Leaders As Composers

[I have begun my doctorate work. Over the next three years, I will be investigating the topic of leadership as it pertains to church ministry. My hope is to post thoughts about Christian leadership along the way as God sharpens not only my thinking but also my practice. Here is installation #1 in what hopefully will be many blogs]

It’s an autumn Saturday afternoon. In hundreds of football stadiums throughout the country, hundreds of thousands of fans have gathered to cheer for their teams. But despite all the different school colors, there is one thing that is common to all the fans in all the stadiums; they will stand as one and sing the national anthem.

            What is it about the national anthem that garners such a response? Technically speaking, an anthem is no different than any other song. It is a musical composition in which a composer arranges individual notes to form a melody. But despite its scientific similarity to all other music, an anthem is profoundly different. What distinguishes an anthem from other songs is that it transcends music. It is more than the right notes, in the right order, in the right pitch, and at the right tempo. It is bigger than the sum of its individual parts. What makes an anthem an anthem is that its individual notes together point to something greater than they could by themselves.

            Leadership is much like the work of a composer composing an anthem. Leadership is the art of arranging individual human and organizational resources so that they harmoniously work together to accomplish something greater than they could individually. Like a composer who composes an anthem that transcends culture and even college rivalries, a leader composes an organization that transcends challenges and obstacles. This is not simply the work of a technician; leading is the work of an artist. In the words of George Barna, “leadership is not a science; it is an art” (Leaders on Leadership, p. 21).

            The definition is an attempt to paint a picture of the irreducible minimums inherent in leadership regardless of the context. The definition seeks to describe that which is true of leader-ship whether a person is leading a family, a business, a church, or a nation. Regardless of context, a leader is one who shapes people to work together to accomplish something greater than they could achieve on their own. As Tom Landry said, “Leadership is getting people to do that which they do not want to do in order to become all they dreamed they could be.”

            In order to arrange and shape people to work together to achieve an organization’s mission, it is necessary that a leader embody certain inherent qualities. These qualities include humility, integrity, foresight, courage, and passion. However, what distinguishes a Christian leader from other types of leaders is the basis for such characteristics. For example, in Good to Great, Jim Collins explains that humility in leaders who were able to transform mediocre companies into great companies is rooted in their desire for the company to succeed (p. 21). Their humility is based on their hopes for the future. Conversely, humility in Christian leaders is rooted not in what they hope to accomplish, but rather in what Christ has already accomplished.

            What distinguishes a Christian leader from other leaders is that they follow the example of Jesus Christ. Successful Christian leaders are humble because they imitate the greatest example of humility. They have integrity because they follow Scripture’s teachings. They have foresight because they are seeking God’s wisdom. They have courage because they live in awe of Jesus’ courage on the cross. They have passion because there is no other appropriate response to the gospel. And all of this is possible because Christian leaders enjoy the ministry of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, empowering him to lead others as he follows Jesus.

            The gift of the Holy Spirit enables the Christian leader to discern how to arrange the right notes in the right order. This includes perceiving whether to treat a believer with a Theory X or a Theory Y perspective. Douglas McGregor “pointed out that administrative decisions are influenced by the leader’s attitude toward his or her workers” (The Helmsman, p 23). Some leaders naturally hold to Theory X, which calls for the close supervision of employees. Some leaders innately gravitate to Theory Y, which focuses on the work environment because of the assumption that the employee can be trusted.  In the real world, a leader cannot be simply Theory X or Theory Y. He must recognize that some people require supervising, while others can be entrusted with greater responsibility. Knowing which person is which note in a church allows the pastor to compose an anthem. The Holy Spirit provides discernment that helps the pastor know where a believer falls on the competence circle of situational leadership. Arranging the right notes in the right place requires understanding who needs directing, who needs coaching, who needs supporting, and who needs delegating.

            A composer serves the notes, but is slave to the anthem. Likewise, a pastor serves believers, but is a slave to the mission. He serves believers by putting their interests ahead of his own. He is a slave to the mission by keeping God’s interests above all. He does this only by staying in harmony with the gospel. The gospel is what keeps him in right tune and right tempo with God’s heart for the world. The gospel is what inspires the pastor-composer to shape believers and arrange church resources to harmoniously work together as a living anthem of God’s grace in order to accomplish the Great Commission.

In awe of the Great Composer, Jesus Christ
Pastor Rick