https://www.fapjunk.com https://pornohit.net london escort london escorts buy instagram followers buy tiktok followers Ankara Escort Cialis Cialis 20 Mg
Friday, March 29, 2024
Home Building Leaders Leadership Development and Ministry Effectiveness

Leadership Development and Ministry Effectiveness

There is little debate these days about developing leaders in ministry and non-profit organizations, especially in two-thirds world countries.  Jesus modeled investing in leaders and it is good business.  Peter Drucker observed, “Competent management of the NGO nonprofit sector is the most important and most urgent need of the developing country.” (emphasis his)

While living in southern Africa, my role in World Vision International, a Christian NGO, was working with senior management teams in national offices to improve the quality of ministry in their countries.  An assessment of ministry shortcomings revealed that poor quality and accountability were not technical problems, but were related to leadership and management effectiveness and directly associated with leadership competencies.

As we began to focus our efforts on these leaders, I was amazed at the difference the investment made in the quality of their efforts.  Ministry effectiveness and long-term impact were greatly improved.  I saw this region progress from being one of the worst in the World Vision global partnership to being one of the best, in a few short years.  What began in southern Africa as a pilot leadership development initiative was adopted as part of a global leadership-training program for World Vision called Pathways to Leadership.

Three key observations emerged as we took the issue of leadership development seriously.

  1. The gap between ministry demands and leadership capacity is growing.

During the 1980s and 1990s, many global and two-thirds world ministries grew from small, single sector programs to large, non-profit corporations in many countries.  As western based ministries decentralized their efforts, local indigenous organizations became larger and more complex.  This trend will continue as mission efforts seek to be locally established and sustainable.

World Vision national leaders, like many indigenous ministries, now manage several million dollars in programs, including directing multi-disciplined interventions, working with hundreds of communities, and employing several hundred staff.  Leaders deal with the highest level of authority in both government and the Church, locally, and also in bilateral relationships with 10-15 other countries.  They are required to be effective in their own country and context, as well as compete for funding and demonstrate quality planning, program, and decision-making skills in a global market among multiple countries and cultures.  An additional complication is the unstable political and economic environments where many function.  While many leaders possess the potential to shoulder these responsibilities, they must have adequate training to do it well.

  1. National leaders need training that is relevant, practical, affordable, and delivered in their own context.

While there is a plethora of training opportunities for leaders living in the West, this is not true for those living in developing countries. The old system of bringing nationals to the West for two- or four-year graduate programs no longer works. Time away from family and ministry, the expense, and the time of some trained leaders not returning to their home countries are just some of the problems with this approach. The challenge is not transferring western management techniques, but providing biblically based leadership and management training that is relevant in two-thirds world contexts.

A better option is a field-based curriculum, combining character and competency, developed with a biblical model of leadership and using the latest management research and experience, with a global application. Strategic thinking and planning, organizational change, management and innovation, marketing and communication, financial and human resource management, and team leadership, combined with the spiritual formation of the leaders, are basic areas for leading and managing effectively. An innovative approach to leadership development training, one combining rigorous learning with on-the-job coaching and mentoring relevant in the two-thirds world context, is the first step in meeting this need.

  1. Leadership development is a good investment.

To continue investing millions of dollars into good ministry programs, without having staff equipped to lead and manage the program is shortsighted. It also results in frustration for the donor and the ministry. But building the capacity of national leaders to ensure life-changing ministry as a result of necessary funding is a win-win for both parties. Funding ministry programs without addressing the need for building the organizational and human infrastructure to best manage and sustain these programs is poor stewardship.

Not investing in leadership development is costly. Leading businesses invest an average of four percent of payroll in staff for leadership development. Isn’t it even more prudent for those of us in ministry to make a similar, sound investment? Warren Bennis, business professor in leadership at USC, notes, “An organization short on capital can go out and borrow or raise more, but an organization short on leadership has little chance of survival.”

One national leader in India explains the results of such an investment. He notes, “We as two-thirds world leaders need new knowledge, skills, and tools – we need a new way of thinking to solve tomorrow’s problems. We need more than passion or people full of human energies. We need spiritual wisdom and practical skills to face a changing world and facilitate creative solutions involving local people. By contributing to my development, you contribute to the development of the community. What I learn will be multiplied many times over among the staff and in the communities where we work.”

First published at The Good Steward.Com, 2004

Samuel Voorhies
Samuel Voorhieshttp://samvoorhies.com/
Sam Voorhies has 30 years of multi-cultural, international leadership and management experience in INGO (International non-Governmental Organization) relief and development. Sam has extensive work experience in Africa, Asia, Middle East, Europe, Latin America and the Pacific Rim, covering some 65 countries and resident experience in Kenya and Zimbabwe (seven and five years respectively), working across 25 African countries. His experience ranges from grass-roots, village-level work in rural and urban communities to national, regional and global program leadership. His vision and passion have focused on building national leadership capacity to lead sustainable programs. Sam’s past work focused on strategy, senior leadership and organizational development, supporting organizational change for the World Vision International Partnership. Sam currently leads his own consulting company focusing on leadership and organizational development. Voorhies International Consulting works with leaders, their teams and organizations to assess current capabilities and provide strategic support for effective leadership, team growth and organizational development. Since it’s founding, VIC has worked with numerous domestic and global corporate and ministry clients (including Compassion International, Food for the Hungry, Living Water International and several large corporations in the oil, gas and construction industries) to increase leadership and organizational performance. Sam’s passion is the integration of spiritual formation and leadership practice. He holds a Ph.D. in International Development Education from Florida State University. He is the author of several articles and publications on leadership, international and community development including: Serving the Poor: Steps to Relief and Development, Global Mission Handbook: A Guide to Cross Cultural Service, 2009, IVP; “Transformational Development: Changing People and Their Communities” published in Perspectives On the World Christian Movement, edited by Ralph Winter, 1999; Leadership Development and Organizational Effectiveness, The Good Steward.com, 2004. Sam serves as an adjunct and visiting professor for Leadership and International Development at Saint George's University, Colorado Christian University, Denver Seminary, Eastern University and Fuller Theological Seminary. Sam currently lives in Colorado with his wife Emily, and has three adult children. You can reach Sam through his website at www.SamVoorhies.com

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

- Advertisment -

Most Popular

Eminem – Stronger Than I Was

We woke reasonably late following the feast and free flowing wine the night before. After gathering ourselves and our packs, we...

Dj Dark – Chill Vibes

We woke reasonably late following the feast and free flowing wine the night before. After gathering ourselves and our packs, we...

Leona Lewis – Bleeding Love (Dj Dark & Adrian Funk Remix)

We woke reasonably late following the feast and free flowing wine the night before. After gathering ourselves and our packs, we...

Silicon Valley Guru Affected by the Fulminant Slashed Investments

We woke reasonably late following the feast and free flowing wine the night before. After gathering ourselves and our packs, we...

Recent Comments

Ngallendou Dièye on Navigating the Wave of Need
subash on 3 Kinds of Leaders
Ngallendou Dièye on 3 Kinds of Leaders
Eric Richardson on 3 Kinds of Leaders
Malcolm Webber on 3 Kinds of Leaders
Ngallendou Dièye on Our Evangelical Cover-Up?
Mark Larson on Is Competition Wrong?
betty-wiseheartedwomen.blogspo on Is Evangelical Worship Headed for a Huge Crash?
Ngallendou Dièye on 3 Fears that Paralyze Potential
Mwesigye Batatwenda Peterson on Pain
Mwesigye Batatwenda Peterson on 5 Reasons We Struggle to Rest
Michelle Chiappelli Zvyagin on Is Evangelical Worship Headed for a Huge Crash?
Ngallendou Dièye on Why Jesus Let People Walk Away
Jim Sutherland on How to Help Someone Not Change
Ngallendou Dièye on How to Help Someone Not Change
Ngallendou Dièye on Alone in a Crowd
Nancy Watta on Leaders Act!
Dr George Varghese on The Weapon of a Clear Conscience
Ngallendou Dièye on 10 Ways To Lose Great Staff
Ngallendou Dièye on Christian Celebrity Culture
Ngallendou Dièye on What NOT to Say to Someone in Pain
Joel Loewen on How to be Patient
Ngallendou Dièye on A Bit of Advice on Giving Advice
Malcolm Webber on 7 Key Paradigm Shifts
Malcolm Webber on 7 Key Paradigm Shifts
Ngallendou Dièye on 7 Key Paradigm Shifts
Ngallendou Dièye on Leaders Act!
Elisha kakwerere on 10 Reasons Leaders Stop Growing
Ngallendou on The Idolatry of Missions
Kyla Alexander on The Idolatry of Missions
Edgard Abraham Alvarez Muñoz on Little Church, Big Mission
James Ruark on A Church Led By Scholars
Ngallendou on A Church Led By Scholars
Bill Blatz on A Church Led By Scholars
Bill Frisbie on Who Stole My Towel?
niklaseklov on Who Stole My Towel?
Malcolm Webber on We Need to Learn Empathy!
Hansraj Jain on Honoring Your Predecessor