Week Three

Part 3: In a changing world... What kind of leader?

Read 1 Samuel 16: 1-13

There’s seven interviewees. Seven on the ballot. Seven on the shortlist. Seven to choose from.

Except there isn’t. There’s eight.

How often do we stop and look for the eighth, or eighty-eighth candidate? The person who isn’t even in the running, who hasn’t been put forward, but is, despite appearances, exactly the right person for the job?

When it comes to leadership how do we balance the importance of experience and qualifications with the fact that the right person for the position might be someone who is outside the box — someone we aren’t even paying attention to or noticing? And how do we best seek God’s wisdom in making these decisions?

Read Psalm 20

Verse seven in the NRSVA translation is “Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses, / but our pride is in the name of the Lord our God.” In the NIVUK translation is is: “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, / but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

What are the things that our leaders today take pride in? Or put their trust in?

Read Mark 4: 26-29

When we think about the word 'kingdom’ we tend to associate it with borders and territories — a kingdom is a fixed area that we can draw on a map. But this tiny three verse parable describes a kingdom that is scattered and quietly growing and flourishing all the time even when we aren’t paying attention. It’s mysterious and hard to quantify.

We humans love drawing lines, setting boundaries and making plans. How can we lead our lives and churches and communities in such a way that we are more open to the mysterious, generous, uncanny ways of God? Ways that often surprise us.