Lifeshapes is a language of discipleship, which enables us to be led and to lead others. In these posts [which assume familiarity with Lifeshapes] I want to reflect on their application in leadership development – taking people on from being able to take responsibility for themselves, to leading others, to leading leaders. In particular, I want to ask the questions:
Which shape is primary at each stage?
What character issues and skills issues need to be addressed at each stage (building on the previous stage)?
These reflections are very much a work in progress! Feed-back welcome.
Becoming a leader of a small group of people (e.g. cell, children’s age-group team)
Primary shape: the semi-circle – living in rhythm with life
Character issues: am I living in a state of peace? do I pursue intimacy with God? am I growing in my faith? is my life bearing fruit? am I willing to be pruned, in areas of unfruitfulness and areas of fruitfulness, in order to become more fruitful?
Skills issues: can I identify the shifts from abiding to growing to bearing fruit to being pruned back to abiding again? How easy do I find it to help those I lead identify these shifts in their own lives?
Secondary shape: the triangle – balancing the relationships of life
Character issues:
UP – do I pursue intimacy with God? what is on my heart for intercession?
IN – do I love those I lead? am I flexible? am I making myself appropriately vulnerable to others? is my family happy? am I sleeping/eating/resting well?
OUT – do I make time for relationships with non-Christians?
Skills issues:
UP – how easy do I find it to hear direction from God? am I helping those I lead to discover how to express their relationship with God appropriately to their God-given personality and the season of life they are in?
IN – am I learning how to extend invitation and challenge to others? do I take on the discipline of making myself appropriately vulnerable to others, and have I defined my own boundaries well? do I take on the discipline of confrontation?
OUT – is my group welcoming? do the members have a clear shared vision? am I able to identify potential new leaders and multiply the group?
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