|
Part 2 – Transformational Leadership
Trading Biblical unity for a more inclusive
By Berit Kjos |
For background information,
|
“Families need rebuilding. Jobs are scarce. The cost of living is
increasing. … Children do not have a level playing field for every
intellectual, social and emotional development. We are flooded with
evidence of the need for societal transformation everywhere
we look…. Peter
Drucker, in The Age of Transformation, says that this age
is far from over and predicts it will reach well into the next century.
This is a time, which calls for a critical mass of transformational
leaders….”
Erik Rees, Minister
of Life Mission at Saddleback Church.
“Seven Principles of
Transformational Leadership — Creating a Synergy of Energy““Citizenship for the next century is learning to live
together.
The 21st Century city will be a city of social solidarity….
We have to redefine the words… [and write a new] social contract.”[2]
Federico Mayor, former Director General of UNESCO,
“The UN Plan For Global
Control.”
Emphasis has been added through italicized
or bold letters.
You probably won’t discover Rick Warren’s vision for the
21st century community by simply reading his top-selling books. Yet, many
have sensed that his five familiar motivational purposes hide a
more complex mission. Some have noticed
that his transformational strategies match those of UN globalists and
the world’s leading change agents.
No wonder, since today’s management gurus — Peter Drucker, Peter Senge,
Bob
Buford and others — are shaping the same strategic pathways for
purpose-driven churches as for
the rest of the world.Their clever use of words and the
complexities of today’s transformational management systems tend to blind our eyes to the strange alliances and manipulative
strategies. Who would know the philosophy and
tactical power behind labels such as “systems
thinking,” “facilitated learning” or “transformational leadership”?
As with educational buzzwords, the old familiar words take on new meaning
when used in the context of planned social change.
[See also
New Age Terms in the Church]
I first glimpsed the UN vision for the 21st century
community during the 1996
UN Conference on Human
Settlements in Istanbul. At a day-long
panel presentation on “solidarity” and social change, I heard the world’s
political, spiritual and social change agents share their common goals and
guidelines on human resource development and global oneness: They would gather
people together in communities within cities, then use the latest
psycho-social strategies, including the dialectic process, to train the
masses in “a new way of thinking,” living and relating to one
another.“Change your whole way of
thinking, because the new order of the spirit is confronting
and challenging you,” said Millard Fuller, President of
Habitat for Humanity.“Citizenship for the next century is learning to live
together,” said Federico Mayor, Director General of UNESCO.
“The 21st Century city will be a city of social solidarity….
We have to redefine the words… [and write a new] social contract.”“We should stop bemoaning the growth of cities,”
added Dr. Ismail Serageldin, Vice President of The World Bank.
“It’s going to happen and it’s a good thing, because cities
are the vectors of social change and transformation. Let’s just
make sure that social change and transformation are going in
the right direction.” Later he added, “The media must
act as part of the education process that counters individualism.”[2]
Individualism is out. Collective
thinking, strategic leadership and facilitated learning are in! And no
group of transformational leaders are more effectively pioneering the
process and pushing the transformation “in the right direction”
than
Saddleback Community Church.Consider an article posted on Rick Warren’s
website, pastors.com, titled
“Seven
Principles of Transformational Leadership.” The author, Erik
Rees, is one of Saddleback’s influential pastors.
In his article, he bases his vision of social change on the experimental
plans touted by the world’s cutting-edge leaders — secular, pagan and Christian
— all linked by the common vision of “transformation:”“This is a time, which calls for a critical mass of transformational leaders
who will commit to creating a synergy of energy within their circle of
influence so new levels of social, economic, organizational and spiritual
success can be reached.“We have not, however, developed the leaders we need
for this noble task. To reach such heights, we will need to un-tap the
leadership potential of skillful leaders who are successfully directing
various organizations and systems. Some of these men and women,
knowledgeable and committed, to their profession, will be the
transformational leaders we need to create the needed
synergy of energy.”[1]
Notice that Pastor Rees calls, not for
Christian leaders, but for cutting-edge leaders who share the vision and skills
[systems thinking and transformational methods] needed for
transformation. Nor does He suggest dependence on the Holy Spirit. In the
next paragraph, the focus is on the process, not God or His Word. In fact,
the Biblical truths that would counter this process must be left out or
reinterpreted to fit the new context.
[See
Spirit-Led or Purpose-Driven]:“This new paradigm of transformational leadership is not just for the
marketplace but also for the local and global movement of Christ. One of the
most influential movements, for the advancement of the church, is the
Purpose-Driven model developed by Rick Warren, Senior Pastor of Saddleback
Church. Leaders of Purpose-Driven churches not only are called to
authentically model the five Biblical purposes… they depend on the seven principles
of transformational leadership to create a
synergy of energy within their
flock.”[1]
[emphasis added]As you read those seven principles, remember
that these summarize some of the transformational strategies used by UN
leaders, corporate executives and “progressive educators” as well as pastors
around the world. They generally “make sense,” therefore we tend to accept
them without considering the unbiblical process central to the new context.
[See The
Mind-Changing Process] Each
nice-sounding principle is followed by self-assessments, which helps
steer the transformation and its change agents “in the right direction:”“1. Principle of Simplification
Successful leadership begins with a vision, which reflects the shared
purpose. The ability to articulate a clear, practical, transformational
vision which answers the question, ‘Where are we headed?'”“2.
Principle of Motivation The ability to gain the agreement and
commitment of other people to the vision. … A common way to motivate others is to
challenge them, provide ample opportunity to join the creative process, and
give them the credit.”
[Not God?]“3. Principle of Facilitation The ability to effectively facilitate the
learning of individuals, teams….
Peter Senge in Fifth Discipline says the primary job of leadership now
is to facilitate the
learning of others.”“4. Principle of Innovation
The ability to boldly initiate prayerful change
when needed. … Team members successfully influence one another to assimilate
change because the transformational leaders have built trust and fostered
teamwork.”“5. Principle of Mobilization The ability to enlist, equip and empower
others to fulfill the vision. Transformational leaders… desire leadership at all levels, so
they find ways to invite and ignite leadership all levels. They introduce
simple baby steps to enlist larger participants.”
[That’s what 40 Days of Purpose is:
“baby steps” toward the new solidarity. 40 Days of Community is
simply the next, higher level in this process]“6.
Principle of Preparation – The ability to never stop learning about
themselves…. Rick Warren says, ‘Leaders are learners.’ … This is such a rigorous path of learning
that transformational leaders must be in thriving relationships with others
pursuing transformation. It is within these vital relationships, life
opportunities and obstacles get saturated in love and support.“
[Keep in mind, this promise of “love and support” applies whether the
group forms under a secular or Christian banner. Facilitated
togetherness, not the Holy Spirit, is the glue that creates success.]
“7. Principle of Determination The ability to finish the race.
… Transformational leaders have to develop spiritual, emotional,
and physical disciplines to sustain their high level of commitment to their
cause.”[1]Erik Rees’s bio statement at the end of his
2001 article tells us that “Erik
starts his doctorate next year in Strategic Leadership at Regent University,”
which was founded in Virginia by Pat Robertson.
“Erik’s life purpose is to help organizations focus their resources by
creating a synergy of energy within their circle of influence.”
Mr. Rees is likely to take some of his
courses from, an
affiliate professor at
Regent
University‘s
School of Leadership Studies. Mr. Gary is a
visionary leader who has designed a theological formula and historical timeline that
strays as far from Biblical truth as the revived Gnostic “gospels.” A
Senior Associate with
The World Network of
Religious Futurists and a member of the
World Future Society (WFS), his involvement with
the supposedly “Christian” Regent University defies any
Biblical logic.Though relatively unknown
in churches, Jay Gary has become a forceful leader in todays vast and vital
effort to evangelize the world — but not for the Biblical Jesus.
[Read more about him in “Other members of the WFS include occult
author, UN leader
Maurice
Strong and futurists Alvin and Heidi Toffler. In their book, Creating a
New Civilization, the Tofflers wrote an appropriate summary of the
ungodly direction of today’s transformational leadership. The fact that Newt
Gingrich wrote its foreword makes it all the more alarming:“A new civilization is emerging in our
lives, and blind men everywhere are trying to suppress it. This new
civilization brings with it new family styles, changed ways of working,
loving, and living, a new economy, new political conflicts, and beyond
all this an altered consciousness as well.”[3]Might you and I be counted among those “blind
men?”Listed among the resources at Regent’s
School of Leadership Studies
is a report co-authored by Dr. Peter Senge titled “Communities of
Commitment: The Heart of Learning Organizations.” In Part 2 of this
short series, I
will compare Dr. Senge’s outline for strategic “learning organizations” with Rick Warren’s new book,
Better Together, the workbook
for 40 Days of Community. While Warren freely expresses faith in our Lord
and His truths, the imbalanced use of Scriptures and the misleading
paraphrased interpretations follow the same pattern that was outlined in
Spirit-Led or Purpose-Driven, Part 1.
And behind the Biblical words you will find a system and a process
designed to move every participant away from any firm position on the Rock
of Biblical absolutes to the shifting sands of systems thinking,
transformational learning, and “continual change” within the enticing
new “learning organization.”Remember, traditional thinking, discernment and worldviews based on God’s
unchanging Truth will clash the vision of
the 21st century community.“Beware
lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the
tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and
not according to Christ.” Colossians
2:6-9
Next:
Part 2 – Creating Community
through a New Way of Thinking
See also “Reinventing the World Part 2: The Mind-Changing
Process“
and the
entire series on
“Spirit-Led or Purpose-Driven?”
Endnotes:
“Seven Principles of
Transformational Leadership — Creating A Synergy of Energy“
The UN Plan For Global
Control: A Report on Habitat IIAlvin and Heidi Toffler, Creating a New Civilization (Atlanta: Turner
Publishing, 1994), page 19.
Peter
Senge and Fred Kofman, “Communities of
Commitment: The Heart of Learning Organizations” at
http://deming.eng.clemson.edu/pub/tqmbbs/prin-pract/comcom.txt
Home
|
Articles |
News
|
Chart |
Re-Inventing the Church
(2 parts)
