Videos of the Shackelton Saga

"Shackelton was a man clearly of his time, but a man also clearly living before his time.
He combined the prophetic and priestly functions of leadership. He reached out to where his crew was (priest) and reached out to where his crew was not but needed to go (prophetic).
He could 'tell it like it is,' but was willing to tell it like it was not but ought to be. Reaching people where they are is how leaders form relationships. But reaching people where they are not is how leaders form hope for 'what you can be' and help construct an imaginary toward which people can direct their steps. If 'what is' is not seen in light of 'what ought to be,' if the priestly isn't built on the prophetic, what comes forth is the therapeutic."
-Sweet, p, 22

Since Leonard Sweet draws from the story of Ernest Shackelton (some call him "the greatest leader") 's Antarctic expedition in our textbook,

here below are some video clips to complement your reading/experience of that story. I have also posted links to several Shackelton articles under "Helpful Websites" on the left hand column of this site. Enjoy!

A young man's school report on Shackelton:


Trailer for "The Endurance," movie about Shackelton:


Actual pictures of Shackelton and the expedition:



Basic story of Shackelton and the Endurance:

Leadership Lessons From Peru

I count it a privilege to travel to Peru (come with me in November..I know it's right in the middle of our class...so, make it a field trip!!). Often I learn valuable lessons about leadership and culture that I thought I knew...

A couple videos:

1)In 2004, after a dramatic trip to the top of the Andes with some leaders and intercessors (watch that clip here); we observed out our van window someone who exhibited the biblical leadership principle of "leading from behind and among the people":
an amazing shepherd(ette):



2) In 2005, when we returned, we found that our friend Pastor Ovidio and his whole family had life-threatening typhoid. They had not yet told their church, as they didn't want them to worry. This is my video of the moving and tearful Sunday morning when our missionary Ken Metz announced the news to the congregation and called them to fervent prayer.

Often we leaders/pastors don't let people in on our lives/reality/prayer requests..even when it's life and death.

Much of this moving video is in Spanish, but anyone will be moved. The scene I captured at 2:05 needs no translation, and will remember it the rest of my life:

Syllabus/Assignments

EFFECTIVE BIBLICAL LEADERSHIP SKILLS (3)
Latin American Bible Institute-Sanger Extension …..Fall 2008

Course website: labileadership.blogspot.com
Instructor: Dave Wainscott, (559) 974-2508 davewainscott@sbcglobal.net

Course Intent: Students will be challenged to develop a working biblical theology/practice of leadership character and skills that is both soundly scriptural and consistent with the student's personality, style, culture, giftedness and calling.

Topics include:
The course will center on cultivating a biblical worldview regarding leadership;
especially through:

• Getting in touch with self, story and style
• Getting in tune with spiritual disciplines and formation
• Getting a taste of the leadership literature, both classic and contemporary
• Getting in time with church and culture shifts

We will also give special attention to various leadership disciplines “modulations” (ex. optimism, integrity, team building, etc. ) that Sweet discusses in the text as a framework for discussion.

COURSE TEXTBOOKS (REQUIRED):
➢ The Bible
➢ Sweet, Leonard. “Summoned to Lead.” Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004.
Note: Chapters 1 and 2 are a free online read here.

RECOMMENDED (NOT REQUIRED):
-Barna, George, editor. “Leaders on Leadership: Wisdom, Advice, and Encouragement on the Art of Leading God's People.” (Leading Edge Series)
-Creps, Earl. “Off-Road Disciplines: Spiritual Adventures of Missional Leaders” (J-B Leadership Network Series) San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2006


ASSIGNMENTS/GRADING:

PERSONAL RESPONSE 1: Complete reading of Introduction through Chapter 4 of Sweet by the third session. Turn in at that session a 1-2 page personal response to the reading. It need not be a summary; but interact with sections that were helpful or challenging to you. (5 POINTS)
PERSONAL RESPONSE 2: Complete reading of Chapters 5 through 8 of Sweet by the sixth session. Turn in at that session a 1-2 page personal response to the reading. It need not be a summary; but interact with sections that were helpful or challenging to you. (5 POINTS)

TERM PAPER AND PRAYER: Write a 4-6 page paper on your personal theology and practice of leadership. Interact with the Scriptures, textbook, class notes, and at least three articles distributed in class. Be sure to discuss possible personal “red flags” and weaknesses; include a summary of your Myers-Briggs and Collage results, noting implications for leadership. How will you build in accountability to live all this out? Conclude with a one page (in addition to the main 4-6 pages of the paper) prayer expressing your desires related to your future as a leader (20 POINTS)

*Note: Read here about a 50-point paper you can write as alternative to the three listed above (and which will excuse you from the mid-term)

**Note: I am open to alternative assignments (especially creative options like internships,
writing a novel, oral presentations, creating artwork or websites...as long as they can in a significant sense measure the objectives of the paper assignment above.

ORAL CASE STUDY: Present to the class a ten minute discussion of a true “case study” from your past experience, work or ministry where you were not happy with your leadership skill, reaction or choice. In light of what you have learned in the course, propose what you could have done differently. (15 POINTS)

MID-TERM EXAM/FINAL EXAM: Both will include questions from assignments and class topics, but also a practical “lab” component where the student (or class as a whole) works through/acts out a tough leadership scenario and creates a best possible response. (40 POINTS)

ATTENDANCE/PARTICIPATION-including completion of Myers-Briggs Profile and Collage in class) (15 POINTS)

Witherington on hierarchy

Ben Witherington--a very helpful writer, blogger and professor--makes some interesting observations (in the middle of a book review of Viola's "Reimagining Church") about hierarchical vs. servant leadership:

Jesus was later to say to these same persons that they would at the eschaton sit on thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. This most certainly is a model of leadership from above that is hierarchial. What happens though when this model of leadership is faithfully carried out is that the pyramid is inverted—Christian leaders lead from below, they lift others up by getting beneath them in the pecking order of things and serving them. Like a weight lifter who, instead of trying to stand and clean and jerk the weight over his head, instead lies down and pushes the weight up from underneath, this is the way Christian leadership is supposed to work. The leader becomes like a servant, but this explains his model of leadership, his modus operandi, not whether he is leading by example or not. There is a difference between leading by the example of humble service and lording it over a group of people. This is the contrast Jesus makes in these sorts of passages. You will notice that this did not prevent Jesus from teaching, preaching, healing and sending out the 12 two by two to do the same, as leaders in training. Jesus did not train all of his disciples to be leaders, because all were not called by him to do so. And lest we think that power does not somehow work in a top down mode in the Kingdom, look at a text like John 20. Jesus breathes on his 12 and says receive the Spirit, in preparation for their doing what Jesus has called and now gifted them to do. They receive their power and authority from on high, not from a vote of a congregation, or a suggestion of a fellow church member or the like. The kingdom of God is indeed a hierarchial notion. It not only has a king, Jesus, it also has his agents, shaliach as they are called in Hebrew, apostles, prophets, teachers etc. So lets be clear—modern business or military models of leadership are not the source of the hierarchial models the church uses when it comes to leadership--- the Bible, including the NT is. Authority is not just based on godly character, meekness and a willingness to serve, though all those things are necessary. It is based on whom God has called, gifted, empowered to serve in a particular manner perhaps specific roles and functions. Function does not merely follow character. There are plenty of Christians of good character who are simply not called to leadership, or as Paul calls is, ‘steering’, administration, oversight. It is certainly true that Jesus strongly interjects some checks and balances so that arrogance and pride and self-serving behavior will not be allowed to be the impetus in Christian leadership. For one thing, he stresses that we should avoid encouraging people to call us by fancy titles. We need to take a more humble approach to leadership. Self-exaltation rather than self-sacrifice is not to be the manner in which we lead (see Mt. 23.8-12). But leadership by gifted and called persons we still need and require, not merely the leadership of Christ in heaven, but the leadership which he exercises through his anointed and appoint agents, both male and female, on earth.
(link, see discussion on chapter 8)