What is “Wholehearted Leadership”?
Our belief is that as local church leaders and congregations walk the ancient paths—as they move in step with God’s Spirit and experience the life Jesus offers—they’ll be changed and exemplify the following characteristics…
A working definition
Wholehearted Leadership.
We bring our transformed and transforming presence into our leadership. Harbor Network leaders partake in the humble pursuit of the development of the whole person, marked by the oneness and communion with God that is necessary for healthy leadership from the heart, not the hurt. It is marked by an increase in bold faith, prayer, living in community, joyful participation in missions and evangelism, the pursuit of personal holiness, and growing self-awareness.
A humble example
During the COVID-19 pandemic, social isolation has made it difficult to be present with one another. But one Harbor Network pastor in Spokane, Washington has taken the time each week to read Bible stories to the children of his congregation over Zoom. In a time when building a large online presence can be so tempting, this pastor has given his faithful and consistent presence to little ones who are unable to like and retweet in return.
Some simple behaviors
The “transformed and transforming” language recognizes our limitations, frailty, and weaknesses while emphasizing the progressive nature of the discipleship journey. Leaders never truly “arrive,” but are continually being renewed and remade into Christ’s likeness by the Spirit.
“Wholehearted” emphasizes the whole person, requires vulnerability on the part of the leader, dependency on Christ, and community to repair what has been disconnected and divided.
Harbor Network leaders lead soulfully and joyfully, pursuing a holistic vitality in all the interwoven aspects of life: emotional, spiritual, relational, intellectual, and physical.
Other words that describe behaviors in line with this value: authenticity, availability, vulnerability, self-giving presence, humble confidence.
We participate in God’s ongoing work of transformation in our own leadership journey - remaking us from wounded to healing, from absence to presence, from divided to whole.
Scriptures to reference
Deuteronomy 6
Joshua 22:5
Psalm 86:11, 132?
Jeremiah 29:13
Matthew 11:28-30
1 Corinthians 15:58
2 Corinthians 2:14, 3:18
1 Thessalonians 2:8
Resources to explore
Resilient Ministry by Burns, Chapman Guthrie
Emotionally Healthy Leadership by Pete Scazzero
Wounded Healer by Henri Nouwen
The Critical Journey by Hagberg and Guelich
Wholeheartedness by Chuck DeGroat
The Gift of Being Yourself by David Benner
New Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton
The Relational Soul by Rich Plass and Jim Cofield
The Imperfect Pastor by Zac Eswine
A Failure of Nerve by Edwin Friedman
Casey Smith is a native Midwesterner who works as Harbor Network’s Communications Director. He also works as the worship pastor of Trinity Community Church, a Harbor Network church in Columbia, Missouri. Prior to joining Harbor Network, he managed banking centers for Bank of America and worked with Acts 29 in the US and Western Europe.
