Shared Leadership – CITAM Ngong Pastors and Elders
In the NEWS:
Rev. Howard John Wesley, Age 47, Senior Pastor Alfred Baptist Church in Alexandria has been pastor
for 11 years, leading four services every weekend averaging 4500 in attendance and pastoring 24/7
during that time.
On Dec. 1 2019 he admitted he needed a break from God’s work because he was tired in his soul, as
reported by Washington post on December 11th 2019 and widely circulated on social media.
What are your thoughts on this?
Are there some biblical similarities and/or guidance?
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Moses struggled to carry the burden on the people (Numbers 11) and was asked by the Lord to get
70 elders who would share the burden (Numbers 11:16-17)
Elijah took off at the thought that he was the only prophet , fighting against Jezebel , the wife of King
Ahab (1 Kings 19) and was asked to appoint his successor , Elisha and the kings of Aram and Israel
(1 Kings 19:15-18)
When the disciples were growing in number the Apostles struggled to address the day to day care
and also preach and pray (Acts 6) and had to appoint a team to attend to this (Acts 6:3-4)
Our Pastors and Ministry Leaders are not immune from this as well.
Jesus models that we need to rest yet many pastors and lay ministers struggle with burnout?
More importantly pastoring churches has gotten more complicated it’s not just about preaching on the
pulpit, it involves taking care of the congregation outside of church and administering/managing the
church like a chief executive of a business enterprise.
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Shared leadership is a leadership style that broadly distributes leadership responsibility, such that
people within a team and organization lead/influence each other towards achieving corporate aspirations.
It eases the work load from a single leader and improves the individual and collective efficiency and
effectiveness.
Shared leadership helps to navigate the dynamic environment using multiple skillset and capabilities
which the “heroic” leader may no longer be able to attain.
Benefits of shared leadership:
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Greater utilization of knowledge and expertise
More engagement/commitment to aspiration
Better feedback and accountability
Superior productivity because of synergy
Reduced stress levels for key leaders
Enablers of shared leadership:
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Trust among team leaders
Personal leadership development
Empowering leadership from ‘the top’
Shared purpose , understanding of aspirations
Appreciation of team contribution
Enabling beliefs , culture and structures
As CITAM Assembly Leadership we can utilize this shared leadership concept to enhance our mandate as
Pastors and Advisory Leaders. God brings us to serve together with a complementary agenda that
should be realized.
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Consider the conventional CITAM Assembly Leadership Structure:
Senior Pastor
Assembly Pastors
Advisory Committee:
Elders, Deacons and
Some HODS
Ministry, Fellowship &
Safari Group Leaders
Some Observations:
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Many Pastors have extensive ‘work’ in their hands
Many gifted and experienced Elders may not have specific ‘work’ in their hands
A shared leadership model that can be adopted could take the form below:
Senior Pastor
Assembly Pastors
Advisory Committee:
Elders, Deacons and
Some HODS
Ministry, Fellowship & Safari Group Leaders
This shared model introduces shared responsibility and constant communication to ensure sustainability
of ministry and assembly affairs.
Operationally, this translates to:
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Advisory Committe (Senior
P & Deputy + Elders ,
Deacons ) - Strategic
Ministry Pillars (Elders +
Pastors + HODs ) - Tactical
Pastors & Ministry Lead
Teams - Operational
The Advisory Committee is chaired by the Senior Pastor. It is responsible for:
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Strategic direction of the assembly
Oversight of the assembly
Policy and procedures enforcement
Ministry leaders appointments
The Elders will organize themselves to offer pastoral care for pastors as well as liaise with the Senior
Pastor on coaching and mentoring of assembly pastors on a case by case basis.
The Ministry Pillars will be headed by an Elder or Deacon, designated as the Ministry Coordinator.
It includes the Pastor in charge of the pillar and Heads of Ministries, fellowships and safari groups.
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The ministry coordinator in liaison with the pastor offers pastoral care to the Leaders and
ministry members in their cluster.
The ministry coordinator works with the pastor to ensure clear ministry purposes and
procedures are documented.
The ministry coordinator works with the pastor to ensure comprehensive objectives and plans
are developed in line with the assembly strategic direction and policies
The ministry coordinator works with the assigned pastor and cluster of ministries , fellowships
and safari groups to ensure effectiveness and efficiency in the operations
The ministry coordinators will ensure identification and continuous empowerment of leaders
All ministry pillars hold monthly meetings to cascade guidelines , actions and information from
the Advisory committee and prepare necessary brief and escalation to be submitted to the
subsequent advisory committee
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The ministry coordinator will address all transition related matters that concern their respective
ministry and fellowship clusters (during pastoral and advisory member transitions)
Every ministry coordinator will have a deputy ministry coordinator (DMC) who serves as the
secretary to the team
Other Elders who may not be MCs or DMCs may be incorporated into the pillar towards offering spiritual
and administrative oversight of specific ministries and fellowships.
The ministries and fellowships under the pillar cluster will contribute 10% towards supporting the pillar
affairs.
NOTE:
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The Ministry Coordinator (MCs) will be an Elder with at least two years of tenure remaining
The Deputy Ministry Coordinator may be an Elder or a church leader with a proven record of
Leadership, appointed by the Advisory Committee
The Ministry Coordinator may from time to time engage with the Senior Pastor for accountability.
The Ministry Lead Teams headed by a Head of Department.
Will meet monthly to coordinate the affairs of their respective ministries and may invite the Pastor
and/or Elder for specific guidance from time to time.
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The head of the ministry, fellowship or safari group will lead the execution of their
responsibilities and share feedback.
The head of ministry will ensure there is an operational leadership team to support them in
various ministry tasks from time to time
The heads of ministries and fellowships will request for administrative services in line with the
objectives and policies through their Pastors to the church office.
They head of ministry will track the ministry members and escalate any items that require
pastoral and/or the elders attention to ensure the ministry achieves their objectives.
Lessons from the geese: Conclusion:
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They stay in the V-Formation: flapping to support those who are behind to fly more easily
If you fall out of shape you struggle and have to get back in shape
If you are hurt – two geese drop off the formation to support you until you can fly again or are fully
indisposed
When the leader gets tired it rotates and someone else takes over the leading role
More References and Details:
Moses is described as the greatest leader who ever lived (Deut. 34:10) , but even he felt the burden of
responsibility was too much for him.
Numbers 11:16-17
The LORD said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and
officials among the people. Have them come to the tent of meeting that they may stand there with you. 17 I
will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you
and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it
alone.
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Later the bible records that they prophesied only once (v25).
The bad side of this story is that these elders, Sanhedrin sat to rubber stamp Jesus’ crucifixion.
Other Biblical Examples:
1 Kings 19: Elijah ran away from Jezebel ; prayed that he may die – this was too much for him.
Later the Lord directs him to anoint Hazael king over Aram , Nimshi King over Israel and Elisha to
succeed him as prophet:
The LORD said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get
there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint
Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who
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escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I
reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths
have not kissed him.” (1 Kings 19:15-18)
Acts 6:
As the disciples were increasing differences emerged amongst the hebraic and Hellenistic jews on food
distribution – the apostles had to appoint other people to attend to this matter , among them Stephen
6 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews[a] among them
complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily
distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for
us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose
seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this
responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
Paul asked Titus to appoint Elders:
5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and
appoint[a] elders in every town, as I directed you. (Titus 1:5)
Paul and Barnabas appointed elders to oversee the church:
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Paul and Barnabas appointed elders[a] for them in each church and, with prayer and
fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. (Acts 14:23)
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