Introduction

As a runner, I have an affection for passages in the Bible that talk about running. For example, Paul writes “Run in such a way that you may win the prize.”¹

My favorite is from Habakkuk, “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it.”² I think I like it because it captures 2 of my passions—leadership and running.

I count myself blessed to serve in the Southern Ohio Synod and to serve with Bishop Suzanne Darcy Dillahunt. Bishop Darcy Dillahunt is a mission oriented and strategic minded leader.

The vision and mission for the Southern Ohio Synod is “Stronger and Better Together: Joining Jesus in the Restoration of the World.” There are powerful actions inspired by the vision and mission. The resulting actions are:

• • Cultivate
  • Collaborate
  • Clarify

As we strive for collaboration, we are looking at how rostered leaders, lay leaders, lay people, ministries, and congregations can work together for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Why Collaboration?
Sculling is a better example for congregational ministry than tug-of-war.

As we focus on Leadership Development in our synod, we want to see leadership as that which is shaped by collaborative and distributive ministry leadership principles.

Why is this important? Applying collaborative and distributive leadership principles:

• Increase trust in a congregation;
• Increase organizational health;
• Positively affects team performance; and, 
• Build support systems and reduce leader—especially pastor—burnout.³

 

Deacon Dr. Diane Schwiger-Alexander—a rostered leader of the Southern Ohio Synod and a staff member of Christ Lutheran Church in Bexley–completed her doctoral dissertation in March of 2024. In the dissertation, Dn. Dr. Schwiger-Alexander examines “leadership characteristics that result in collaboration and distributive ministry.”⁴

She writes, “Pastoral leaders serving in congregational settings face an extensive to-do list of responsibilities, lack training in sharing ministry responsibilities, and are experiencing increasing levels of burnout…and consider leaving ministry.”⁵

What is the solution? Dn. Dr. Schwiger-Alexander recommends that we adopt collaborative and distributive ministry leadership principles.⁶ “Research shows that collaborative and distributive leadership principles, when adopted, build supportive teams and reduce pastoral leader burnout.” Therefore, there is a “need for pastoral leaders to engage in collaborative and distributive ministry to share in the burdens and responsibilities of congregational leadership.”⁷

 

Teamwork
Leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand.⁸

From 2nd grade on, my son was involved in athletics. He has tried baseball, soccer, football, and basketball. As a college student, he plays baseball for his school. As I am not talented in any of these sports, I have had to trust on my son’s coaches to teach, challenge, affirm, and encourage him. Some of his coaches have excelled at this. Others…well… not so much. There were coaches who not doubt were brilliant in their sport, but had no capacity to relate to the team. As a result, the team struggled.

The same is true for leaders in congregations. If a person does not perceive that you treasure them and value them, that person is not going to rise to the occasion, and there will be limited teamwork.

How does one experience a sense of teamwork? Relationship building, valuing everyone’s input and opinions, and encouraging participation create the possibility for teamwork. In her study, Dn. Dr. Schwiger-Alexander identified these ways of building relationships, valuing another’s input, and encouraging participation:

• Taking time to listen to one another’s viewpoints and value input, seek consensus
• Open communication through regular meetings and emails
• Empowering and encouraging participation
• Collaborative dialogue, truth-telling, valuing all opinions and voices
• Sharing leadership, working collaboratively share decision-making
• Fostering personal relationships, respect
• Supporting one another, acknowledging life struggles, celebrations, recognition
• Commitment to mission⁹

 

Essential Characteristics
People buy into the leader, then the vision.

Recently my wife and I took a cruise on the Danube River to celebrate our 30th anniversary. Because river cruise ships are smaller, there is much more interaction between passengers and crew. I enjoyed getting to know the ship’s captain and watch how he led.

I saw the captain do 2 things that demonstrated his preferred style of leadership. First, a couple arrived at the ship late. As they were checking in, the captain walked by. He paused, picked up their luggage, and took it to their room. A day later, there was a “bucket brigade” approach to loading supplies onto the ship from the dock. The captain was in the line passing boxes of supplies. His willingness to serve impressed me.

I wondered. “Is his leadership style contagious with the rest of the crew?” The short answer is yes. The day we disembarked from the ship, we had to leave at 3:30 in the morning. The crew member that was up, serving us coffee and muffins, making sure we got on the bus, and making sure that our luggage was on the bus was the head chef. Yes, the Captain’s leadership style was contagious.

What are the leadership characteristics essential to an environment of collaboration? From her research, Dn. Dr. Schwiger-Alexander identified the following characteristics:

• From pastoral leaders: authenticity, transparence, vision
• From council members: trust, communication, flexibility
• Other leadership characteristics: integrity, adaptability, humility, curiosity, patience, empowerment, gratitude, respect, active listening¹⁰

 

The Work of Lay People
The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

Ask a congregation about what their church looked like during a certain decade, and most likely they will tell you about the pastor during that time. They would be less inclined to speak of the ministry happening during that time.

Lay people are the continuous presence in a congregation from generation to generation. As a parish pastor, I would keep myself humble by reminding myself that the congregation existed prior to my arrival and will continue after my departure.

The lay people of congregations have served important roles in the life of our congregations in the past decades, however, the work of the laity is of paramount importance in the well-being of the congregation in this decade.

Dn. Dr. Schwiger-Alexander asked this question in her dissertation. “How can lay leaders assist pastoral leaders in meeting the demands of ministry?”

She goes on to write, “Lay leaders are essential to 21st -century ministry.”¹¹ This assistance considers both task-oriented work and relationship-oriented work. In other words, the work of the laity serves both the function of getting tasks done and the function of building relationships within the congregation.

 

Task Orientations12	Relational Orientations
Mission & Outreach Ministry	Accountability
Pastoral care/Visitation Ministry	Creative Thinking/Alternative Perspectives
Plan and Lead Ministries	Diversity of Thinking
Small Group Leaders	Fellow Worker/Priesthood of Believers
Work with Technology	Professional Skills/Gifts
Worship Assistance Preaching	Supportive

 

Full Engagement of Pastor and People Is Biblical
Pastors are at their best when surrounded by Jethros.

I think this story about Moses and his father-in-law, Jethro, captures the call to collaboration between pastors and lay people.

“The next day Moses sat as judge for the people, while the people stood around him from morning until evening. When Moses’ father-in- law, Jethro, saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?” Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. When they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make known to them the statutes and instructions of God.” Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. You will surely wear yourself out, both you and these people with you. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. Now listen to me. I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You should represent the people before God, and you should bring their cases before God; teach them the statutes and instructions and make known to them the way they are to go and the things they are to do. You should also look for able men among all the people, men who fear God, are trustworthy, and hate dishonest gain; set such men over them as officers over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Let them sit as judges for the people at all times; let them bring every important case to you, but decide every minor case themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will go to their home in peace.” So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did all that he had said.”¹³

It is within the very nature of the faith community to engage mutually in the tasks of ministry within a congregation while honoring specific calls to which certain people have been set apart.

The faith community is at its strongest and best when all people collaborate in the mission and work of the congregation.

 

Next Month’s Blog

In next month’s blog, I will continue to reflect upon collaborative leadership, share more of Dn. Dr. Schwiger-Alexander’s dissertation, and look at 2 questions she asks in her dissertation:

• What best practices can be created for pastoral leaders to engage in team ministry and share ministry responsibilities with members to reduce burnout?¹⁴
• How does one move from a pastor centered model to collaborative and distributive ministry leadership principles?

 

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Endnotes:

¹ 1 Corinthians 9:24b.
² Habakkuk 2:2.
³ Schwiger-Alexander, Diane. “Mixed Method Study to Examine Leadership Characteristics that Result in Collaboration and Distributive Ministry with Team Engagement: Evidence-Based Solutions for Pastor Leaders to Navigate the Responsibilities of 21st Century Congregational Ministry to Lessen Burnout,” March 2024, page 39.
⁴ Ibid., cover.
⁵ Ibid., 70.
⁶ Ibid., 40.
⁷ Ibid., 87.
⁸ John Maxwell, “The Law of Connectivity.”
⁹ Schwiger-Alexander, 83.
¹⁰ Ibid., 84.
¹¹ Ibid., 86.
¹² Ibid.
¹³ Exodus 18:13-24.
¹⁴ Schwiger-Alexander, 70.