Transforming Pastoral Leadership

For many congregations, change creates discomfort. Pastoral leaders are often expected to be experts who manage and control realities beyond their expertise, experience, and ability. That expectation, a product of modern approaches to leadership, views the pastor as responsible for maintaining the status quo. Transforming Pastoral Leadership responds to this context by challenging readers to rediscover key biblical themes around the shepherding metaphor as well as key theological themes steeped in our historical faith narratives. Readers are challenged to consider the origins of our dominant leadership practices and to reconsider how Christ's preeminence as the leader of his church requires us to reconstruct leadership practices that are faithful to his preeminence. To assist congregations, Transforming Pastoral Leadership suggests two processes that might help congregations discern God's missional promptings as they move forward into God's future and experience conflict as opportunities for transformation.

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Why did you write the Transforming Pastoral Leadership?
There are many signs that the times are changing. Data about the "Nones," declining memberships and budgets, and a growing sense of marginalization tell many in the church that congregations are entering a new season of Christian life in the U.S. As we enter this new season of congregational life there is an opportunity to be reshaped as God's people and this book is one way to think about how that reshaping might be an opportunity for the church regarding our view of pastoral expertise and congregational leadership.
You write about "cultural captivity" especially as related to expertise; are you suggesting that there is no place for expertise in pastoral leadership?
Absolutely not. I do try to point out that training and education are still important. But what should change is how we hold expertise. What I want us to consider is how the church might benefit if pastoral leaders were part of the Spirit's work to shape communities by the sharing of these resources with "non-experts." Cultural captivity occurs when we believe the cultural value that expertise has somehow privileged us in a way that excludes the very real work the Spirit of Jesus is doing in God's people.When pastoral leaders use their expertise well and in ways that are driven by the Spirit, the building of God's people for works of service is the result, as Paul tells us in Ephesians 4.
Conflict seems to be an important part of how leadership functions in your work; why is that so?
Well, first it is unavoidable, so if we are going to have conflict, and we will, it ought to be meaningful conflict.What I propose in Transforming Pastoral Leadership is that conflict can be an opportunity for growth, formation,and discernment. But I recognize, that conflict-which could be a source of good-is too often viewed as disloyalty in an age of expertise. That can lead to terrible consequences as too many people have experienced through church fights and marginalization of dissenting parties. I think it is possible that by discounting those who disagree, pastoral leaders could be silencing the prophetic voices in their congregation. That seems a dangerous and debilitating thing to do.
What do you think might be the future of pastoral leadership in light of the changesyou highlight in Transforming Pastoral Leadership?
That's a tricky question. We know already that there are a growing number of people who are bi-vocational and even volunteer pastors. What the future holds long-term; who but God knows? That said, what I hope will be the future of pastoral leadership is a more diverse community of leaders embedded as co-laborers walking with congregations to guide communities of faith to discern God's missional promptings. Guiding is a form of leadership, but one less reliant on power and authority. I am hopeful we can more fully realize the priesthood of all believers as followers of the Spirit in our midst.
Is this a critique of pastors as leaders? How should pastors read this book?
Actually, I am very sympathetic to pastors. Having served in ministry I understand much of the isolation and frustration that can arise from the expectations around expertise. I don't think it is an accident that we are seeing some of the most disheartened and emotionally broken people come out of the pastorate. What I hope pastors will hear is that our current practices have become unhelpful and that they may not reflect the best of our biblical understanding of leadership. I hope that they will recognize that they too belong in the flock and that Christ their Shepherd loves them and wants their flourishing as well. And I hope that this will lead them to recognize the members of their congregations as allies in the mutual goal to follow the leading of the Spirit of God in their midst.
What do you hope those reading Transforming Pastoral Leadership do with your work?
I hope they will begin to experiment with new models of leadership that takes seriously the rule of the Spirit (what I call "Pneumacracy"). Too many of our models are based on OT models that I believe are misinterpretations of the OT stories and don't fully realize the power of Pentecost. If we take seriously that God is active and speaking to and through all believers, then pastoral leaders will need to figure out ways to help congregations to discern God's voice through Scripture and presence. I offer two examples of processes congregations can play with, but I also recognize that there are other ways we may not have discovered yet. Ultimately I want churches to realize Christ's immanent presence mediated by the Spirit and to find new ways to be faithful to God's presence and activity as witnesses of God's in-breaking Kingdom.

"Transforming Pastoral Leadership is a prescient critique of pastoral leadership styled in the manner of executive professionalism. Kinnison's alternative embeds leadership in the mutuality of Triune relationship. As a full participant in the community of faith, the pastor models leadership given to interpretation, relationship, and implementation. This book will challenge the church to rethink its most basic assumptions about what it means to lead, follow, and participate in the unfolding reign of God. Highly recommended."
- Kevin S. Reimer, School of Education, University of California, Irvine

"In this thoughtful and provocative book, Quentin Kinnison argues that if the local church is to regain its prophetic voice it must restore the biblical 'bell-sheep, ' 'under-shepherd' leader and eject the Western 'expert-driven, ' 'pastor-centric' ruler. This book is Henri Nouwen's In the Name of Jesus meets Patrick Lencioni's The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, and is a must-read for pastors, seminary professors, and lay people, preferably together."
- Maxie B. Burch, Chair and Professor, Division of Biblical Studies, John Brown University

"Kinnison invites us to use the biblical metaphor of pastor to help us envision a new way of thinking about pastoral ministry in this postmodern world. This book is an excellent tool for those who want to think about pastoral leadership in a way that is biblically framed and geared toward our rapidly changing world."
- Juan Francisco Martnez, Vice President for Diversity and International Ministries, Fuller Theological Seminary

"Transforming Pastoral Leadership offers a penetrating assessment of the leadership situation facing congregations today. The vision advanced within its pages is hopeful, insightful, and accessible. As a pastor, I am invigorated by the challenge I have received in reading this book. As a professor, I am eager to see a generation of emerging leaders grapple with its contents. As a practical theologian, I celebrate it as a noteworthy contribution to our field of study."
- Cory L. Seibel, Point Pastor, Central Baptist Church, Edmonton, AB; Affiliate Professor, Sioux Falls Seminary