Discerning Leadership Drift
Marcus Junius Brutus was a Roman politician, orator, and the most famous of the assassins of Julius Caesar. March 15, 44 BC, with 60 conspirators made up from the Senate wanted to end the rule of Julius Caesar. They became jealous of his popularity and power, and they did not life his decisions.
“Latin: Et Tu’ Brutus … “You too Brutus!” The final words of Julius Caesar.
Hundreds of years prior to the Death of Caesar King David wrote these words:
“For it is not an enemy who taunts me— then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me— then I could hide from him. 13 But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. 14 We used to take sweet counsel together; within God's house we walked in the throng.” Psalm 55:12-14, ESV
24 “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.” Mark 3:24, NKJV The Negative side of Individuality: Low Emotional Maturity embraces and enforces an individuality that is self-centered and narcisstic in its behaviors attempting to draw attention to self and create an atmosphere using false-humility and the depreciation of one’s own self to make the focus on him and her in such a way that they avoid the authentic need for healthy of disclosure.
Betrayal is a painful and is a common experience with Leaders in the Church.
What fuels these betrayals? Selfishness, power, envy of position, a desire for personal gain.
Three Key Pillars: Our Team Covenant … Our Agreed Upon Mission … A Consistent Spirit of Confession & Repentance
Big Truth: When the enemy takes a run at our church, he won’t do it through those who attend it; He will do it through those who lead it.
What is Leader Drift? Leader drift is the subtle, negative change of an individual’s attitude or behavior toward the leader and or the vision of the local church.
Leaders who become preoccupied with side issues or chase down tangential goals rarely have the time or the energy to fulfill their core mission. These leaders aren't idle, in fact they're probably working harder than everyone else--only they're working on all the wrong things. Pragmatic Tip: Leaders should reassess their core mission on a weekly or monthly basis and make their making progress.
Six Threats to unity, passion, and vision:
• Drifting toward pride
• Drifting toward artificial harmony
• Drifting toward isolation
• Drifting toward a critical spirit
• Drifting toward division
• Drifting toward a gradual shutdown
Here’s how it happens: The enemy will patiently wait and look for an open door in the heart of a leader at the church. He will begin to plant toxic seeds in that leader’s heart. These seeds may be something that the leader is thinking, feeling, or even started to communicate with others. They may look like one of these:
• Thinking that things would be better if they were in charge.
• Serving the vision but merely tolerating the leader
• Questioning the mission of the church
• Creating doubt about the leader’s character
• Starting negative conversations with others
• Slowly withdrawing from the rest of the team
• Showing small signs of disrespect
• Becoming critical of every decision made
• Believing they are more spiritual than the leader.
• Creating an alliance with others who are disillusioned and disgruntled.
The enemy plays the Long Game:
WE bring our emotional issues and baggage. People criticize or give praise in a toxic way. People who have experienced abuse do not know how to give affirmation and praise to others
Big Idea: the enemy will let you hide your deepest issues until you reach your highest level of influence – then he will expose them.
References:
Richardson, R. W. (1996). Creating a Healthier Church: family Systems Theory, Leadership and Congregational Life. Minneapolis, Fortress Press. p 60.
Sonksen, C. (2022). Saving Your Church from Itself: Six Subtle Behaviors that tear teams apart and how to stop them. Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Book Publishing. p 19. Ibid. p 20.
SAMUEL BACHARACH, MCKELVEY-GRANT PROFESSOR, CORNELL UNIVERSITY, Indicators of Leadership Drift, https://www.inc.com/samuel-bacharach/...