Leadership Platform

While studying my Diploma of Business (Frontline Management) a few years ago, we were encouraged to develop a "Leadership Platform" as a reference point for what people can expect from our leadership.  This was a helpful exercise to clarify my role as a leader and to provide myself with a form of accountability to that role.  

As a leader there are so many demands and expectations from others that can very easily create an unfocused and unproductive reality for a leader.  This is especially true for my reality as a Corps Officer in The Salvation Army where I have been trained to be a 'general practitioner' with a variety of responsibilities in church ministry and community mission.  If I am not careful, I can find my role being defined by the expectations of others, rather than the fulfilment of my calling and commission.

Early in my current appointment I was confronted with a new paradigm of leadership that caused me to look at my role as a Corps Officer beyond a traditional "parish priest" minister to a "senior pastor" leader.  The difference being, that as a leader I am called not to do the work of the ministry but to equip others to do the work of the ministry to build up the body of Christ.  Ephesians 4:12 became a mantle for my new understanding of leadership and the measure by which I now evaluate my effectiveness.  This has empowered me to make focused decisions on what my role is and isn't and to effectively raise up others to become functional members of the body of Christ.

The "Leadership Platform" I developed out of this new paradigm has given me and those I lead a leadership compass to ensure that "I am the equipper, not the doer" (Sue Mallory, The Equipping Church) to empower others to lead.

Mission Statement

“To equip God’s people for the work of the ministry to build up the body of Christ”  (Ephesians 4:12)

Leadership Platform

"TO EQUIP"                   

I will be an equipping leader by…

• Creating a learning environment where the growth & development of ‘God’s people’ is a priority
• Providing resources & opportunities to ‘God’s people for the work of the ministry’ 
• Encouraging initiative & innovation by ‘God’s people’

"GOD’S PEOPLE"           

I will be an empowering leader by…

• Recognising ‘God’s people’ as being responsible ‘for the work of the ministry’ 
• Recruiting ‘God’s people’ to engage in ‘the work of the ministry’ 
• Releasing ‘God’s people’ to discover and utilise their spiritual gifts

"WORK OF THE MINISTRY"

I will support the ‘work of the ministry’ by…

• Casting a God-honouring vision to give clarity to ‘the work of the ministry’ 
• Connecting every person and ministry to the vision 
• Celebrating as often as possible the fulfilment of the vision

"BUILD UP THE BODY OF CHRIST"

I will ‘build up the body of Christ’ by…

• Promoting a culture of ‘unity in the faith’ 
• Discipling a lifestyle of ‘maturity in Christ’ 
• Maintaining a focus on a ‘vision of eternity’