In Genesis 1, the Bible gives an account of the creation of mankind, as Yahweh made Adam as a reflection of Himself. Yahweh set Adam apart from all the other creatures by allowing him free-will, or the ability to choose (Gen. 2:15-17), with the intention that mankind would choose to be in a relationship with Yahweh. It is the defining trait of mankind, choice, that governs his entire existence on this earth.
It is the choices a leader makes that determines the degree of influence he enjoys among the people he desires to lead, and that level of influence is directly tied to the degree of success the leader will enjoy (Northouse, 2012). For instance, transformational leadership is based on how a leader engages others to create a connection that raises the level of motivation and morality in themselves as well as their followers (Northouse, 2012). So, what a leader must do is position herself in such a way that such a connection can be made by being the type of leader that attracts others to her to the point where they are willing to follow. A leader does that through making the necessary choices to become such a person.
Within ministry, every congregation is different based on the culture of the location and the demographic that makes up the church body. If a congregation is made up of white-collar, graduate degree educated individuals who embrace a vegan diet and Montessori style education, then the ministry leaders of that church will be challenged if they are high school graduates who do not value healthy lifestyles and believe home-schooling is the best approach to education. Neither is right, however, the leaders’ choices will determine the degree of alignment they have with the congregation, and the level of influence the congregation gives them.
References
Northouse, P. G. (2012). Leadership: theory and practice (6th ed). Thousand Oaks: SAGE.
Field Notes 