Developing Female LeadersSample

 Take On Your Culture

There is a thick culture in every church that many women, especially those who are going “first,” will bump up against. It can be challenging, hurtful, confusing, and in some cases quite painful. Everyone loses when our culture isn’t ready or willing to embrace new ideas. 

The best ideas in the world cannot overpower culture, even if people really want to see change. You have to get in and shift the culture before your plans and strategies can actually take root and produce the fruit you are looking to harvest. When we lead change within our cultures, we lead the tension of two ecosystems colliding. One established set of ideas, values, and behaviors begins to influence and change another set of ideas, values, and behaviors. 

Unique cultures are defined by their language, boundaries, and symbols. Healthy environments, where all three of these components are aligned in the right direction, keep everyone moving together. To shift culture, then, requires taking on each of these three aspects. The organizations that have made the most progress in helping female leaders develop and contribute to their church bodies have strategically and methodically taken on their culture. It’s not easy and it’s not fast, but it is necessary for real change. 

The reality is, adding female leaders to your teams will change things. Even if everyone agrees that these changes are positive and the church will be better for it, it will feel different. Embracing the tension inherent when two ecosystems come together is not easy, but it is necessary to have a richer and more fruitful community. You can help your culture shift to an environment that not only welcomes and supports new female leadership, but creates an opportunity for many more leaders to grow and thrive.

We hope this plan has been encouraging for you. 

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