Leading Beyond the Walls: It's All About People
News
By Laura BlevinsRev. Adam Hamilton began his first session of “Leading Beyond the Walls” with the Missouri Annual Conference Saturday afternoon by helping clergy and laity understand how important it is for leaders to “know what they do and why.”
According to Rev. Hamilton leaders set the tone of the organization; clarify and champion the mission and vision; hold the organization accountable to accomplish the mission; and are responsible for preparing the organization for the future by leading change.
Hamilton encouraged the leaders of the Missouri Annual Conference to take some of these principles back to their own churches. He emphasized the need for leaders to seek out and listen to feed back from their congregations. Even if the feed back is difficult to hear, it is needed for each leader to be successful.
“One of the things that leaders don’t do, is give up. Leadership is hard, and if you are a leader everyone has a way of doing it better, but the truth is, you need to hear some of that stuff,” said Hamilton.
Hamilton also spoke to the pastors who may be struggling in their current setting. He advised that all leaders create a situation where they can learn and not be defensive. He also reminded laity to support their pastors by cheering them on when something good happens.
Hamilton urged pastors and laity alike to discern what needs to be done in their setting to make the change to do more to become the body of Christ.
“Successful churches/pastors/leaders, are willing to do what unsuccessful churches/pastors/leaders are unwilling to do,” said Hamilton.