Modeling Healthy Leadership in the Church

Rachel Boehm Van Harmelen
June 2006

Rev. Tim Kuperus and some of his peers in parish ministry are convinced that the corporate world has a thing or two to teach churches about effective leadership. This group of pastors recently formed a peer learning group called Sixteen Lead Changes, with the goal of assessing different leadership styles and deciphering which ones are healthy ones to model in their roles as leaders of local churches.

With the help of books and guest speakers, such as a well-known corporate CEO, Kuperus and his peers looked at various leadership models over the course of their meetings, assessing the values and shortcomings of each. They were especially interested in which models would contribute to the health and well-being of the churches they serve. One model they looked at was the “heroic” model of leadership. “Heroic” leaders are known for their quick decisiveness and go-it-alone problem-solving characteristics. Although heroic leaders are revered in our culture because they perform at high levels, Kuperus and his peers learned that this model, long entrenched in North American culture, is not as popular as it once was, even in the world of business. Other styles, which favour shared leadership, are now becoming more prominent.

Many different styles of leadership are represented within the ranks of the peer learning group itself and this allowed for a healthy exchange of ideas and experiences, says Kuperus. “We have the whole range of leadership experiences. Our group is a place where we can bring case studies and throw issues out in a very confidential setting.”

The Value of Retreats

A highlight of the group’s experience was a retreat held in April 2005. Kuperus recommends the retreat experience to other groups, but he cautions not to plan a retreat too soon in the process. Kuperus is convinced that his group’s retreat was especially effective because the pastors had already been meeting for several months. “Being together for three months before holding our retreat allowed us to break the barriers of unfamiliarity,” Kuperus says. “The retreat brought us to the next level of trust and confidentiality, which only strengthened our bond and made all the rest of our monthly meetings so meaningful.” The group organized a self-directed retreat using books, with each pastor taking a turn facilitating a chapter. “That retreat was probably the highlight for us because it really solidified our group.”