What's buzzing?
Training in Maputo, Mozambique
The main thing that’s buzzing around here at Mobilise Global is our new material, “Heart of a Leader”. We interviewed Colin, the author, to find out why he invested so much time writing this, and getting it translated. Why does he think it’s so important?
“I consider it almost as important as good theology, honestly. The cultural models of leadership here seem so different to the biblical vision of leadership, so this is my attempt to help. The way leadership has been practised traditionally here - let’s call it “the chief system” means that there’s one guy who is the head of the clan. The culture of honour in this part of the world means you don’t question that leadership, you don’t challenge that leadership, and you don’t even aspire to leadership if somebody is already is in place leading.
As with our own country, cultural expectations find their way into the church. So in Africa the majority of churches are lead by one guy and it’s very clear to everybody who that guy is, what his vision is and that everybody else is there to hopefully catch something of the anointing that’s upon that person. And through that person you get your own anointing!
A lot of the African traditional religions are based around the “one guy” pattern - the sangoma/ traditional healer/ witch doctor who can tell you what’s going on in your family, tell you why you’ve got all your problems, and tell you what to do about it.
That’s a cultural model that the church has adopted: the Man of God tells you everything, and you’re there just to support him and serve his vision. Whereas the biblical vision is that leaders serve people, help people to flourish and look to multiply leadership. This is exactly what Jesus did!
OK, and what about the UK? In what way are you hoping this material will be useful there?
“I think it’s useful for more established leaders to have a framework for raising up new leaders, starting with their own lives. A lot of the leadership journey is about the heart. So we’re trying to help younger christians to grow in their own faith, and go on their own journey with God. It’s about learning to lead yourself and ask questions like, ‘What’s going on in my life? How am I growing up in my own faith? How can I help others?’ I think that as we embrace our own journeys we are more able to help others.”
You can download the “Heart of a Leader” here free of charge. We hope it is a blessing to you. It has been translated into Portugese, and we’ve given it a first run in Mozambique. Portuguese could potentially open up Angola, Brazil, Guinea Bissau, Goa and many more countries. The Nichols met in Brazil and saw there was a similar mentality about the leadership ‘Man of God’ there, but apart from that we don’t really know much about these places at all. We will see what the Lord chooses to do…
A three day course to understand biblical principles of Christian leadership, along with practical wisdom for growing as a disciple and as a leader who can care for others and help them grow to maturity in God. Available in English and Portuguese.
• The heart of a leader - English
• The heart of a leader - Portuguese