Spiritual Life and Leadership

116. Power, Vulnerability, Rest, with Tod Bolsinger, Executive Director of the Church Leadership Institute

Nov 23, 2021

38:01

Send me a text! I’d love to know what you're thinking!

When Jesus told his disciples that "whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave," that was an incredibly counter-cultural statement.

It's unfortunate that the church has often rejected this teaching and, instead, has sought to "lord it over' those around them.

In this episode, Tod Bolsinger and Markus Watson reflect on the themes of power, vulnerability, and rest.

THIS EPISODE'S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

Tod Bolsinger is the Executive Director of Fuller Theological Seminary’s Church Leadership Institute.
Clip #1: Episode 82: Narcissism and Spiritual Leadership, with Chuck DeGroat.
Chuck DeGroat discusses the way the church has often aligned itself with structures of power and have lost the sense of participating in the suffering of Jesus.
One of the great temptations for leaders is believing that power will solve the problem.
Clip #2: Episode 36: The Vulnerable Pastor, with Mandy Smith.
Mandy Smith explores what it means to live in and embrace vulnerability.
Limitation is a ministry resource.
Strength in leadership is forged in vulnerable self-reflection.
Clip #3: Episode 70: The Subversiveness of Sabbath, with AJ Swoboda.
A.J. Swoboda discusses the ways that Sabbath actually helps us be healthier human beings.
The Sabbath is a rhythm that helps us be who we were meant to be.
Leaders need to live in the reality that we are at our best when we embrace our limitations.
We often need to have boundaries against our own people.
Sabbath practice helps us be the kind of leaders who can help our churches experience a foretaste of the new creation.
To become the kind of person who leads out of healthy vulnerability, check out this course taught by Tod Bolsinger: Tempered Resilience for Leading Change