Sunday evenings, 6 p.m., beginning August 25
Taught by Scott Jones, Ph.D.
Contemporary opinion and research affirm that leaders and leadership matter. A leader’s character, what leaders do, and why they do it are important considerations for all organizations and the individuals who populate those organizations. This class will explore the importance of leadership from a Christian perspective, specifically the meaning and relevance of Biblical servant leadership. The character, motive, and agenda of Jesus Christ have moral, ethical, and practical implications for leaders and leadership.
Meeting day and times: Sunday evenings, 6 p.m., beginning August 25
The class is free. No book is required, but for those interested, Dr. Jones will follow the discussion offered in Leadership in Christian Perspective: Biblical Foundations and Contemporary Practices for Servant Leaders, by Justin A. Irving and Mark L. Strauss (Baker Academic, 2019).
Dr. Scott Jones is the Pastor of First Baptist Church of Rockport and is an adjunct faculty member of Stark College and Seminary in Corpus Christi. As a pastor-scholar, Dr. Jones studies the complex adaptive systems that people form with one another and how leaders provide leadership within those systems.
Date and Topic
August 25 Introduction 1. What is leadership? 2. Why does leadership have a moral/ethical dimension? 3. What does the Christian faith add to the understanding of leadership? 4. What is biblical servant leadership and how is it different from secular definitions?
September 8 The Leader’s Character part 1: Influence Through Example 1. The New Testament emphasis on character and leading through example 2. Transformational vs. Transactional Leadership 3. Suggestions for practice
September15 The Leader’s Character part 2: Honest and Humble Self-Assessment 1. The New Testament emphasis on sober judgment and humility 2. Authenticity, Emotional Intelligence, and Self-Leadership 3. Suggestions for practice
September22 The Leader’s Character part 3: The Motivation for Collaboration 1. The New Testament emphasis on collaboration and valuing the presence and contributions of others 2. The complex nature of collaboration 3. Suggestions for practice
September29 The Leader’s Motive part 1: Valuing and Appreciating Others 1. The Biblical justification for valuing and appreciating others 2. Serving others vs. serving one’s self-interest 3. Suggestions for practice
October 6 The Leader’s Motive part 2: Creating a Safe Place for Others 1. The Biblical mandate for and description of unity 2. Are our organizations more like machines or organic systems? What are the implications of each? 3. Suggestions for practice
October 13 The Leaders’ s Motive part 3: The Importance of Making and Maintaining Connections 1. The Biblical emphasis on relational skills and how to be with one another 2. Emotional Reactivity, Relational Intelligence, and Intercultural Intelligence 3. Suggestions for practice
October 27 The Leader’s Agenda part 1: The Importance of Clarity 1. The Biblical emphasis on effective and clear communication 2. Communication Theories and their implications for leaders and organizations 3. Suggestions for practice
November 3 The Leader’s Agenda part 2: Accountability and Correction 1. Biblical accountability: what it is and isn’t 2. To what are followers and organizations to be held accountable? Mission? Vision? 3. Suggestions for practice
November 10 The Leader’s Agenda part 3: Working for the Success of Others 1. The Biblical emphasis on empowerment 2. The complexity of working in a team 3. Suggestions for practice
