prague 24. august 2007 baptist union of denmark reflections on the challenges of congregational...

Baptist Union of Denmark Prague 24. August 2007

Reflections on the Challenges of Congregational Leadership in Danish and Scandinavian Context


What am I doing?

Am I really a leader? Or …


An Emerging church needs a new kind of leadership

Innovation? Health? Growth? -- Leadership is the key!


Dying Church – Lack of leadership!?

good


Churches and members

1920 30 churches 5500 members1940 36 churches 6500 members1960 40 churches 75007500

members1980 42 churches 6000 members2002 48 churches 5000 members2007 - I’ll show you later


Before (1930-1965):

Leadership as a rewardThe pastor is ‘the king’Authoritarian leadershipMoralismDiscipleship = respectable

And… the church was growing

The reaction (1965-2000):

- Everyone’s a leader - The pastor is ‘nothing’- democratic leadership- Everything’s allowed- Discipleship = Sunday hobby

And… the church was declining

Who we where


From a mission movement a mission movement to a’Lutheran state church ’Lutheran state church Wannabee…!’Wannabee…!’

And so we got it: - State recognition- State recognition- civil registration- civil registration- ’real’ pastors- ’real’ pastors- big organization- big organization- big church buildings- big church buildings


Baptist identity in Scandinavia / Denmark: Believers baptism and democracy (only!)


Baptist identity i Scandinavia:

Believers baptism democracy

Focus on:Membership –not discipleshipOrdination – not servingLiturgy – not freedom

Focus on:Structure – not fellowship

Demo-crazy: - Everyone can saywhat he wantseverywhereabout all issue in the way he wants!- Decision-making = voting!


Risk of split 1990-2000• Summer camp (charismatic) in competition

with our annual meetings. • No one attended our seminary.• Membership - rapidly declining.• Many churches started their our projects. • Less (financial) support to the Union. • In fact: It was a necessary crisesIt was a necessary crises –

a wake up call from God: ‘Do you really want to be a church, or…?’


The decade 1990-2000 was a time of reflection and decisions

Conclusions:- New inspiration - We become more mission oriented- young leaders- decisions about big changes: - Structure - Education - Mission consultants - Annual meeting


StructureBefore: 15 hours business meeting at ourannual meeting elected a committee with15 persons. Now: 5 hours business meeting at ourMission conference elects a committee with 5 persons. And twice a year one delegate from each church is invited to a talk-and-decide

meeting


Scandinavian Academy of Leadership and Theology

From a Baptist seminary with one student to a inter denominational Scandinavian education of mission workers and leaders.30 students in Denmark, 150 in Scandinavia


Mission Consultants 1998 -


Mission conference


Mission conferenceFrom a 3 days annual meetings (business meeting) with 400 attendances to a 6 days festival with more than 1200 attendances (500 under the ages of 25)

2000: 1400 attendances2001: 1100 -2002: 1200 -2003: 1300 -2004: 1200 -2005: 1300 -2006: 1500 -2007: 1300 -


New Changes after 2000• New International Mission: From

150.000 Euros in 2002 to 1.000.000 Euros in 2007.

• New magazine 2005: From internal information's with debate to an external witness about faith and church life.

• Care for pastors: Since 2003 a team and a part time counselor.

• Integration: Since 2004 a ‘Church Integration Service’


Churches and members

1920 30 churches 5500 members1940 36 churches 6500 members1960 40 churches 75007500

members1980 42 churches 6000 members2002 48 churches 5000 members2007 50 50 churches 5260 members


What have we learned about leadership?• Good Leadership IS the key to changes

in the church (both local and national)• Good leadership needs: Education,

training, wisdom and courage!• Don’t be afraid of new management ideas

and organizations theories – Everything they know they learned in the church!


New leadership – new principle we use:• Value based leadership

• Visionary leadership

• Transformational leadership

• Enabling leadership

• Delegating leadership

• Communicative leadership

• Team leadership

• Servant leadership

• Brave leadership

• Praying leadership

• Inspiring leadership

• Democratic leadership

• Visible leadership


We need We need leaders leaders who can tell who can tell the truth the truth and not only and not only the thingsthe thingswe want we want to hear!to hear!


Agent Johnny English:

’He knows no fearHe knows no dangerHe Knows Nothing!’

We need We need wise and brave wise and brave leaders!leaders!


’I'm their leader, I have to follow them!’

We need leaders who dare to lead!We need leaders who dare to lead!


’We are all leaders!’

We need leaders who gets We need leaders who gets the permission to leadthe permission to lead


The new kind of leadership is to

The new kind of leadership is to often about so called strong leaders!

often about so called strong leaders!


We want leaders We want leaders who looks like our selveswho looks like our selves


We only wants to We only wants to be leaders be leaders together with together with people who are people who are just like just like ourselvesourselves


Challenge:Challenge: The treat from Mordor”You will unite or you will fall”

Vision:Vision: The Ring has to be destroyed, thrown in the flames from where is came

The Mission:The Mission: One shall do it! But he can’t do it without the others – Fellowship Of The Ring

Team based leadershipTeam based leadership


Another famous team


A team with many skills and gifts


Jesus gathered a team of 12 disciples


US President: Arnold Schwarzenegger

’’I was elected to lead,I was elected to lead, not to read!’not to read!’


So what have we learned?

We know more about the Bible and the Anabaptists - and we want to learn more.

We know more about the culture in which we live, and the people whom we serve – and we want to learn more.


Forwards to The Roots


Christ centeredReligious freedomMissionFellowship of believersBelievers Baptism


The challenge and trends now• More flexible and relevant structures• Encourages young people…• Help churches to be healthy • Be aware of interdependency• New mission projects – together• New ecumenical experiences (unite churches)

• Future leadership is coaching and mentoring

• More… … …

prague 24. august 2007 baptist union of denmark reflections on the challenges of congregational...

Documents