| Ministry requires a great deal more than Bible knowledge, a grasp of intellectual realities, and a relationship with the Lord. It requires a call from the Lord to come and follow Him; in order for ministers to grow "in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (Luke 2:52), they must see life as a continual process of learning and developing---to become all Christ has called them to be.;This project introduced skills vital to the local church pastor's ongoing ministry effectiveness, specifically Emotional Intelligence (EI) competencies and Situational Leadership (SL) principles. EI establishes a grid for going beyond the cognitive skills typically included in ministerial training to incorporate self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management as additional competencies essential to the preparation of the minister. SL fits into the social awareness and relationship management side of EI and assists pastors in understanding the context of the local church. The way individuals perceive the church comes largely from the mental model they possess regarding the functioning of the church. Because the Assemblies of God holds that the Bible is the believer's rule of faith and conduct, the biblical metaphors, through teaching, preaching, and practice, should exert substantial influence on church members view and practice of the church. The four primary biblical metaphors of the church---the body of Christ, the family of God, the household of faith, and the army of the Lord---provide a framework for understanding how individual church members develop through supportive and directive leadership skills. These four metaphors correlate to the four Situational Leadership models of how individuals develop that Ken Blanchard terms delegating, supporting, coaching, and directing leadership behavior.;When embarking on a new ministry context, the pastor will profit from self-awareness, self-management, social awareness (both church and community), and relationship management skills that assist in leading the church toward greater effectiveness for the kingdom of God. |
