Comments on: The softer side of leadership https://headhearthand.org/blog/2012/03/14/6774/  Informing Minds. Moving Hearts. Directing Hands. Mon, 23 Feb 2026 18:08:00 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=3.8.41 By: David Murray https://headhearthand.org/blog/2012/03/14/6774/#comment-5592 Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:25:40 +0000 http://headhearthand.org/?p=6774#comment-5592 Thanks Dave and Michael. I agree with the need to adjust #6. #2 also strikes me as needing more careful expression for Christian leadership. I like the idea of empowering, but not the idea that we should never tell people what to think or do!

]]> By: Michael Davenport https://headhearthand.org/blog/2012/03/14/6774/#comment-5542 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:17:55 +0000 http://headhearthand.org/?p=6774#comment-5542 I agree with Dave that #6 is the obvious one since it has ties to the human heart. But I would also say that #1, depending on how you look at it, might need some slight adjustment as well since it too can reflect on the condition of the heart (although there might be outward conformity reflected for a while). In other words, the reflection in the “mirror” might not be an exact representation, but may reflect an imperfect image.

This is where leadership as defined and fleshed out in the realm of the church especially (but also on some level in the family) goes beyond the realm of typical leadership because it involves more than winning the mind and emotions. Pastoral leadership focuses on the heart – yet knowing all along that the Spirit must bring about the desired change (“The wind bloweth where it listeth…”).

If #6 were true, then Isaiah as well as many of the other prophets were failures in terms of leadership. Yet we read in chapter 6 that God was not going to give him “success” in terms of the response of the people. So based on the ministries of the Prophets (might we even add the ministry of our Lord?) and with the realization of the fact that pastors themselves are under-shepherds, #6 should read “Leadership is all about communicating the message of the Head of the Church.” With that as point #6, the sub-point above (“Leadership conveys and embodies the enduring purpose and deeper reasons for an organization’s existence.”) fits most properly.

Faithfulness to the cause and commands of Christ and not fruit from our labors is the true test of whether we have led well.

]]> By: Dave Moser https://headhearthand.org/blog/2012/03/14/6774/#comment-5540 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 12:52:19 +0000 http://headhearthand.org/?p=6774#comment-5540 I’d change #6. Pastoral leadership isn’t all about how you make other people feel. It’s about how clearly and regularaly your congregation meets face to face with the living God and are conformed to the likeness of his Son.

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