OKLAHOMA CITY––Leaders of men’s ministry from seven denominations learned to “Lead like Jesus,” during a March 23-25 meeting at the headquarters of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church here.

“Something rather remarkable took place at the meeting,” said Gil Hanke, top staff executive of the General Commission on United Methodist Men and coordinator of the event. “Leaders from several very different denominations met, exchanged ideas and materials, prayed and laughed together and all were taught a leadership model taken from the New Testament.”

Jim Boesch, a deployed staff member of the commission, led a session on Lead Like Jesus, based on a book of the same title by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges.

The authors divide leadership into four domains: Heart, Head, Hands, and Habits.

• Heart is all about your motivation. Authors ask about your EGO (Are you Edging God Out because of pride and fear? Or, are you Exalting God Only through humility and confidence?) Are you a servant leader or a self-serving leader?
• Head deals with your beliefs and theories about leading and motivating others. Servant leaders play two roles: 1) a visionary role that sets the course and the destination and 2) an implementation role.
• Hands detail four stages of learning: 1) Novice––just starting out; 2) Apprentice–– in training; 3) Journeyman––capable of working independently; and 4) Master––highly skilled and able to teach others
• Habits address the need to renew your daily commitments in order to remain a servant leader through both the “Being Habits” of abiding in God’s love, solitude, prayer, scripture and fellowship with an intimate group of companions as well as the “Doing Habits” of expressing God’s love, grace, forgiveness, community and encouragement of others.

“I have seen Jim teach this one day encounter before, but this was a different level audience, and one that covered a wide theological spectrum,” said Hanke. “Participants were completely engaged and each saw this material as essential for his work in this critical area of need within his denomination.”

Built into the training are weekly follow up emails from the publisher to each participant; Boesch will also provide additional coaching.

“During our time together, there was not a harsh word or criticism, not an argument over our very different theology, only praise and support for each other’s efforts in this difficult area of ministry which we all share,” said Hanke.

“This content, this cooperation, and this time together was all Kingdom building,” said Bill Terry, a leader of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church and host of the event.

Photo from left: Dave Moore from the International Pentecostal Holiness Church; George Brown from the African Methodist Episcopal Church; Boesch; Hanke; Doug Haugen from the Evangelical Lutheran Church; Terry; Tom Groot from the Assemblies of God Church; Darrel Billups from the National Coalition on Ministry to Men; Jack Hanstein from the Episcopal/Anglican Church ,and Stephen Bentley from the Disciples of Christ Church.