PUBLIC LEADERSHIP LEARN >> SPEAK >> LEAD
BE A VOICE FOR GOOD
PUBLIC LEADERSHIP LEARN >> SPEAK >> LEAD
Are you happy with the state of leadership in our country? Are you happy with the way things are going? Or do you want to see things change? The Evangelical Alliance is passionate about public leadership because this is how things change. We want to see the Church united in its mission, and confident in its voice. We are committed to raising up public leaders to be voices for God and voices for good in our society: we need them locally and nationally.
www.thepublicleader.com
In 2001 Lloyd Cooke heard that his home town of Stoke had been awarded the unenviable title of ‘worst place to live in the country’. But rather than bring about despair, this proved to be the catalyst needed for him to act. Lloyd led Christians in the town to build links with the local authority and other statutory services. Four times a year church and other faith leaders meet with civic representatives to discuss the big issues facing the town and how they can work together. As a result there are now no areas that aren’t the churches’ concern in Stoke.
Stella Mbubaegbu is passionate about leading and being a voice for good – she wants to provide education for those who might not otherwise have the chance. In 2001 she became the first black female principal of a further education institution and has since led Highbury College – which has more than 16,000 students – to become an exemplar in the sector and judged outstanding by Ofsted. Stella notes: “I had to take what I believe God said to me, even when it didn’t make sense. I stuck with it and was watchful of what was going on around. I was clear about what my task was within that and committed to not being diverted.”
We want to bring about a culture change in the UK. We want to see:
Public leaders take responsibility. This could be in politics, the media or business; it could be academia, the arts, education or law. Public leaders use their voice and take responsibility for wherever God has placed them. They bring leadership to situations and speak up where it matters.
Public leaders serve and work for the good of all. They influence through excellence and example, whether or not they hold a formal position or status. It’s about modelling servant leadership. Public leaders work in unity. Working together leads to transformation and takes the Church out of the building, developing a voice to speak for good. Public leadership is about people and not programmes. Change happens when people lead; when people with passion, vision and purpose pursue a dream of how things can and should be.
Why public leadership matters:
The Evangelical Alliance wants the Church in the UK to have a strong culture of public leadership and we are determined to see God’s people become effective voices for good in society. For God and for good in our communities and across the country.
Public leaders speak and act under the authority of God who has placed them in specific areas of public life. It means caring about where God has put us, and stepping up, speaking out and engaging in public life. 1 Corinthians 1:26 says: “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But…” Throughout the Bible we see leaders making a difference, not just in the religious realm but in all areas of life. Daniel was a prime minister, Nehemiah a civil servant, and Deborah a judge, and their examples are followed by Christians throughout history. William Wilberforce and Olaudah Equiano who fought against slavery, Lord Shaftesbury who championed better working conditions, Elizabeth Fry reforming prisons, and William and Catherine Booth fighting against the plight of poverty in London’s East End, as well as countless others working for the good of their communities that history has not remembered. We want to see leaders transforming public life today as they did in the Bible and as they have done down the centuries.
What makes a public leader?
Public leaders serve with compassion. This is not a power-hungry sort of leadership but a form of civic duty driven by compassion. Public leaders take time to listen. They listen to God, asking Him what His hopes and plans are and what He would like changed. They also ask questions about their community to find out what is needed.
Public leaders learn with humility. They know they don’t have all the answers, they listen to others and they learn from people who have gone before them, and from those at the chalk face. Public leaders speak with authority. Public leaders know that they serve under the authority of God and are committed to speaking with that authority, knowing that there are no areas of society God is not interested in. Public leaders act with responsibility. Public leaders refuse to give in to the idea that it is someone else’s problem. When they see communities in crisis, or neighbours in need, they do something. They act when others might walk away. Public leaders act with integrity. This does not mean they will never make mistakes, but when they do they say sorry and act with authenticity.
Ann-Marie Wilson had been a successful HR professional and ran her own psychology and counselling business but gave it all up to become a global advocate against female genital mutilation. Her path was set after meeting an 11-year-old year girl in Sudan who had been cut and raped as militia rampaged through her village.
Michelle Swallow grew up in Bradford and chose to move back. Since doing so she’s got involved in the local area and the community through the church and helps at the local foodbank as well as working for Christians Against Poverty.
“That moment changed everything,” she says. “This was my Esther moment. ‘What if you have brought me to this place for such a time as this?’”
On the back of that experience she decided to run for the local council and, following a lot of hard work, was elected. Despite a perpendicular learning curve, and navigating a host of fresh challenges, Michelle has seen what a difference she can make as a local elected representative.
Now the face behind 28 Too Many, she is at the forefront of a massive global issue – one which has increasingly gained publicity following the announcement of the first prosecutions against FGM in the UK in 2014.
Where do you start?
Find your place: Public leaders know where God has put them and where He is calling them. They are passionate about the place or the vocation they are in and are committed to seeing it flourish.
If you don’t know your place, look around you. What’s happening? What’s not happening that should be happening? What are the things you’re passionate about, what are the things that excite and motivate you? Where are you now? Find your purpose: There are lots of things that need to change, as well as some things that should remain the same. Public leaders look to history and see how Christians have brought about change in the past. They look to the present and see Christians leading in the UK and beyond. And they look to the future. They are committed to being part of the ongoing multi-generational work that is needed beyond their own lifetime.
What do you do next?
Work hard: Public leaders know it is worth pursuing excellence. That it’s worth taking the time to get experience, get trained and to become familiar with the environment they are working in. They work out what they need to learn from established public leaders and others who have gone before them.
Speak out: Public leaders become a ‘go-to’ voice. When something needs saying they step up to the microphone. They have earned the right to speak and to be heard because they have demonstrated their commitment and established their credibility. They speak up in the Church and in their community, but they also speak beyond it. Take responsibility: If you were in a lift and it broke down, would you be the person to take responsibility, calm people down and find a way to get out? Public leaders take decisions and take responsibility – where can you take responsibility and develop your leadership? Inspire vision and action: Public leaders see things differently. Their faith and hope inspires them to see new possibilities and a different future. They are not just reacting to the world as it changes around them, they are cultivating culture, creating new things and leading change.
What can churches do?
See the need: We have a crisis of leadership in our country. Politicians are not trusted, journalists are not believed, and bankers are bashed. In virtually every sphere of public life authority is being undermined by poor leadership. What we need are better leaders.
Understand the call: Public leaders are committed to where God has placed them. Public leadership is a key part of mission: it is about the people of God going to the places where they are called and needed. How can the Church better support those whose lives in public leadership don’t fit the weekly Church schedule? Train: Churches provide an ideal training ground. They can bring public leaders together, they can help them learn from each other and they can train them to make the most of their opportunities. Release: When church leaders see people in their congregations with entrepreneurial gifts for leadership in public life, they should recognise this valuable God-given ministry and release these people to lead outside of the church walls. Churches need advocates in and for the communities in which they are located. Support: The Church is vital to the support and development of public leadership; this is not a thing to be done alone. Public leaders need a community around them – practical and prayerful support from a church that understands their calling and encourages them to become a voice for good.
When he’s not at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Liverpool, the Reverend Allan Finnegan can be found preaching to a less conventional audience as a stand-up comedian. Following a course at a local comedy trust some years ago Allan not only learnt to cut the waffle from his preaching and add a pinch of humour to his homilies, but also discovered a gift for stand-up. He is now regularly doing comedy gigs across the north-west and weaving material about his day job into his routine. Allan is now a regular on BBC Merseyside, has been featured in the local press and spoken at a comedy festival about religion and comedy.
As MP for Congleton Fiona Bruce has pressed for action in key areas including the recognition of marriage in the tax system and the regulation of gambling advertising. She has also regularly spoken up for international religious freedom, particular in North Korea. Before becoming an MP Fiona built her own firm of solicitors from scratch and employed 30 people. Her journey into parliament involved gaining experience on Warrington Borough Council, and standing unsuccessfully for election in 2005.
How can we help? The Evangelical Alliance is committed to growing a culture of public leadership across the Church in the UK. We want to train and equip Christians to take responsibility where God has placed them and bring leadership in all areas of public life. We want to work with churches to provide bespoke training for your congregation or for groups of churches, and we are available to speak about the need for public leadership and the opportunities for Christians to respond. Please get in touch if you’d like us to provide a training day or want one of our speakers to take part in your event. By sharing the stories of public leaders making a difference in a wide range of environments we can encourage more Christians to take the opportunities for leadership they encounter. Our web page www.thepublicleader.com/stories is just one place we are sharing these stories. We want to hear your stories of leaders in local communities, whether working in education, the legal system, speaking out in the media or standing up in the political arena. Contact d.webster@eauk.org to share your stories.
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; Not many were influential; Not many were of noble birth. But… 1 Corinthians 1:26
PUBLIC LEADERSHIP
www.thepublicleader.com
Public Leadership is an initiative of the Evangelical Alliance © 2015