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Leadership Functions & Spiritual Gifts

by BryanMay 17, 20072 min read

I ran across this from Dr. Paul Ford, a consultant with ChurchSmart Resources, the US partner for Natural Church Development (recommended for evaluating church health). Ford sees leadership within the church as a “series of functions carried out by a group of people, not just a job filled by only one person.” This perspective places a high priority on spiritual gifts, a key dimension of the shared life of the church. Leadership is more about the shared process of being the Body and each person has a contribution to that process, some, perhaps, more than others, but a contribution, nonetheless. Dr. Ford offers five different categories of leadership functions tied to spiritual gifts and team style. Rick Warren’s SHAPE model for spiritual gifts is a helpful lens to add to the discussion (Spiritual gifts, Heartbeat, Abilities, Passion, Experiences). Ford’s five categories are:

  • Values Keeper – helps keep group focused and on track
  • Team Builder – builds partnerships and strengthens relationships
  • Active Listener – listens for burdens, passions, ideas
  • Vision Sharer – communicates vision clearly to the group and beyond
  • Equipping Releaser – prepares and releases others to fulfill their roles

What might your church board, committees, or volunteer ministry team look like if you thought in terms of the different leadership functions each person contributes?

What unique role does a pastor play when leading a group of leaders who work like this?

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