Monthly Leader Guide
This Monthly Leader Guide includes a design to be used at the beginning of meetings of the session and/or board of deacons. Use these as a way of presenting the content provided for each question and studying together the questions affirmed in ordination.
Question h - Energy, Intelligence, Imagination, and Love
REVIEW
1.
(Slide 39) Discerning the Spirit of God and leading God’s people accordingly
requires energy, intelligence, imagination, and love. However, our energy can
be easily depleted, we can question our intelligence, our imaginations can be
dampened, and our love can be tested. So, what sustains us in this work?
2. (Slide
40) This ordination
question begins by asking if you will pray for the people. Perhaps the most
recognizable prayer is the Lord’s Prayer. In that example of prayer, attributed
to Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew and Luke, we find these words: “When you pray. …” Prayer is
what we do; a natural and enduring expression of the human hope that life makes
sense. Prayer is a human inclination to express our need, our joy, our desires,
our pain to God. Prayer is an attitude, a lifestyle of orientation toward God. Prayer
is both individual and corporate; an act of obedience to God and an act of
solidarity with the community of faith. John Calvin defined prayer as “none
other than an expanding of our hearts in the presence of God.”
3. (Slide
41) Using the resource
material and this guide, briefly address each of the four areas: energy,
intelligence, imagination, and love.
ENERGY: The energy given by spiritual leaders to their work should not be demanding but should be life-giving. There are many things that demand our energy on a daily basis. Unlike the cultural norms of productivity and efficiency, the church values wholeness and healing. The energy of leadership is rooted in countercultural values, such as sabbath. Sabbath teaches us that we must not continually pour ourselves out for others, but that we also need times of refreshment and times to be replenished. We must keep one another accountable for the levels of energy we are able to bring to the tasks of leadership and for ensuring we are engaging in restorative practices. The promise to serve with energy is a promise to give your energy and a promise to take time to replenish your energy.
INTELLIGENCE: As Presbyterians, we are deeply
invested in the rigor of intellectual thought. There are, however, different
kinds of intelligence. Howard Gardner, a professor of education at Harvard
University and developmental psychologist, outlined nine types of intelligence: music
smart, body smart, people smart, logic smart, word smart, nature smart, self
smart, picture smart, and body smart. (Slide 42) Each way of
knowing contributes to our corporate knowledge. “There are many gifts, but the
same Spirit.” The promise to serve with intelligence is a promise to use your
unique way of knowing the world in service to the Kingdom of God.
(Slide
43)
IMAGINATION: The Reverend Dr. Rodger Nishioka, senior
associate and director of adult educational ministries at Village Presbyterian
Church in Prairie Village, Kansas, discusses the theological value of
imagination in this YouTube video. The title of the video is Imagination—Dr. Rodger Nishioka. The promise to serve with imagination is a promise to encourage creativity and creative problem solving.
LOVE: “They will know we are Christians by our love.” This familiar song reflects the simple truth that love is at the heart of our identity as the church of Jesus Christ. To love one another, we must know and be known by one another. Taking time to share the joys and sorrows of life and praying for one another allows us to know one another more deeply. To promise to serve with love is a promise to work on building relationships with other leaders, to demonstrate love in our interactions, and to be open to sharing our lives with one another.
REFLECT
1. Brainstorm ways the leaders can engage in meaningful practices of prayer for the people of your congregation. Perhaps you could pray for several members at each meeting, divide up the congregation among the officers, pray for those with particular needs, pray for groups of people such as Sunday school teachers, food pantry volunteers, etc.
2. Do the energy inventory with your group as described at the end of the “Energy” section of the resource material.
3. Where do you see imagination at work in this congregation? What are the hindrances to imagination?
4. Tell a story about a time you gave or received love in community. How did you open yourself to receiving love and care? Was it easy or difficult?
RESPOND
Close by leading the group in one of the Prayer and Spiritual Practice activities included in the resource material for this session.