Jørgensen, Knud. Equipping for Service: Christian Leadership in Church and Society. Oxford: Regnum Books International, 2012, 150 pp.

Abstract

Jorgensen, Knud. Equipping Service: Christian Church and Society. Oxford: Regnum Books International, 2012, 150 pp. This book originates an ecumenical context: Fuller Theological Seminary the United States of America, several institutions Norway and Denmark, and the Mekane Yesus Seminary Ethiopia. Furthermore, it combines various theories with biblical, theological, and practical perspectives on leadership. Jorgensen develops such perspectives from two sources: his experiences as a leader Norway, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, and Switzerland and his reading of literature on Christian and secular leadership. Thereby the author develops a model of leadership based on the interchange between knowledge and life experiences, or combining the teaching of scripture with the insights of contemporary management philosophy. Once that is achieved, the purpose of the book, as he summarizes it, is give an introduction to theories of organisation and leadership with a focus on work church, mission and The book comprises fifteen very short chapters. Due to limitations of space, I shall focus on two key chapters from an African perspective. In chapter 6 the topic of Leadership Culture is addressed. At the outset the author considers the lack of inculturation when it comes to leadership. Too often the is producing imitation leaders, who look like and imitate the leaders from the west (49). Today, the idea of priesthood of all believers is overshadowed by an emphasis on ordained ministry general, the office of the bishop particular. Cathedra, the Episcopal seat, is closely linked with ethnic chiefs and royal throne. Likewise, Episcopal garments have a close affinity to the royal garments. The sceptre is replaced with the bishop's rod, with pastoral connotations, and the mitre of the bishop represents the crown. seems that archaic authoritarian symbolism has found a safe haven the churches the global South, including the hierarchical model based on chieftainship. Instead, Jesus emphasized that among his followers the one willing to be the leader should be the servant of all. seems that the ordained pastors and bishops are more leaders of the servants than servant leaders. The yearning status symbols is not only a matter of archaic symbolism, but can be extended to everyday life situations. For example, Jorgensen notes, It does not help to replace missionaries with local leaders if the rules and structures still are imported (58). Instead, the author suggest a model for an independent church that finds its point of departure in society's own model leader-follower and then lets the Gospel transform this model and set the rules over time (58). I wish the author had moved beyond the traditional model of the ecclesiological culture of leadership culture to the model of liberational and transformative theological culture of the commitment of the religious leaders to orthodoxy and orthopraxis. The has the responsibility to equip leaders who will guide congregations and church-related institutions the ministries and mission of the church. Each and every leader of the must be able to lead the people of God worship to praise God, the Creator, Jesus Christ the Saviour, and the Holy Spirit that sanctifies God's people. Such leaders must proclaim God's saving gospel of justification by grace alone; and engage the diaconal social ministries of serving one's neighbour, by offering assistance and empowerment to the thirsty, the hungry, strangers, refugees, the sick, the landless, and the disinherited. Today, development efforts cannot be separated from the Christian life of faith, witness, and vocation. In our complex world and century, driven by the forces of globalization, the faithful and effective leader needs to attend to the implications of such forces order human life and local cultures to flourish. …