April 2011 Issue 

The Real Test of Leadership

by Bill Allison

The REAL test of a person?s leadership mettle and prowess is motivating volunteers in the church to effective service.  Think about it.

1. Business leaders hold the power of pay over employees.
2. Educational leaders hold the power of grades over students.
3. Even as parents we have the power of consequences to ?encourage? our young children to do the right thing!

However, when church leaders work with volunteers in the church, the motivational power dynamics require authentic leadership ability?not mere force of power and position.


The truth is that volunteers don?t HAVE to give the church the time of day?and about 80 percent of all church attenders don?t!  Yet, for the church to function in a healthy manner, volunteers must be trained, equipped, and launched into ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12).

Whether you are a vocational ministry leader or a volunteer who oversees other volunteers in the church, it is absolutely critical that you understand what motivates and inspires those volunteers under your charge. 

One Important Motivator: The Efficacy Factor
Studies of effective public educators have found that successful teachers often share a common belief: They believe they are making a difference in students? lives!  Education experts call this Teacher Efficacy. 

I believe the church needs to cultivate Volunteer Efficacy.  When volunteers in the church?regardless of where they are serving?really understand how their service makes a significant contribution to the accomplishment of the church?s overall mission and vision?then they tend to be motivated to serve!  To say it another way, volunteers who understand the big picture and their role in seeing that picture realized are motivated volunteers!  Why?  They are making a difference!  They have Volunteer Efficacy.  On the other hand, if volunteers feel like they are simply filling a slot in the cogs of the ecclesiastical machinery known as your church, they will tend to be unmotivated. 

A Question to Test Your Leadership Do ALL the volunteers in your ministry and church really understand their role in the achievement of the church?s vision and mission?or do they tend to think they are a warm body filling an insignificant slot? This article is an excerpt from Cadre?s book, Recruiting, Motivating, and Retaining Volunteers in the Church. For eleven more great ways to motivate volunteers in your church, go here.  For the PDF download, go here.

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FREE Download:
Leadership Self-Assessment

This one-page Leadership Self-Assessment exercise will challenge your understanding of what it means to be a great leader. It?s great for personal use, discipleship training, small groups, Sunday school, your next ministry training session, or ministry team retreat. The more honest you are, the greater your opportunity for growth.  If you dare to use this with others?the more honest each person is, the better the dialogue... community... application... and life change!  Here?s the real kicker: It's FREE from your Cadre missionaries of encouragement!  All you have to do is go here.  Then be sure to send the link or PDF to others... and let the leadership community and self-assessment begin! We dare you to take this self-assessment... and share it with others.

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What Does It Mean to Be a Christian ?Leader??

There?s so much talk about leadership in the church these days and so little actual Jesus-like equipping leadership.  Lots of people claim to be following Christ, yet so many are equipping no one.  According to Paul, Jesus gives leaders to the church ?for the equipping of the saints for the work of service? (Ephesians 4:11-12).  In the book, Experiencing Leadershift: Letting Go of Leadership Heresies, Don Cousins?explaining the implications of Ephesians 4:11-12 for church leaders?writes:

?Biblically expressed leadership brings this result: ?the equipping of the saints for works of service.? If you hold a leadership position but are not equipping the saints for the work of service, then you are not a leader.  You may hold the position; you may have the title; you may be called a leader; but you?re not a leader as the Bible defines it, because leadership means equipping.? ?page 35

Furthermore, Cousins addresses a gap between knowing about Ephesians 4:11-12 and the practice of an Ephesians 4:11-12 equipping approach to leadership:

?While this information may not be new for many church and ministry leaders, I?ve found a gap between knowledge and application.  We?re familiar with the concept of equipping found in Ephesians 4:11-12, but the way we lead doesn?t reflect that truth.? ?page 40

So, let me ask you a very serious question: Does you?re leadership need a Leadershift?  If so, you may want to read (and apply) this book. 

Choose a site to order this book: doncousins.org / amazon.com / half.com

 

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FREE Youth Ministry Resource: The Role of Adults in Student Leadership Here is a great read for ALL adult youth workers?volunteer and vocational?by Dave Rahn and Terry Linhart.  This PDF download would make for great discussion at your next training session!  It?s biblically grounded, research inspired, and?best of all?FREE for Cadre Connection readers!  All you have to do is GO HERE!

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FREE Videos: Dr. Howard Hendricks on Leadership For ten free video podcasts of Dr. Howard Hendricks teaching about leadership, go here.  * Important note: The link above will only work if you have iTunes.

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Just for Fun... Leadership Silliness? Leadership is not about how many plates you can spin. Only in Illinois Defining Leadership Leading at home

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We're your Cadre missionaries! As Ephesians 4:11-12 missionaries of encouragement and equipping, we live by faith and trust God to financially provide for our families and our ministry with Cadre. We know we can't do this wild and wonderful Cadre adventure without God and crazy friends like you.

Cadre Ministries: Equipping Local Churches to Make Volunteers WILDLY Successful!

Cadre Ministries is a [501(c)(3)] not-for-profit ministry.

To be trained to take Cadre training to your church/ministry, contact info@cadreministries.com and ask about Cadre's certification process.

For information about bringing a certified Cadre trainer to coach and train the volunteer teachers, leaders, and youth workers in your church/ministry, contact info@cadreministries.com.

For Cadre training resources visit www.cadreministries.com/store. Cadre's fun-loving staff serve as support-based, God-dependent missionaries who can only do this ministry with Cadre because of generous friends like you. To make an online, tax-deductible donation to Cadre Ministries:

Donate Online  |  Recurring Donations

All other tax-deductible donations can be sent to:
Cadre Ministries
PO Box 278
Sycamore, IL 60178

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