Friday, August 07, 2015

GLS15, Session 7A, Sam Adeyemi – Destroying the power gap

Deprivation creates insecurity. It can lead to pursuit of personal material security and external success. 

When God asks a question it's not because he doesn't know the answer. It's often to confront problems in our thinking. 

Even in Christian ministry the goal of leaders is often personal success - me. Christ's object of leadership was success of his followers. 

Leadership is about positive transformation of those who follow. The promise that leaders make to their followers should be this.

Secular leadership gravitate toward hierarchical power structures. It should not be so  with Christ's followers. Power distance leaves followers worth low self-esteem and fear of challenging the leader. There is less initiative-taking on the part of followers. 

Jesus crushed the power gap between men and women, adults and children, leaders and their followers. 

Jesus confronted power structures of his day. Leaders today should be confronting harmful power structures in our world. Jesus gave power away. Jesus' power structure is not about amassing it, but giving it away. It is not about creating distance between those with power and those who do not have, but fully empowering all. 

Leaders can't grow their organizations. Leaders can only help transform those who follow them. Those who follow have the power to generate growth. 

Jesus overturned the power structures of the world. 

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