Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

The clergy of the Diocese of Olympia just ended a three-day retreat led by Bishop Eugene Sutton of the Diocese of Maryland. The assignment he had given himself was to help this gathering of priests and deacons, “connect role and soul.” In four incredibly engaging sessions over two days he wove metaphor, story, song (including teaching us the four-part harmony on an old Gospel tune), and the sharing of life experience into a whole-cloth teaching on leadership.

Leadership was the exclusive focus of our fourth session and there he laid out three important tenets that I want to share here. He started the session by making the bold statement that, “We have lost confidence in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and its ability to save.” He made clear that without a purpose, a leader is really just a manipulator. His own personal mission statement is PGE – Proclaim Gospel Everywhere.

He made clear to us that we need to seize our roles as leaders with confidence and purpose. He laid out for us three attributes of a Christian Leader:

1. Possessing the Art of Moving People.
A good leader, Sutton said, is two steps ahead of his or her people. Three steps in front can be too far and “if you look back and nobody is following, you ain’t leading anybody.” Too often we are too tied up with being right rather than remaining in the midst of our communities until what is right is discovered together. However, many clergy are not comfortable being even two steps out in front, abdicating their roles as leaders, uncomfortable giving direction. “Do not inflict your discomfort on your congregation. Deal with it. You are a leader.”

2. Knowing the Difference Between Power and Authority
Just because it says in the canons you can doesn’t mean you should. Power as defined by Sutton is the use of force over others to achieve your own will. Authority, on the other hand, is granted, is earned and is entrusted. It doesn’t come down from above but out of the midst of the people. Don’t confuse the two.

3. Maintaining a Focus on the Big Things
Bishop Sutton shared the story of the presenter who took a jar and put in five big rocks that filled the jar to the rim. Was it full? The presenter then took pea gravel and poured it in so it filled spaces between the big rocks. Again, was the jar full or not? Finally the presenter took a large amount of fine sand and poured all of it in too and still the jar wasn’t spilling over. To laughter, Sutton said, “The point of the story is not that you can always fit more in. Instead, the point is unless you put the biggest rocks in first, you will never fit them in.” He then shared what have become the “big rocks” of his ministry as bishop of Maryland. “I literally have five rocks that sit on the windowsill behind my desk, rocks that read – Prayer, Holiness, Discipline, Purpose, and Honor.” He then ended his time with us by challenging each of us to name the big rocks of our vocation. Words to live by from a bishop who is living his life as a true Christian leader.