The election is all about leadership.  We the people are choosing leaders for one of the most crucial periods in our nation’s history.  I hope you will vote and be part of the choosing process.  I hope you will also take some time to think about leadership and what that means to you.  I’ve been thinking a lot about leadership, especially during the past few weeks, and how it relates to our faith journey.

Jesus taught leadership.  He said, “Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant.” (Mark 10:43).  Servant leadership means that leaders work alongside followers, sharing the journey.  Servant leadership does not mean being a doormat.  It also does not mean being autocrat or a dynamic dictator.  It does mean leading by example as well as by what you say.  Leaders have a vision, usually a long term vision that guides the day to day choices.  Leaders stay connected with those they lead.  They communicate well because they listen well.  Leaders also maintain their personal integrity – they stay in their own skin.

Leadership is not only the responsibility and privilege of individuals.  Nations can lead and the United States has often provided leadership in terms of promoting democracy and human rights, standing up to fascism and Communism, recovery from disasters and war, and the develop of new technology.  Author Thomas Friedman, in The World Is Flat, said the world looks to the U. S. for hope, though lately we’ve been exported a lot more fear than hope.  In his latest book (Hot, Flat, and Crowded), Friedman challenges us to lead the world in developing green technology.  This will benefit us economically and benefit the whole world environmentally.  Let me add that it would be a giant step spiritually in terms of our stewardship of this planet.

The Church (writ large) has a responsibility to lead.  The entire world needs churches to step up and lead the way for the practice of peace, the inclusion of all people, and the establishment of justice.  The way to make this happen is for individual congregations that have found their call:  their mission to be peacemakers, to embrace inclusion, and to practice justice personally and institutionally. 

Beyond the current economic and political crises lies an even larger challenge – global climate change.  Churches need to step up today and speak out for global climate sensitivity, reasonable conservation through simplification of lifestyles and the development of renewable and sustainable energy in our society.  This approach will not only help the United States economically and ecologically, but we can make clean and renewable energy available to all people – especially those in the third world.  To fail to work for stewardship of this planet at this time in history would be to fail to lead when all creation desperately needs such leadership.

Thanks for continuing to bless me as we journey together.

--Jack Price