Church leaders gather to explore leadership model

A hundred and thirty leaders of Richmond's First Baptist Church gathered Saturday morning, February 12 to spend three hours exploring a leadership model for the congregation. The "Leadership Forum" took place at the Virginia Baptist Resource Center in Richmond. It was facilitated by Dr. Bob Dale, Assistant Executive Director of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board and Director of the Ray and Ann Spence Network for Congregational Leadership.

The forum was sponsored by the Member Equipping Team. It was an early step in a leadership development process for the church.

Current and emerging leaders of the congregation focused on a three-part model presented by Dr. Dale entitled, "What Leaders Do." The three parts are connecting, centering, and challenging.

Congregational leadership has changed in recent decades, according to Dr. Dale. It has evolved from the Industrial Revolution theory of the leader representing a "Great Man" and based on charisma, beyond the Information Era's "Trait" theory of leadership based on the leader's characteristics, to a theory which he calls "Organic" and is based on the ever-changing nature of communities.

Participants spent much of the morning in small groups, discussing the concepts that were presented by Dr. Dale. They also heard from three FBC leaders, who talked about their experiences of connecting, centering and challenging. Jim Norvelle described the ways he connects with people when he first meets them. Rachael Cobb talked about the ways in which she centers her life based on lessons she learned early in life in the midst of a small Christian community. Bev Carroll listed some of the people who have been influential in presenting challenges for her to grow and develop as a leader.

At the end of the morning, Associate Pastor for Christian Formation Steve Booth asked participants to provide feedback to the Member Equipping Team and to consider what methodologies and next steps should be included in the church's leadership development process. (photo by Susan Brown)