Pastor Stuart is by far the craziest Pastor I have known (case in point – he conducted service once with red and green hair)!  He is also one of the best I have ever seen not only because he is so passionate about his work but because he also happens to have a lot of fun while doing it.  What a concept, huh?

What I especially have noticed and appreciated over the past year being a member of St. James is the different ways Pastor Stuart reaches the congregation.  First, he does not stand elevated and hidden behind a podium.  He preaches – without a script – by the pews, at our level.  He uses creative ways to teach the members about church, the Bible or Scripture.  For instance, he has led worship series that follow a theme for a few weeks (reference Super Heroes of the Old Testament, Goals Oriented Life, Discipleship for Dummies, Luke for Lent, etc.).  These worship series inspire me to come to church because I don’t want to miss an “episode”.  That would be like missing a week of Glee and then watching it the following week and feeling slightly lost.  He uses impactful videos or movie clips that illustrate a particular learning.  It is amazing because I often have an insight and think to myself, “Man, I did not see that when I was watching the movie!”  Pastor Stuart tells stories – personal stories – that often make people have to grab a box of tissues (just ask Alicia…she’ll tell you!).   The congregation also loves (*chuckle*) when he asks everyone to reflect on a particular topic and then sends a microphone around where people can then share their insights.  As difficult or uncomfortable as that may be, it is very empowering for others to share their insights in a group setting.  When people share, everyone benefits and Pastor Stuart is gracious enough to allow that to happen.  Finally, I am not sure who has more fun during the Children’s Sermon – Pastor Stuart or the children.  He loves to rile up the kids (I like to call it organized chaos) but he delivers the messages in a fun way that helps the children remember the lesson.  All of these different ways of communicating ideas and values keeps it interesting, keeps it fresh and makes it relevant to me and other members of St. James.  Really, I could go on further, but there are already quite a few nuggets in here about leadership.  Let’s take a look.

LIFE’S LITTLE LEADERSHIP LESSONS

So, what have I learned by watching my Pastor in church:

1. Leaders make people think.  It is not just that they make them think, it is how they make them think.  Pastor Stuart mixes it up so that he can reach all people.  He uses videos, music, stories and Scripture to get his point across.  No matter what medium he uses, he does it beautifully and allows people the opportunity to have insights.  A second part of this is leaders believe in what they do and want to share that with others.  There’s not much more to say about this one other than a leader’s passion for their work shines through and catches others’ attention.  Leaders teach others and love doing it.  This makes people want to follow them.  A very powerful concept indeed.
2. Leaders have fun!  Yes…the age of the stoic leader is gone!  Leaders today know how to play and not take themselves too seriously.  People love when leaders show their fun side – leaders almost become more human when they do that.   When a leader has fun, people around him feel that they also have “permission” to have fun.  When everyone is having fun, ordinary people will do extraordinary things.
3. Leaders tell stories.  They pull you in when they share personal stories that serve the purpose of teaching a lesson or showing a more human and vulnerable side.  Stories allow leaders to pass on their values and beliefs in a way people will often remember.  Stories – if told over and over again – can transcend generations.