The Search for Authenticity

I am currently reading a lot of material on the search for the authentic self in leadership. But I remain convinced that the authentic/real self is "hidden" in Christ. We find our deepest ground of being in our relationship with our Creator.

Thomas Merton, who wrote volumes on this subject, gives some good insights:

"Every one is shadowed by an illusory person: a false self. This is the man that I want to be but who cannot exist, because God does not know anything about him. An to be unknown of God is altogether too much privacy."

Source: Merton, T (1962). New Seeds of Contemplation. New York: New Directions.

Turning Leadership Ego on its Head

Leadership often draws individuals with narcissistic and pride-filled attitudes. How do leaders cultivate humility? More than 1400 years ago St. Benedict of Nursia defined a progressive twelve steps of humility in his famous rule, that sets the tone for redemptive organizations and leadership humility. The twelve steps can be summarized in the following ways (Galbraith and Gailbraith, 2004:121-122):

1. Revere the Simple Rules


2. Reject your Personal Desires


3. Obey Others


4. Endure Affliction


5. Confess Your Weaknesses


6. Practice Contentment


7. Learn Self Reproach


8. Obey the Common Rule


9. Understand that Silence is Golden


10. Meditate on Humility


11. Speak Simply


12. Act Humbly In Appearance

"Brethren, the Holy Scripture cries to us saying: 'Every one that exalts himself shall be humbled; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.' The first degree of humility, then, is that a man always have the fear of God before his eyes shunning all forgetfulness and that he be ever mindful of all that God hath commanded…". - St. Benedict of Nursia

Source: Galbraith, C. S. and Galbraith, O. (2004). “The Benedictine Rule of Leadership”. Avon: Avons Media.

Prayer 12 from the writings of St. Catherine of Sienna

In your nature,
eternal Godhead,
I shall come to know my nature.
And what is my nature, boundless love?
It is fire,
because you are nothing but a fire of love.
And you have given humankind
a share in this nature,
for by the fire of love
you created us.
And so with all other people
and every created thing;
you made them out of love.
O ungrateful people!
What nature has your God given you?
His very own nature!
Are you not ashamed to cut yourself off from such a noble thing
through the guilt of deadly sin?
O eternal Trinity,
my sweet love!
You, light,
give us light.
You, wisdom,
give us wisdom.
You, supreme strength,
strengthen us.
Today, eternal God,
let our cloud be dissipated
so that we may perfectly know and follow your Truth
in truth,
with a free and simple heart.
God, come to our assistance!
Lord, make haste to help us!
Amen.

Taken from The Prayers of Catherine of Siena. 2nd edition. Suzanne Noffke, OP, translator and editor. (San Jose.: Authors Choice Press, 2001)

Two Papers Accepted for ILA Conference

I received a notice that two of my presentation proposals have been accepted for the International Leadership Association's International Conference, taking place this November in Los Angeles.

Here are the descriptions of the two presentations:

Towards an Indigenous, Values-based Leadership Approach in Southern Africa

Description: Recent studies have highlighted the desperate need for indigenous, innovative, values-based leadership approaches in Southern Africa. This new, emerging, post-industrial paradigm of leadership has helped South Africans to start to think of leadership as something that is done in community instead of the acts of one privileged individual.

Abstract: The South African Nguni word ubuntu, from the aphorism; “Umuntu Ngumuntu Ngabantu – A person is a person because/through others”; can be described as the capacity in African culture to express compassion, reciprocity, solidarity, dignity, humanity and mutuality in the interest of building and maintaining communities with justice and mutual caring. More than a descriptor of African values, ubuntu should be seen as a social philosophy and a spirituality that is deeply embedded in African culture and can thus be describes as the primary foundation of a South African religious worldview. Even though ubuntu finds its semantic origins in Southern Africa the concept is endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Southern African social practice of affective community, as in ubuntu, is not a concept that is easily distilled by methodological scrutiny. Superficial and expedient adoption of the construct by corporate South Africa has not helped to foster a deeper appreciation of its inherent values of interconnectedness, foundational humanity and responsibility to all. A correct way of thinking about ubuntu is to consider it as a basic approach to Southern African spirituality that is manifested in mutuality, solidarity with all and communal enterprise. It is part of the very fabric of indigenous Southern African spiritual and intellectual identity.

Ubuntu, seen in the spirit of participatory humanism, has the power to effect a revitalized commitment in South Africans in the reconstruction of organizations marked by integrity and mutuality. Leaders with the inherent values of ubuntu, as it might relate to business, have been described as, (a) people-centered, (b) humble, (c) ready to enter into dialogue, (d) caring, (e) polite, (f) tolerant, (g) considerate, (h) hospitable and (i) as having an attitude of mutual acceptance or mutuality, amongst other descriptors. An ubuntu–inspired approach to leadership sees community rather that self-determination as the essential aspect of personhood. Thus the accomplishments of the individual (leader) are the accomplishments of the community (organization). South African leaders inspired by ubuntu see their inclusive approach to leadership and business as part of their larger quest for identity. It is in reference to the community that an African person is defined. The South African Venda saying, “Muthu u bebelwa munwe – A person is born for the other”, captures the spirit of this approach of interdependence between self and community. This is more than mere interdependence, the identity of the “self” is defined in finding the “other” in community. It is in locating, entering into honest dialogue and takes steps to relocate the “self” in mutuality with the “other” that the “self” is enriched, formed and defined. This relocation of the “self” in mutuality with the “others” is more than just social, it includes economic and familial decisions.

The value and practice of mutuality in ubuntu is defined paradoxically by the differences found in the “other”. Accommodation and respect for the differences in the “other” flow from a recognition of the common humanity of the “self” and the “other” that in turns facilitates an interior transformation that allows for the radical decisions of mutuality that some South Africans business leaders have made.

The spirituality of mutuality in ubuntu, as it has influenced South African business leaders, allows for the breaking down of the superficial and artificial barriers between the individuals in the community and allows them to see the “other”, discover their mutual humanity and in doing so foster the construction of a caring community that allows for the respectful tolerance of social, cultural, economic and philosophical differences.

The Turn to Spirituality and Historic Understandings of Spiritual Leadership

Description: Contemporary research in spirituality, characterized by multi-disciplinary, post-patriarchal, telluric and post-structuralist approaches, locates the phenomena of “spirit” in the ontology of values (Kourie, 2006). Thus defined, spirituality is seen as the “ultimate” or “inner” values that provide meaning in life. This broad, defining approach provides a platform for scholars to examine a wide variety of spiritualities, ranging from religious to secular orientations. This trend in spirituality research is thus not limited to religious contexts and has also been observed in the fields of business, commerce and lately in organizational leadership studies (Winston, 2007). Current approaches in spirituality research advocate a “dialogical-phenomenological” research approach making use of the analytical, hermeneutic, mystagogic, form-descriptive, and systematic tools of theology, sociology and psychology (Kourie, 2006). This is a rich ground to explore the spiritualities that could motivate, energize and sustain the possibility of alternative, current, and sustainable models of spiritual leadership.

Abstract: Current phenomenological investigations in spirituality research distinguish three basic forms of spirituality (Waaijman, 2006): a) established schools of spirituality, (b) primordial spiritualities, and (c) counter-spirituality. Descriptions of established schools of spirituality (Waaijman, 2002) describe movements that have its origin in specific historical and socio-cultural settings that over time give rise to discernable schools or ways of the “spirit”. Research of these established schools/ways are marked by investigations of the source-experience, the formation of pedagogical systems, the socio-historical context, the emergence of a value system, the formation of the consistent whole and accessibility of others to the school/way. Primordial spirituality (Waaijman, 2002) attempts to locate spiritualities that are not closely connected with any school or way, but imbedded in ordinary human experiences such as birth, marriage, having children, experiencing death and suffering. Investigations in primordial spiritualities center around descriptions of everyday spirituality developed in the context of community, forms of indigenous spiritualities and aspects of secular spirituality. Counter movements in spirituality (Waaijman, 2002) describe approaches that offer alternate solutions to existing social and religious power structures and the research in these fields follows descriptions of systems of liminality, inferiority and marginality.

This proposal makes use of Waaijman’s (2006) matrix for defining spirituality to explore and discuss examples of spiritualities that include leadership as part of its “inner” values. The discussions are not comprehensive of the phenomena, but limited in example and brief in overview, with the intention to illustrate the link between the current turn to spirituality and the emerging field of spiritual leadership studies. Two established schools of spirituality, as it relates to spiritual leadership, are discussed: the asceticism of early Egyptian monasticism and the kenotic mysticism of St. Francis of Assisi. In exploring primordial spiritualities, the example of the participatory mutuality of the South African philosophy of ubuntu is explored. Finally one example of a counter-movement in spirituality and the implications for an understanding of spiritual leadership is presented: the witness of the Puritan and Quaker Christian traditions.

The presentation concludes with an overview and critique on past theories and models of Spiritual leadership.

Proposal References:
Kourie, C.E.T. (2006). The “Turn” to Spirituality. Acta Theologica Supplementum 8, 19-38.

Waaijman, K. (2002). Spirituality: Forms, Foundations, Methods. Leuven: Peeters.

Winston, B.E. (2007). Spirituality at workplace: Changing Management Paradigm, in Sing-Sengupta, S. and Fields, D. Integrating Spirituality and Organizational Leadership. Delhi: Macmillan.

Merton on Silence

It has been a while since I have posted something from my morning readings from the writings and journals of Thomas Merton. This morning reading is on the nature of silence. Leaders often love the sound of their voices. May we learn the wisdom and power of silence.

"Those who love their own noise are impatient of everything else. They constantly defile the silence of the forests and the mountains and the sea. They bore through silent nature in every direction with their machines, for fear that the calm world might accuse them of their own emptiness. The urgency of their swift movement seems to ignore the tranquility of nature by pretending to have a purpose. The loud plane seems for a moment to deny the reality of the clouds and of the sky, by its direction, its noise, and its pretended strength. The silence of the sky remains when the plane has gone. The tranquility of the clouds will remain when the plane has fallen apart. It is the silence of the world that is real. Our noise, our business, our purposes, and all our fatuous statements about our purposes, our business, and our noise: these are the illusion."

Thomas Merton. No Man Is An Island (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1955: 257.

Spiritual and Leadership Formation

The current edition of Leadership Talks features a short talk on Spiritual and Leadership Formation done by Dr. Doris Gomez and myself. Here is a link to the talk: http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/leadershiptalks/home.htm

The write-up for the recording is as follows: "The New Testament speaks clearly that God's call upon our lives is to be transformed into the image of Christ. So, how does this process of transformation connect with the concepts of leadership formation? Does leadership formation happen alone or in an organizational context? In this session, Drs. Bekker and Gomez encourage leaders to delve deeper as they discuss the connection between leadership and Christian formation and how our innermost being affects how we lead, our organization and ultimately the world."

Benedict's Rule of Leadership

In preparing for a Studies Abroad Trip to Italy next week on the leadership of Sts. Benedict, Francis and Clare of Assisi, I came across this wonderful little gem of a book: "The Benedictine Rule of Leadership: Classic Management Secrets You Can Use Today" by Craig S. Galbraith and Olliver Galbraith. It is a worthwhile read and a much needed contribution in our continued effort to recover a truly Christian approach to leadership.

Regent Press Release on Inner Resources for Leaders (IRL)

Regent University's School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship (GLE) explores leadership and Christian spirituality in its newest online magazine, Inner Resources for Leaders, launched May 2008.

Under the leadership of Dr. Corné Bekker and Dr. Doris Gomez, Inner Resources is a popular-press magazine that covers topics such as leadership and spirituality, the devotional habits/disciplines of leaders, devotional reflections for leaders, spiritual direction and leadership, spiritual formation and leadership, Christian leadership in history, theories and models of spiritual leadership, Christian leadership, and religious leadership. Inner Resources also profiles inspirational leaders in Christian history.

"We have a wealth of deeply spiritual and authentic leaders that have walked this difficult road before us, the ultimate being Jesus of Nazareth," noted Bekker. Through Inner Resources, "we hope to explore inner resources that could help us all locate, define and ultimately model biblical, ethical and authentic models of leadership." To stimulate scholarly debate and a free flow of ideas, Inner Resources is published in electronic format and provides access to all issues free of charge. To learn more about Inner Resources for Leaders and to register for a free subscription, visit: www.regent.edu/innerresources .

Locating the Other

I am deeply saddened by the recent wave of xenophobic violence in my home country of South Africa. It seems that so many of our people have lost their basic humanity and have started to act in an "ubulwane" (animal-like) behavior.

I contributed a popular-press article to the Regent Global Business Review that explores the intersection between embracing our humanity and Gospel value of radical mutuality as it applies to the marketplace in Southern Africa. The summary of the article reads as follows:

"There are strong parallels between the Christian construct of kenosis and the African social philosophy of ubuntu. These parallels allow for the construction of a value–based style of leadership in business that is both African and Christian where leader and follower attain full humanity through a liberating, empowering relationship of mutuality."

Here is a link to the online version of the article: http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/rgbr/vol2iss1/2008%20April_Ubuntu-Kenosis_Bekker.pdf

May we recover our basic humanity that will allow us to recognize the humanity and value of each person.

Guanxi and Perichoretic Hospitality

I had the privilege of co-authoring a popular-press article with Franco Gandolfi in the current edition of the Regent Global Business Review. The article is entitled: "Guanxi: The Art of Finesse and Relationship Building When Conducting Business in China."

An abstract for the article reads as follows:
The notion of guanxi signifies relationships and relationship building. The concept is an essential part in the development and success of businesses in China. In order for foreign firms to successfully enter China they must have a solid understanding of the concept of guanxi. In this article, the concept of guanxi and its role in contemporary China is explored and compared with the Christian concept of perichoretic hospitality. If foreign firms intend to enter and succeed in China, an understanding of guanxi and its managerial and business implications is critical.

Here is a link to the online version of the article:

http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/rgbr/vol2iss1/2008%20April_Guanxi_Gandolfi_Bekker.pdf

Pilgrims on the Way of Truth

The metaphor of pilgrimage is one that has been used in Scripture (Psalm 84:5 and Hebrews 11:9) and in the history of Christianity to describe the call to a Spiritual life. The early Church taught that life is like a journey, that this world is not our ultimate destination, and that we are all on our way back to God who is our truest home (see Hebrews 11:13). Michael and Maria Ruiz Scaperlanda (2004) in their book "The Journey: A Guide for the Modern Pilgrim" describe a pilgrimage as, "the journey of those who, deliberately seek answers to the questions of meaning, purpose, and eternity. Instead of seeking fulfillment in things that will never satisfy, the sacred pilgrim sets out to find that which the heart truly desires: God's very presence." This erudite description of a "sacred pilgrim" could easily be used to consider the mission of Christian scholars as those who intend to seek diligently "answers to the questions of meaning, purpose, and eternity" in their respective field of inquiry. If Christian scholars are then indeed pilgrims on the way of truth, what are the tools they carry with them on this adventure of discovery?

There is a story told (Arnold & Fry, 1988) about the twentieth-century pilgrim William McElwee Miller that might help us to think clearly about the travel necessities required in our journey of truth-seeking: "While travelling along the border of Iran and Afghanistan, Dr. Miller had encountered a Muslim sage. Together the missionary and the mullah rode along the narrow path. In the course of their conversion the Persian asked the Presbyterian, 'What is Christianity?' Dr. Miller said, 'It is like a journey. For that trip I need four things – bread, for nourishment; water, for refreshment; a book, for direction; and opportunity, for service. These are my pilgrim fare. Jesus provided me with these things. I trust Him on my way. That is Christianity." This book that we have been given on our journey for direction is a collection of sacred Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, the Bible; through which we are invited to respond to the reality of our Creator and omnipresent God with a love and devotion that includes not only our body and heart, but also our critical faculties (see Jesus' use of the great "Shema" of Deuteronomy 6:5 in Matthew 22:37).

Exegesis is the interpretative process of finding, seeing and hearing God in the Sacred Scriptures (Deist, 1992), the collective history of those faithful pilgrims that have come before us in the journey. Christian Scholars bring their own expertise and the academic disciplines particular to their field to the reading of these Scriptures, and thus to the academic discipline of Biblical exegesis. M.D. Chenu (Holmberg, 1990), a sociologist, comments how the critical thinking skills of the academe assist us in discovering the "revealing" of God in our history and thus by application in the contemporary world: "When God reveals Himself to humans, He does not reveal Himself according to His own knowledge, but according to the human spirit, beginning with the simple rules of grammar and language. When this Divine communication is realized in a community that calls itself the Church, it follows in its humanization the laws and rules of collective knowledge, that any sociologist [or linguist, or for that matter any literate person] can observe in human societies." The literacy of each academic discipline can become a window through which we can once again observe this "Divine communication" in our world.

Richard Foster (2008), in his recent book on reading the Bible for spiritual formation, proposes four steps in reading the Scriptures that are helpful for the Christian scholar's quest for Biblical integration in the various fields of the academe:

• Read the Scriptures literally: The Christian scholar uses all the tools of linguistic, rhetorical and communication analyses to enter into the words of the sacred texts.
• Read the Scriptures in its historic and social contexts: The Christian scholar avoids anachronistic and ethnocentric readings of the sacred texts by utilizing the disciplines of history, sociology and anthropology to enter into the world of the people of the Bible.
• Read the Scriptures in conversation with itself: The Christian scholar allows Scripture to interpret Scripture and forms conclusions and interpretations based on rigorous synthesis so as to enter the larger message of the sacred texts.
• Read the Scriptures in conversation with the historic witness of the People of God: The Christian scholar joins the theological and philosophical discussions of two thousand years in a continued quest to enter into the truths of the sacred texts and its implications for our world.

We are a pilgrim people on a sacred journey in a quest to "incarnate" God's truths in our world. We do not walk blindly. We have been given a book for our journey, a sacred book that is God-breathed and "useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16); a book that provides direction for pilgrims on the way of truth.

"Christians feed on Scripture. Holy Scripture nurtures the holy community as food nurtures the human body. Christians don't simply learn or study or use Scripture; we assimilate it, take it into our lives in such ways that it gets metabolized into acts of love, cups of cold water, missions into all the world, healing and evangelism and justice in Jesus' name, hands raised in adoration of the Father, feet washed in company with the Son."
– Eugene Peterson (2006)

References:


Arnold, D. W., & Fry, C. G. (1988). Francis: A Call to Conversion. Grand Rapids: Cantilever Books.
Deist, F. (1992). A Concise Dictionary of Theological and Related Terms. Pretoria: J. L. Van Schaik.
Foster, R. (2008). Life with God: Reading the Bible for Spiritual Transformation. New York: HarperCollins.
Holmberg, B. (1990). Sociology and the New Testament: An Appraisal. Minneapolis: Fortress Press.
Peterson, E. (2006). Eat This Book. Rand Rapids: Eerdmans.
Scaperlanda, M., & Scaperlanda, M. R. (2004). The Journey: A Guide for the Modern Pilgrim. Chicago: Loyola Press.

Inner Resources for Leaders

Inner Resources for Leaders is a new online popular-press magazine on the subject of leadership and Christian spirituality covering such topics as:

• Leadership and Spirituality
• The Devotional Habits/Disciplines of Leaders
• Devotional Reflections for Leaders
• Leadership Profiles of Inspirational Leaders in Christian History
• Spiritual Direction and Leadership
• Spiritual Formation and Leadership
• Christian Leadership in History
• Theories and Models on Spiritual Leadership
• Christian Leadership
• Religious Leadership

I am overjoyed at working with Dr. Doris Gomez as a co-editor on this project. The bi-monthly magazine will launch later this week, but here is a link for an early preview: www.regent.edu/innerresourcesforleaders

Launch of Emerging Leadership Journeys

A new journal showcasing some of the best papers of first year students in the Ph.D. of Organizational Leadership was launched today. The journal is entitled, Emerging Leadership Journeys and my esteemed colleague and the director of the Ph.D. program at the School of Global Leadership and Entrepreneurship, Dr. Mihai Bocarnea, is the editor.

Dr. Bocarnea introduces the first edition of Emerging Leadership Journeys:

"Welcome to the inaugural issue of Emerging Leadership Journeys (ELJ). This first issue includes the top five student papers submitted during the first two courses of the students’ doctoral journey through the Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership program. In this issue, Roger Given’s literature review investigates the impact of the transformational leadership style on organizational and personal outcomes of the follower. John Smith’s exegesis advances a Spirit-empowered leadership model while Michelle Vondey’s model paper addresses the effect of follower self-concept and self-determination on follower citizenship behavior. Robert Van Engen’s conceptual paper reflects on organizational metaphors, and George West’s model paper considers the relationships among organizational mission, power, structure, and resources. "

One of the articles in this first edition is an exegetic-based exploratory paper by John, P. Smith on a possible model of Spirit-inspired leadership in the writings of Luke. It is a worthwhile read. Here is the abstract of the paper:

Acts 2:1-47 provides a snapshot of the Early Church on the Day of Pentecost; a day that ushers in the promised baptism in the Spirit, also known as the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples according to the promise of power for mission (Acts 1:8). This paper utilizes intertexture analysis in socio-rhetorical genre in order to present Luke’s perspective in the Acts of the Apostles as it relates to divine empowerment of leaders. The elements of intertexture analysis include oral-scribal intertexture, historical intertexture, social intertexture, and cultural intertexture. This paper examines how these elements are applied in Acts 2 to formulate a model of Spirit-empowered leadership. Contemporary social and cultural theories of leadership are presented in order to integrate a contemporary leadership understanding with the Spirit-empowered leadership found in Acts 2.

Here is a link to the journal and Smith's paper: http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/elj/

Frugality and Christian Witness in America: Learning from Puritan and Quaker Christian Traditions

Ethics of frugality have long been part of the economic norm of most Christian traditions (Nash, 1995). Weber (1958) notes that frugality combined with the values of industry, equity, generosity, and solidarity formed the core of a “Protestant ethic” and went on to describe it as “worldly asceticism”. But within the current Western culture of “progressive plenty”, frugality has been portrayed as “unfashionable, unpalatable, and even unpatriotic” (Nash 1995:138). Two spiritual counter-movements that had its start in the seventeenth century (it could be argued that both were birthed in response the religious formalism and economic excesses of seventeenth century Anglicanism) had the ethics of frugality at part of its core, “inner” values (Callen, 2001).

George Fox (1624-1691), a laymen started a counter-movement (later known as the Quakers) centered in the belief that a new age of the Spirit has come and that the ultimate guide of faith was the indwelling presence of the Spirit. Fox encouraged voluntary simple living based on the guidance of the Spirit and did not allow any ministers to receive any form of monetary payment for ministry.

During this same time period another spiritual movement arose from the critique that the emphasis of “salvation by faith alone” of the Protestant churches resulted in little interest in serious spiritual formation. This counter-movement became known as the Puritan revival and soon sought to balance Protestant “faith-alone emphasis” with elements of patristic and medieval spiritualities, amongst those elements the disciplines of frugality and simplicity (Callen, 2001).

The genius of both the marginal counter-movements of Puritan and Quaker spiritualities is that they both “rediscovered the power of moving from speculation to experience, thereby providing verification of the reality of spiritual experience by the only evidence which is convincing, ‘the evidence of the changed lives’…” (Callen, 2001:140). In time, both these counter-movements became known for the radical commitments and stances their adherents embodied, such as resistance against slavery, complete commitment to non-violence and the values of frugality and experiential simplicity. It is important to note that the discipline of frugality and simplicity were not limited to economic and lifestyle choices, such as where to live, what the wear, what kind of work to do; but also intra-personal (such as worship, introspection, etc) and inter-personal dynamics. The contemporary Quaker author, Robert L. Smith (1998:63) summarizes the role of simplicity in Christian witness: “Simplicity helps us to live to the point, to clear the way to the best, to keep first things first.”

Puritan and Quaker spiritualities have long influenced Christian proponents and activists of a simpler lifestyle (Bittinger, 1978, Bush, 1999, and Fager, 1971). The Christian ethicist James A. Nash (1995:140-144), deeply inspired by Puritan and Quaker thought, argues that in order to bring a contemporary revival and reformation to contemporary Christian witness, that one needs to not only bring back the Puritan value of frugality, but also that frugality must be seen as a “subversive virtue”. There is a strong counter-cultural tone inherent to Nash’s language and proposals. Nash (1995:140-144) offers four characteristics of this revitalized virtue as it could operate within a spiritual counter-movement:

• Frugality rejects the popular assumption that humans are insatiable creatures, ceaselessly acquisitive for economic gains and goods and egoistically committed to pleasure maximization.
• Frugality resists the temptations of consumer promotionalism – particularly the ubiquitous advertising that pressures us through sophisticated techniques to want more, bigger, better, faster, newer, more attractive, or “state of the art.”
• Frugality struggles against the various psychological and sociological dynamics, beyond promotionalism, that stimulates overconsumption.
• Ethically conscious frugality rejects the prevailing ideology of indiscriminate, material economic growth.

The transformative, witness-facilitating, counter-cultural values of frugality and simplicity have started to make something of a comeback in larger Christianity. At the International Consultation on Simple Lifestyle, sponsored by the Lausanne Committee on World Evangelization’s Theology and Education Group (held at Hoddesdon, England, March 17-21, 1980) a statement was produced and endorsed, entitled, “An Evangelical Commitment to Simple Lifestyle”, which created a kind of Christian manifesto for downshifting. Amongst the many statements concerning the need and practice of simplicity, the following commitments regarding personal witness were expressed (Stott and Sider, 1980): “Our Christian obedience demands a simple lifestyle, irrespective of the needs of others….While some of us have been called to live among the poor, and others to open our homes to the needy, all of us are determined to develop a simpler lifestyle. We intend to reexamine our income and expenditure, in order to manage on less and give more away….Yet we resolve to renounce waste and oppose extravagance in personal living, clothing, and housing, travel and church buildings. We also accept the distinction between necessities and luxuries, creative hobbies and empty status symbols, modesty and vanity, occasional celebrations and normal routine, and between the service of God and slavery to fashion.”

The Puritan and Quaker expressions of simplicity and frugality have recently surfaced in unexpected blends with other Christian traditions. Olson (2005) reports that large communities blending Puritan simplicity and Pentecostal fervor are surfacing in rural Texas, joining their voices with those who offer “an alternative to the American Dream, a competing vision of the future - one that promises fullness of being in solidarity” (Nash 1995:159).

Downshifting in Puritan and Quaker spiritualities is integral to their missiological praxis. The Puritan and Quaker calls to simple living through the practice of the disciplines of frugality are counter-cultural calls to authentic Christian witness and sincere efforts to model the anti-materialism truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a world steeped in an ideology of “more, better and faster”.

"Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die:
Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD ' or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”
(Proverbs 30:7-9, NIV)

References:

Bittinger, E.F. (1978). The simple life: a chapter in the evolution of a doctrine. Brethren Life and Thought 23.2, 104-114.

Bush, T. (1999). Plain Living: The Search for Simplicity. Christian Century 116:30, 676-681.

Callen, B.L. (2001). Authentic Spirituality. Rand Rapids: Baker Academic.

Fager, C. (1971). Experimenting with a simpler life style. Christian Century 88.1, 9-13.

Nash, J.A. (1995). Toward the revival and reform of the subversive virtue. Annual of the Society of Christian Ethics 15.1, 137-160.

Smith, R.L. (1998). A Quaker Book of Wisdom. London: Orion.

Stott, J.R.W. and Sider, R.J. (1980). An Evangelical Commitment to Simple Lifestyle. Occasional Bulletin of Missionary Research 4.4, 177-179.

Weber, M. (1958). The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

Updated Program for the Biblical Perspectives in Leadership Research Roundtable

I am happy to announce that we have accepted two more papers for the Biblical Perspectives in Leadership Research Roundtable (May 16-17, 2008). Both papers are from Louis Morgan, a phenomenal professor from Lee University and a current Ph.D. student in Organizational Leadership at Regent University (I am deeply fortunate to be the chair for his dissertation work). The titles of Louis' papers are:

• "Beyond Serving Others: Continual Self-Sacrifice as Normative Christianity.”
• “The Admonitions of St. Francis: Implications for Servant and Transformational Leaders.”

For more information on the roundtable see: http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/conferences/gle/home.shtml

Also check out Louis' blog: http://morganonmission.blogspot.com/

Under the radar: Pentecostalism in South Africa and its potential social and economic role

There is an interesting new study that has been done by the Center for Development and Enterprise in South Africa on the role of Pentecostal Religion in socio-economic development in Southern Africa. Lydia van den Bergh, who now works at the Center, alerted me of this important study. The write up on this study is as follows:

"Noting the explosive growth in Pentecostal churches in post-apartheid South Africa, CDE, in conjunction with Professor Peter Berger of Boston University and Professor James Hunter of the University of Virginia, obtained funding to undertake research with the aim of opening up a discussion of the possible developmental implications of this phenomenon.

This project has revealed a world of activity, energy, and entrepreneurship previously unknown to this otherwise well-informed South African think-tank. Flying under the radar screens of politicians, intellectuals, academics, and journalists are a large number of institutions and individuals that are actively concerned about and working on questions of values and personal behaviour. These concerns include family life, personal responsibility, unemployment, skills creation, and a range of other national concerns.

This report describes CDE’s project, places it in context, outlines its findings, and suggests ways in which policy debates in South Africa might take account of the phenomenal rise of Pentecostal Christian churches."

For more information and a short summary of this study, see: (http://www.cde.org.za/)

Louise Kretzschmar on Moral Leadership

I read a great article this morning by an acquaintance from UNISA (University of South Africa) from the Journal of Theology for Southern Africa. Louise Kretzschmar hits the proverbial hammer on the nail with this. A short excerpt:

"Moral leadership is as essential now to the well being of society as it has ever been. Faced with poverty, suffering, injustice and corruption, a deep longing rises up in the human heart for leaders that can be trusted, even loved: for leaders that take individuals and communities where they need to go. towards wholeness of life. Simultaneously, the cost of moral leadership is high, and few are willing to pay the price. Struggle, courage, sacrifice and pain are deliberately avoided in societies that seek comfort, happiness and the promotion of narrow self and group interest. Yet. ironically. Christians believe that it is in the abandonment of selfishness and dishonest defensiveness that true human identity is discovered, and in the relinquishing of narrow group interests that genuine community is found. These difficult truths are encapsulated in Jesus' teachings about leadership as service (Mk 10:35-45) and the need to die. like a grain of wheat, in order to bear fruit (Jn 12:24-26). "

Reference:

Kretzschmar, L (2007). The formation of moral leaders in South Africa: a Christian-ethical analysis of some essential elements. Journal of Theology for Southern Africa no 128 Jl 2007, p 18-36.

Merton on the Mercy of God

I am persuaded that authentic leadership starts with the simple understanding that all authority in leadership is delegated authority. All power ultimately belongs to God (Psalm 115:1). When we lead, we should be careful to tread lightly, remembering that we are working in God's domain. Thomas Merton helps us in this regard by reminding us of the ever-present refrain of God's mercy in the Holy Scriptures:

The parable of the Good Samaritan is a revelation of God in a word that has great importance through all the Scriptures from beginning to the end. It is a revelation of what the prophet Hosea says, speaking for the invisible God, "I will have mercy and not sacrifices." What is this mercy which we find spoken everywhere in the Scriptures, and especially in the Psalms? The Vulgate rings with misericordia as though with a deep church bell. Mercy is the "burden" or the "bourdon," it is the brass bell and under-song of the whole Bible. But the Hebrew word-chesed-which we render as mercy, misericordia, says more still than mercy.

Chesed (mercy) is also fidelity, it is also strength. It is the faithful, the indefectible mercy of God. It is ultimate and unfailing because it is the power that binds one person to another, in a covenant of wills. It is the power that binds us to God because He has promised us mercy and will never fail in His promise. For He cannot fail. It is the power and the mercy which are most characteristic of Him, which come nearer to the mystery into which we enter when all concepts darken and evade us.

Am I modelling God's mercy in the way that I lead today?

Reference:

Thomas Merton. Seasons of Celebration. (New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1950): 175.

Program for Biblical Perspectives in Leadership Research Roundtable

I have completed a preliminary program for the Biblical Perspectives in Leadership Roundtable (May 16-17, 2008). I am looking forward to work and learn with these esteemed scholars!

Program:
1. Banks, Bonnie: "Jesus’ Method of Inclusion in Leadership: A Model for Innovation and Creativity in the Early Church."
2. Banks, Bonnie: "Was Moses Wrong? Ethical Dimensions in Leadership."
3. Bekker, Corné: "“On This Rock: Charismatic Mediators and Weber’s Theory of Religious Leadership in Matthew 16:13-20.”
4. Jenks, Deborah: "Transformation: An Examination of Jesus’ Creative Use of the Matthew 13 Parables and Theory U."
5. Petties, Vivian: "A Biblical Perspective on Women in Leadership: A Fresh Look at I Timothy 2:8-15."
6. Rittle, Dennis: "Managing the Conflict from Within: A Spiritual Model."
7. Self, Catherine: "Incarnational Leadership as Reflected in St. Clare’s Third Letter to Agnes: A Sensory-Aesthetic Study."
8. Self, Catherine: "The Leadership of Jesus: A Literature Review and Research Proposal."
9. Spencer, Jan: "Peter: A Phenomenology of Leadership."
10. Upsher-Myles, Chantel: "Exploring Paul’s Global Leadership Strategy Through 1 Corinthians 9:19-23."
11. Upsher-Myles, Chantel: "Organizational Leadership Lessons Based on the Pauline Epistles."
12. West, Bud: "Implications for Leadership in the Evaluation of Scripture: An Ideological Review of Matthew 8:5-13."
13. Wright, David: "The Leadership of Jesus in the Succession Process of the Disciples: A Dual Focus of Servanthood in Small Groups.”

I will update the program on here as any changes occur. For more information in the roundtable see: http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/conferences/gle/home.shtml

Biblical Perspectives in Leadership Roundtable (May 16-17, 2008)

This is the second year for the Biblical Perspectives in Leadership Research Roundtable aimed to provide a discussion and research forum for scholars, researchers, practitioners and ministers who work in leadership utilizing a biblical perspective. Representing the multidisciplinary fields of biblical, social-science, historical and leadership studies, the Biblical Perspectives in Leadership Research Roundtable hopes to explore, engage and extend the field of knowledge and understanding of the phenomenon of leadership as found within the contexts of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures.

To stimulate scholarly debate and a free flow of ideas, the proceedings from the Biblical Perspectives in Leadership Research Roundtable will be posted online and papers of high quality will be considered for the Journal of Biblical Perspectives in Leadership (JBPL).

For more information - please see: http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/conferences/gle/home.shtml

John Michael Talbot - God Alone is Enough - from a prayer of Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)

Let nothing trouble you.

Let nothing scare you.

All is fleeting.

God alone is unchanging.

Patience

Everything obtains.

Who possesses God

Nothing wants.

God alone suffices.

From The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila Volume Three translated by Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriquez (c) 1985 by Washington Province of Discalced Carmelites ICS Publications 2131 Lincoln Road, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20002 U.S.A.

Study Abroad Trip to Italy 2008

The following is a press release from Regent University about the Studies Abroad Trip that I led last year and the the one scheduled for later this summer:

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Regent University's School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship's (GLE) fourth study abroad trip is set for June 20-29. Titled, "In the Footsteps of St. Benedict, St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare of Assisi," the 2008 tour will take participants to Rome, Montecassino and Assisi, Italy for a 10-day period.

In 2007, Dr. Corné Bekker, GLE associate professor, led participants in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul and ministry of St. Francis of Assisi through Rome and Assisi, Italy. According to Bekker, students were given the unique opportunity "to explore the global leadership of the two pivotal figures in the history of Christianity through lectures, visits to archaeological sites and in-depth discussions." "I was intrigued with not just the study of Paul’s leadership during his time in Rome, but especially so, the idea of studying the leadership of both Francis and Clare of Assisi," said Ph.D. student Catherine Self. Whether standing in cathedrals or sitting under trees at various historical sites, participants discussed and explored in great detail the significance of each site as well as the leader-follower relationship and leadership formation and succession in regard to the Apostle Paul and St. Francis of Assisi. Through this opportunity, participants were able to examine principles of effective global leadership from a biblical and theological perspective.

"Reading the Scriptures and church history documents in their original setting and seeing them come alive to the students was very inspiring. It is a most rewarding experience for a professor to see students grow in their understanding and arrive at greater insights on the possibility of Christian leadership that can change the world," stated Bekker. Italy was chosen for the 2007 trip because Sts. Paul and Francis, both known as radical reformers in Christian history, "offer insights into principles and models of authentic and orthodox biblical leadership that changed their world," stated Bekker.

"It is helpful to see these sites when considering how the Apostle Paul and St. Francis of Assisi served God, ministered to others and inspired followers. It adds a fresh perspective for understanding these individuals’ leadership styles," said Louis Morgan, Ph.D. student. While academic credit was available for this trip, some participants chose to take the trip for their own personal growth. In preparation for the 2007 trip, all participants were asked to read prescribed text books on Paul and St. Francis that dealt with the theology, history and leadership of these figures.

"Under the leadership and teaching of Dr. Bekker, the lives of Paul, Francis and Clare became as real to me as the people I encounter today. His understanding of Mediterranean culture and the social, historical and literary influences of the era fleshed out what are otherwise just black letters on the white pages of a book," said Self. "To suggest that God blessed me through this study is an understatement of what was an experience of a lifetime." In addition, she stated that for others who choose to participate in future study abroad trips through GLE, "it is a simple first step of faith that may be the beginning of a life-changing journey."

Registration is now open for the 2008 study abroad trip. Visit http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/abroad/home.htm for more information and to register for the 2008 tour.

New Book on Simplicity

ICFAI Books released a new book on the phenomena of downshifting this month. The book is entitled, "Downshifting: A Theoretical and Practical Approach to Living a Simple Life", and is edited by Franco Gandolfi and Helene Cherrier. I contributed a chapter to this timely book on the ancient Christian spirituality of downshifting and its contemporary applications.

The write-up of the book reads as follows:

"Something puzzling yet profound is occurring in consumer-driven societies: an increasing number of individuals from all walks of life are pursuing lower consumption practices and embracing simpler lifestyles. They are ‘getting a life’ and ‘escaping the rat race’. This growing inclination toward simpler lifestyles or downshifting is part of a larger shift in societal values, attitudes, and the notion of what constitutes success and happiness.

This distinctive book constitutes a collection of readings that examines and exposes the various approaches and practices of downshifting. Eleven theoretical and empirical chapters written by prolific writers and distinguished scholars from around the world offer theoretical and practical lenses on the downshifting phenomenon. This book on downshifting is an invaluable resource and instrument for researchers, consultants, executives, and social science students."

The book is available at ICFAI Books: http://www.books.iupindia.org/home.asp

John Chrysostom's Easter Sermon (347-407 AD)

Let all Pious men and all lovers of God rejoice in the splendor of this feast; let the wise servants blissfully enter into the joy of their Lord; let those who have borne the burden of Lent now receive their pay, and those who have toiled since the first hour, let them now receive their due reward; let any who came after the third hour be grateful to join in the feast, and those who may have come after the sixth, let them not be afraid of being too late, for the Lord is gracious and He receives the last even as the first. He gives rest to him who comes on the eleventh hour as well as to him who has toiled since the first: yes, He has pity on the last and He serves the first; He rewards the one and is generous to the other; he repays the deed and praises the effort.

Come you all: enter into the joy of your Lord. You the first and you the last, receive alike your reward; you rich and you poor, dance together; you sober and you weaklings, celebrate the day; you who have kept the fast and you who have not, rejoice today. The table is richly loaded: enjoy its royal banquet. The calf is a fatted one: let no one go away hungry. All of you enjoy the banquet of faith; all of you receive the riches of his goodness.

Let no one grieve over his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed; let no one weep over his sins, for pardon has shone from the grave; let no one fear death, for the death of our Savior has set us free: He has destroyed it by enduring it, He has despoiled Hades by going down into its kingdom, He has angered it by allowing it to taste of his flesh.

When Isaiah foresaw all this, he cried out: "O Hades, you have been angered by encourntering Him in the nether world." Hades is angered because frustrated, it is angered because it has been mocked, it is angered because it has been destroyed, it is angered because it has been reduced to naught, it is angered because it is now captive. It seized a body, and lo! it discovered God; it seized earth, and, behold! it encountered heaven; it seized the visible, and was overcome by the invisible.

O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? Christ is risen and life is freed, Christ is risen and the tomb is emptied of the dead: for Christ, being risen from the dead, has become the Leader and Reviver of those who had fallen asleep. To Him be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.

South African Trip

I am preparing to depart tomorrow for a three week trip to South Africa (Klerksdorp, Pretoria, Springs, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Stellenbosch). For all my friends "down south", have a look at my itinerary on the right below - maybe we could meet up - you are all firmly in my heart and prayers.

We will be travelling with five other professors from Regent, speaking at local Universities, churches and ministries. We hope to have many discussions with others on the definition and practice of Christian Leadership that could change our world.

Above all, I ask for your prayers during this time. May we be able to discern God's actions in our world and work with Him.

“I dream of the realization of the unity of Africa, whereby its leaders combine in their efforts to solve the problems of this continent. I dream of our vast deserts, of our forests, of all of our great wilderness.” – Nelson Mandela