Part 1: Priorities and Balance of Leadership and Calling
Balance is the most important aspect in leadership especially when it comes to managing and dealing with the resultant challenges and responsibilities. Spirituality demands that a person sets aside his or her time for church and fellowship activities, catering for the most important aspect of life; God. It is important to set priorities in regards to task to undertake in order to minimize mistakes, which may lead to an unbalanced life. A better understanding of self enables an individual to determine what is important and what should be covered. It helps them distinguish between what one likes, and what they need and have to accomplish. Understanding the difference supports the maximization of productivity and fulfillment, owing to the heightened level of achievement[1].
In his literary work Kyle Strobel focuses on the vitality of a balanced life in spiritual leadership. It is important that an individual focuses on the most important aspects of their life for maximization of achievement levels. A major challenge affecting effective spiritual leadership is the focus on the urgent, rather than that that is important. Creation of a balance enables an individual to maximize his or her strengths fully, and better the weaknesses, making them more productive. Family, work, spiritual calling, God, church, among others are all vital aspects, and must be adhered to for the fulfillment of life[2].
Unbalance in Life
The lack of balance in regards to the discussed aspects results to minimized productivity in a person, making them less effective leaders. It is therefore crucial for one to always maintain a balance in regards to prioritization of the depicted aspects. There are a variety of reasons that result to an unbalance in life. The lack of balance harms one’s own existence, as it limits the peace of mind. For fulfilled living, it is vital for one to maintain a balance in life, through noting and adhering to the important aspects based on one’s preferences and life goals. For a believer, God always tops the list, as He is the centre of all life, and the sole reason for our existence[3].
The major symptoms of an unbalanced life as discussed by Mark Shaw are pressure and emotional stress, busyness, prayerlessness, escapism behavior, nagging guilt, and financial debt among other personal problems. Unbalance in life attributes to the mentioned characteristics, creating uneasiness and a problematic lifestyle for an individual. Leading an unbalanced life results to decreased happiness, and may affect a person’s relationship with God, Brethren, family, and even friends. It leads to deterioration in the productivity, especially in work setups and the spiritual calling. In my view, one should retreat from all the hustles and bustles of life, and take time to evaluate the important and less important aspects in life. It enables an individual focus on the important things, and minimizes time wasted on less important aspects and factors in their lives[4].
Scheduling Priorities
According to the Bible, it is evident that God should be our first priority, over all other aspects of life. He comes before our own health and the love for our families and friends. Jesus said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). Jesus teaches on the importance of putting God first prior all other needs and wants alongside goals that we have set to achieve during our lifetimes on earth. It is vital that each individual upholds the teachings of The Scripture, putting God prior all other life facets.
To enable an individual maximize his or her life’s fulfillment, scheduling is vital. However, most people prioritize what seems urgent, rather than what is important. The Bible depicts the importance of leading a worthy life, adhering to teachings and pleasing God. The reward of this is eternal life and happiness, making it every believer’s priority. According to Paul, the sole purpose of human existence is leading a life worthy of the received spiritual calling. This is illustrated in (Eph. 4:1), “…to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” Therefore, it is evident that God’s desire for human life is that we all lead balanced lives, aligning all life priorities according to His wishes, as taught in the Holy Book.
Vocational and Spiritual Callings
Managing vocational and spiritual callings is vital for any leader, as it enables them maximize their productivity and keep all life aspects in the desired shape. Work has taken up most of the people’s time in the world today, resulting to unbalance in life. Consequently, fulfillment has greatly deteriorated, with people with unbalance leading meaningless lives. It thus makes the balancing between vocational and spiritual callings, as well as other aspects such as family vital for the maximization of productivity and life fulfillment. We should all adhere to God’s wish for our lives, which is leading a life worthy of His calling, maximizing our positivity on the world He created[5]. For the enactment of balance between the two aspects, one should prioritize the important aspects in life, ensuring that effort is being geared towards advancement and the achievement of life goals[6]. I believe that the hierarchy should be as listed below.
- God
- Self
- Family
- Work
- Church
- Other aspects
Part 2: SWOT Analysis:
Family is a critical part of my life, as depicted in my prioritization of life aspects. It is clear that God and the ministry top the list, but family also takes up a critical position, making it a key aspect in regards to life fulfillment. Family is a critical aspect in my life, as it is my source of joy and encouragement to tackle the prevalent life challenges. My parents and siblings are my major source of motivation in serving God, especially when things get tough. My focus and productivity in the ministry has been greatly influenced by their support, both in form of physical and emotional aid. Self understanding and appreciation has been greatly influenced by my family. In times of desperation, my parents and siblings supported and made my soul searching effective, resulting to strengthened Christianity and a firmer belief in God.
However, owing to the existent of too much workload, I occasionally drift away from my family, a tendency that I have been striving to fight and eradicate. Works in ministry and my job take up a lot of my days, depriving me time to meet with family for interpersonal encouragement. The need to work on the self also limits interaction, precisely with my parents and siblings. To better understand my positioning in regards to the aspect of family, I will conduct a SWOT analysis on my leadership role.
Strengths
In regards to my leadership role in the family, I portray a number of strengths, majorly attributed to my spiritual beliefs. As illustrated, family is highly positioned in my prioritization ladder, with my parents and siblings playing a major role in the fulfillment of my life. One of my major strength is that I have a good relationship with all the members, and set aside time to meet them all. I have strong bonds with all of them, and share my thoughts and circumstances with them openly. It is this relationship that has strengthened my spirituality, affirming my leadership role effectiveness in the family. Another significant strength in my leadership in regards to family is my participation in family related activities, such as gatherings and other informal meetings. I am unarguably the most active family member, and I always strive to unite my family at all times.
Weaknesses
As previously noted, work and the calling take up a substantial amount of my time, limiting family visits and interaction. The demands of both my vocational and spiritual callings have had a profound effect on the time I set aside for my family. Over the recent past, I have had difficulties setting aside time for family related activities. Another weakness is the absence in a couple of important family functions, which threaten my position as a leader. I have missed out on a couple of important family gatherings, despite my efforts to maximize family interaction. Work and ministry responsibilities take up a large amount of my time, and the missed events, despite being rare, are due to these demands.
Opportunities
In regards to family, there exist a number of opportunities for betterment of my leadership role. Through setting aside some time from my busy schedule, I can enhance and foster my relationship and bond with the family. Through noting the important aspects of my life and focusing on them, I will foster my relationship with the family, reinstating my leadership role. It is thus vital that I address the hindrances to the fostering of my relationship with the family, for the betterment of the address of the issue at hand.
Threats
There exist a number of threats towards my leadership role and positioning in the family. This majorly owes to the fact that I have been too busy to attend gatherings and interact with some of the family members. My tight schedule has significantly limited my time with family, demanding urgent attention for remedy. Lack of addressing the issue will result to deterioration of the bond and relationship with the family, which is an event that I dread its occurrence. Continued lack of close ties with the family will have a significant impact on my life, owing to the positioning of the aspect in my prioritization ladder. It is therefore crucial for me to ensure that the bond is restored, enhancing the previously held relationship, and fostering it even farther.
Part 3: Leadership Plan
Betterment of my future leadership is vital for growth and development of self, making me a better leader. For this reason, I will eliminate the weaknesses, capitalize on opportunities and enhance my strengths for the enhancement of better leadership. I will also eradicate the existent threats, to protect myself from deterioration in regards to my leadership role. For a better illumination of the projected activities, the adoption plan and strategy is depicted below.
Disciplines to Employ
For enhanced leadership, a diversification in the understanding of spirituality leadership among other theological aspects is crucial. I will embark on a knowledge seeking journey, aimed at widening my scope of understanding of all aspects related to leadership. Firstly, I will widen my understanding of psychology, for betterment of my skills. Psychology is vital in enhancing understanding of leadership, precisely spiritual leadership, and thus will enable me better my skills, maximizing effectiveness. A better understanding of psychological aspects will enhance my leadership, as I will be in a better position to depict various behaviors and infer appropriately.
Critical thinking is also a vital discipline in the betterment of my leadership. I will embark on improving my leadership through incorporation of critical thinking5. Critical thinking plays a major role in the betterment of leadership, enabling a person maximizes his or her effectiveness as a leader. Another discipline vital in the enhancement of leadership is maximization of motivation and understanding the crucial aspects necessary for betterment of leadership. It will enable me become a better leader and maximize my productivity and efficiency in leadership. Listening effectively is a vital aspect in the enhancement of good leadership, and will enable me achieve my plan and enact set objectives.
Books to Employ
For the achievement of the set objectives, it will be vital to adopt readership, which will better my understanding and enactment of good leadership skills. I will embark on leadership betterment through reading materials that enforce good leadership. The first reading is Jason Duesing’s Adoniram Judson: A Bicentennial Appreciation of the Pioneer American Missionary, which offers information on missions conducted by America missionaries. The in-depth coverage of leadership is vital in the enhancement of good leadership. Another vital resource is the Steve Miller’s D.L. Moody: On Spiritual Leadership, which covers all aspects of spiritual leadership. It offers a detailed coverage of leadership, and embarks on enhancing bettered leadership, through the appreciation of vital aspects related to leadership.
Stephen Nichol’s Bonhoeffer on the Christian Life: From the Cross, for the World is a vital reading that discusses leadership and its integration with Christianity. It will be a vital reading in the coverage of leadership, bettering my understanding and perception of leadership. William Petersen’s Surprising Marriages: How Great Christians Struggled to Make Their Marriages Work is coverage of aspects related to leadership, referencing great Christians who embarked on leadership missions. Other readings include Mark Shaw’s 10 Great Ideas from Church History: A Decision-Maker’s Guide to Shaping Your Church, and Kyle Strobel’s Formed for the Glory of God: Learning from the Spiritual Practices of Jonathan Edwards. Detailed overview of these readings will enhance my understanding, bettering my leadership and achievement of the set goals.
SWOT-Based Improvements
For the betterment of leadership in regards to SWOT analysis, I will eliminate the weaknesses, capitalize on opportunities and enhance my strengths for the enhancement of better leadership. I will also eradicate the existent threats, to protect myself from deterioration in regards to my leadership role. As depicted, lack of time is a major hindrance towards betterment of my leadership. Therefore, I will embark on a mission to eradicate this barrier, maximizing productivity
Bibliography
Duesing, Jason G. Adoniram Judson: A Bicentennial Appreciation of the Pioneer American Missionary. Nashville: B&H Publishing, 2012.
Miller, Steve. D.L. Moody: On Spiritual Leadership. Steve Miller, 2004.
Nichols, Stephen J. Bonhoeffer on the Christian Life: From the Cross, for the World. Wheaton: Crossway, 2013.
Petersen, William J. 25 Surprising Marriages: How Great Christians Struggled to Make Their Marriages Work. Morgantown: Masthof, 2006.
Shaw, Mark. 10 Great Ideas from Church History: A Decision-Maker’s Guide to Shaping Your Church. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1997.
Strobel, Kyle. Formed for the Glory of God: Learning from the Spiritual Practices of Jonathan Edwards. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2013.
[1] Strobel, Kyle. Formed for the Glory of God: Learning from the Spiritual Practices of Jonathan Edwards. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2013.
[2] Petersen, William J. 25 Surprising Marriages: How Great Christians Struggled to Make Their Marriages Work. Morgantown: Masthof, 2006.
[3] Miller, Steve. D.L. Moody: On Spiritual Leadership. Steve Miller, 2004.
[4] Shaw, Mark. 10 Great Ideas from Church History: A Decision-Maker’s Guide to Shaping Your Church. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1997.
[5] Nichols, Stephen J. Bonhoeffer on the Christian Life: From the Cross, for the World. Wheaton: Crossway, 2013.
[6] Duesing, Jason G. Adoniram Judson: A Bicentennial Appreciation of the Pioneer American Missionary. Nashville: B&H Publishing, 2012.