LEADING FROM OUR BROKENNESS

PRIME THE PUMP

Choose two or three of the learning pieces (below) that pique your interest and be prepared to discuss some of the concepts at the Leading Out of Brokenness seminar. If you want to work through all of them, go for it.

  • Read (and/or Listen to) Rabbi Johnathan Sacks’ Parsha: “When Weakness Becomes Strength” (if you view the link on your phone, scroll down to bottom of the page to find the recording)

    • Have you ever felt inadequate for a task you have been assigned or a job you have been given?

    • Do you sometimes feel that other people have too high an estimate of your abilities?

    • Has there been a moment when you felt like a fake, a fraud, and that at some time you would be found out and discovered to be the weak, fallible, imperfect human being you know in your heart you are? (See imposter’s syndrome)

    • What are a few of the weaknesses that you wrestle with that you have that you could use as strengths in the Kingdom of God?

  • Read Chapter 1, “Come Out of Hiding” from Abba’s Child by Brennan Manning

    • What is your general reflection on Manning’s first chapter of his book?

    • Reflect on the first two paragraphs at the top of page 21. How would you respond or how have you responded to that second paragraph?

    • Manning said that God calls us out of hiding like he did with Adam and Eve? What would that look like for you? From what do you hide?

    • On a scale from 1-10 (1=horribly low, 10=healthy), what is the status of your self-worth or how much do you like you? (see page 23)

    • What might be the impact for a Christian leader who has a low self-worth and who serves people?

    • What relationships do vulnerability, brokenness, and healthy self-worth have?

    • What does a wounded healer do with the above three concepts?

  • Read the introduction and chapter 1 of Leading with a Limp by Dan B. Allender

    • In what situations have you seen the paradox of leading (page 3) play out? (The first printed page is page 1)

    • Allender asks, “Why is it so rare for leaders to name their failures (4)? What is your answer?

    • What makes leadership so difficult? List the challenges that Allender mentions in this reading.

    • How relevant are the leadership challenges (see the charts on pp. 8-9)? What would you add or replace? How do you answer these challenges?

    • Describe the reluctant leader.

    • In what ways can you apply what you read to your own leadership with the fellowship of believers?

  • Watch “Embracing your Brokenness” by Bryan Stevenson, Founder & Executive Director of Equal Justice Initiative

    • What does the projection of “perfect” accomplish?

    • What is the value of brokenness?

  • Read Chapter 7: “Live in Brokenness and Vulnerability” from Peter Scazzero’s Emotionally Healthy Church

    • Develop your own theology of Weakness. Feel free to agree or disagree with and include or exclude ideas from Scazzero’s Theology of Weakness. He provides a lot of scripture for use.

    • Explore the comparison charts of the two types of churches. Which set of comparisons best describes you as a leader and your church community?

    • Using Scazzero’s description, what steps would you take to transition a church from being “Proud & Defensive” to being “Broken & Vulnerable.”

    • What would it look like if you Embraced All Your Humanity?

  • Read Chapter Two-”Debunking the Vulnerability Myths” from Daring Greatly by Brene Brown

    • How does Brown define vulnerability? What would you change or add to her definition?

    • Which of the four Vulnerability Myths apply to you?

    • To what degree do you embrace vulnerability? To what extent do you avoid it, especially among the church community?

    • How does this chapter on vulnerability relate to the other authors?

  • Watch Brené Brown’s Ted Talk on “The Power of Vulnerability”

    • How powerful is shame for a leader?

    • How possible is it for a Christian leader to be fully mature in Christ and still be paralyzed and crippled by shame?

    • How do you deal with vulnerability? What do most people do with vulnerability?

    • What are the dangers of numbing and pushing down the horrible feelings associated with our brokenness?

  • Reflect on the above and apply it to your life

    • Reflect on your life. Identify several incidents of brokenness, hurt, loss, weakness, etc.. How have you or could you use these incidents of being broken, of being human to become a better servant-leader?

    • What action steps might you take after working through this priming the pump section? Be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time-based [when])

    • What are the dangers of being a wounded healer of which we must be cautious AND of which we must be aware when working with congregants?

SESSION MATERIALS

SESSION REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  • How can you guard against adopting the Great Man theory of leadership for your own life in ministry and at work?

  • Spend more time deeply reflecting on the negative experiences, hurts, brokenness, or pain that you have experienced in your life and how you can serve through these experiences.

  • When do you often wear a mask?

  • How can we create the kind of culture where people can be vulnerable and embrace our limitations and weaknesses so that together we can be the body of Christ?

  • Practice service in hiddenness often.

  • Work through the “prime the pump” material above to go deeper in this topic.

RESOURCES