Courageous Leadership

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Bishop Bruce Ough, president of the Council of Bishops, challenged those at the quadrennial Council of Bishops Extended Cabinet Summit to redirect and renew their focus, energy and resources to cultivate vital congregations to make disciples for the transformation of the world. Bishop Latrelle Easterling and the 15 members of the Baltimore-Washington Conference Extended Cabinet accepted this challenge.

To Read

Church leaders challenged to lead with courage

By Kathy L. Gilbert, UMNS

Bishop Grant Hagiya told the 750 church leaders gathered at the Council of Bishops’ Extended Cabinet Summit to lead with courage for the sake of the future of The United Methodist Church.

Hagiya, who leads the California-Pacific Conference, was one of the keynote speakers at a summit that focused on cultivating vital congregations to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Read the full story

Courageous Leadership

By Gil Rendle

In this article for the Texas Methodist Foundation calling for better conversations about courage that was a foundation of the Extended Cabinet Summit, Gil Rendle writes that “courageous leadership is quiet, discerning, and above all purposeful.”

He offers four lessons:

Courageous leaders wrestle aspirations down to outcomes.
Courageous leaders disturb their systems in purposeful ways.
Courageous leaders keep their eye on the mission field.
Courageous leaders allocate resources to people.

Download the full article

To Watch

Bishop Bruce Ough on understanding the landscape of the church, the Commission on the Way Forward, and cultivating vital congregations in the midst of change.

Bishop Grant Hagiya on the behavioral principles and practices of courage and naming the adaptive and spiritual questions leaders need to address to bring change.

More to Watch

The links to these videos on our YouTube channel will open in a new tab.

Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball preaches on “Go!”

Bishop Kenneth Carter on understanding the concept of a “culture of vitality,” faithfulness requires fruitfulness, and fruitfulness as a missiological imperative.

Bishops Robert Schnase and Robert Farr on developing an organizational culture: who needs to be involved, what needs to change and how will the culture be passed on to new episcopal leadership?

Bishop Jonathan Holston preaches on the Great Commission and the necessity of simplicity.

Bishop Sally Dyck on the Four Areas of Focus and living into a culture of vitality.

Bishop John Schol, Lisa Greenwood, Hecotr Buros and Bt.T. Williamson discuss moving from data to wisdom, the imperative of outcomes to create change, and using data to develop strategy.

Bishops Elaine Stanovsky and Michael McKee and Karen Smith explore who churches and conferences can align their ministries with the four area of focus.

A discussion with Bishops LaTrelle Miller Easterling, Sue Haupert-Johnson and Tracy Malone on the missiology of experiments driven by “Fresh Starts” exploring three case studies.

A report from the Cross Conference groups that identifies learnings and best practices and principles.

Bishops Bruce Ough and Ken Carter on “Holding the Spirit of the Church in our Hands,” and how church leadership can move forward in principle and practice.

More Resources

Additional resources will be added in the coming weeks — be sure to check back!

A report from the Connectional Table to the Council of Bishops Extended Cabinet Summit

“Be Strong and of Good Courage: A Call to Quiet Courage in an Anxious Time” by Gil Rendle from the Texas Methodist Foundation

Courageous Leadership (PPT slides) - Bishop Grant Hagiya

Four Areas of Focus

Missional Leadership

In recent years, the church has called on its leaders to be missional strategists. Bishop Ken Carter of the Florida Area provided some insights.

The Missional Strategist:

Diagnoses but does not fix.
Listens and pays attention.
Displays curiosity and asks provocative questions.
Gives the work back to the leaders who will draw on their own strengths.
Increases the self-awareness of leaders -- their blind spots and spiritual gifts.
Communicates hope to leaders and encourages them.

Markers of Vital Congregations

Outputs and Outcomes

Outputs are counted. Outcomes are measured. An outcome is the difference you believe God has called you, or the church, to make. We are an aspirational people. Outcomes give us a point on the horizon that keep us directionally aligned.

Outcomes:

Are Proximate. Going to a barn in the darkness of night, we can only take a few steps at a time, as our flashlight allows. But even in the dark, we know the barn is there, and that step, by step, we will arrive.
Require Discernment. Who are we now? Who is our neighbor now? What is the difference God is calling us to make? These and other questions are essential.
Limited in size. Outcomes are not action steps.
Come first. Start with the ‘why’ and then go back and find the right resources.
Are describable and measurable.