Congregational Leadership - Ten Observations

Congregational Leadership: Ten Observations from a Practitioner and Teacher

by Anthony B. Robinson

I am both a practitioner and teacher of congregational leadership. In my most recent pastorate I was Senior Minister of Plymouth Congregational Church (UCC) in downtown Seattle. In 2008–2009 I taught congregational leadership at Emmanuel College in the Toronto School of Theology at the University of Toronto. I head up a regional leadership development organization, Congregational Leadership Northwest. I have also written on congregational leadership in Leadership for Vital Congregations (Pilgrim, 2006) and Changing the Conversation: A Third Way for Congregations (Eerdmans, 2008). And I explored leadership’s theological dimensions in What’s Theology Got to Do with It: Convictions, Vitality and Healthy Congregations (Alban, 2006).

One: Leadership Is Hot

After a long period of neglect or ambivalence about “leadership” in mainline churches, it is a hot topic today. There is a call, even a cry, from congregations for leadership. Increasingly, congregations know they need capable leaders. The cry and call of congregations for leadership may even be being heard, albeit reluctantly, haltingly, in denominational offices and in seminaries.

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This article was published in the Spring 2010 of the Alban's Institute's Congregations magazine

Click here for other articles from this magazine or more information about Congregation Leadership and the Alban Insitute.

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