I’ve made it my mission to finish a book I started reading a while ago: Ministry in Three Dimensions by Stephen Croft. And I’m really pleased I have. There’s loads of stuff in there about what church leadership is and means.
The first section of the book is a generic look at leadership, particularly in light of the decline in regular church attendance and Fresh Expressions etc. One quote I love is “Baptism and not ordination is seen as the foundation for the ministry of the whole people of God.”
There’s a particular thought provoking chapter which discusses whether secular leadership models have any part to play in a church environment. The title of the chapter is “Following a false trail: secular management models for ordained ministry” suggesting that Croft doesn’t believe secular management theorists can solve all the problems in the church.
He argues that churches shouldn’t just blindly jump on the latest bandwagons, but nonetheless may have some use. However, churches should ensure that any secular insights into management are weighed against Scripture and church tradition before the church attempts to put them in to practice.
The next three sections focus on the three dimensions of ministry: Diakonia, Presbyter and Episcope. Or Deacon, Priest and Bishop as the C of E calls it.
I’ve been particularly challenged by the stuff around the Diakonia which means “service”. Having a servant heart. Doing random acts of kindness. Croft talks about how this, the most important part of Christian ministry, is often lost amidst the need for leaders to preach, prepare for meetings etc. This aspect of leadership is something that all Christians should be demonstrating in their lives, but it is an absolute essential for anyone involved in Christian leadership.
Not an easy read by any stretch of the imagination…but very thought provoking stuff. Next chapter starts the look at Episcope…might post again once I’ve read it!
