Early Church Creativity. Application For Todays Organizational Leaders

Early Church Creativity 1

Running head: EARLY CHURCH CREATIVITY: APPLICATION

Early Church Creativity: Application for Today’s Organizational Leaders

Melody Jill Cazort

Regent University


Abstract

This essay describes how First Christian communities grew, because of creative leadership, from

narrow-minded and limited spirituality to a solid religious entity. Against many negative

environmental factors, Jesus successfully guided other leaders in the mission of spreading God’s

Word throughout the region. Leaders ingenuously created and took advantage of opportunities as

well as minimized factors against them. Contemporary leadership can learn from this innovation,

as creativity is vital for organizational success. Using biblical scripture, the essay also explains

how modern leadership should mirror how Jesus addressed and directed His Apostles. Lastly,

recommendations demonstrate how leaders can commence and maintain creativity in the

corporation.


Early Church Creativity: Application for Today’s Organizational Leaders

Creativity helped the early Christian churches grow and current leaders can apply the

early leaders’ original organizational principles. As the first Christian leaders’ mission was to

spread Christianity, they creatively presented it to the communities in dynamic surroundings and

current leaders should open the organizational mindset to creativity with the same methods. The

essay concludes with leadership recommendations to encourage creativity in the environment

and then summarizes major points to guide the corporation into success.

Leadership of the Early Christian Communities

Although, students traditionally picked their teachers in the First Century Mediterranean

setting, Jesus selected His students for disciple membership (Reader’s Digest Association, 1987).

This collection was a diverse group. Jesus first empowered the Apostles and afterwards He sent

them to surrounding regions. With leadership forethought, thinking artistically, and planning for

the surroundings, the Apostles accomplished their mission for Christianity. The following

sections study the environment and the disciple followers more in depth.

The Environment

This Mediterranean environment was fertile for religious growth (Reader’s Digest

Association, 1987). These regions were full of fear, brutality, and civic and political unhappiness

that brought a “messianic longing,” a hope, that God would send a leader (p. 203). Thus, the

people of the first century were ready for and looking forward to a change, a new answer that

would meet their needs. The support for this leader was innovative because when Jesus arrived

and assigned the Apostles to go out to the community, a great number of their followers were

groups of women, which was not customary for follower groups in that era. This distinction

proved advantageous for Christian religion. As Luke 8:2-3 (New American Standard Bible)


explained, several women contributed to the disciples’ needs, therefore productively helping

support the Apostle’s mission. Other barriers for spreading Christianity were resolved in creative

and resourceful ways, as the next paragraph explains.

Stark (1996) claimed that the odds of a new religion emerging depends greatly upon its

environment and the organization of the religion. These factors explain why the Christian

movement succeeded. One factor to consider is that while Romans tried to control religion in the

surrounding regions, Paganism was weak and expensive for people to maintain. Christianity

essentially created a niche in this environment, as it was inexpensive. The organization of

Christianity was in such a way that anyone could practice it. The church organization met

people’s needs as its leaders and members provided human necessities and security in the

society. The Christian organizational style did not operate as the elite religions did with their

status levels that restricted people from approaching them. Christian clergy were not distanced

from the followers, but approachable, without paying a fee. As the next paragraph explores more

in detail, the hierarchy with few levels benefited Christianity in other ways.

Consequently, with a more horizontal hierarchical ladder, when the Romans tried to

destroy Christianity from the top down with the church leaders, they failed. Stark concluded that

Christian . . . “growth was through the united and motivated efforts of the growing numbers of

Christian believers, who invited their friends, relatives, and neighbors to share the ‘good news’."

(p. 215). Major factors in Christianity’s success were the material benefits that attracted people,

the feeling of belonging that the organization provided to the community, and that it was

rewarding for them. These few differences demonstrate why people favored Christianity over

some other beliefs.


Thus, with forethought and creative practices, leaders learned how to and made the most

of their environment to attract the maximum number of Christians for the church from the

surrounding communities. By working ingenuously, Jesus strategically increased the most

Christians possible from communities for the church. Next, the essay shows how choice of

disciples demonstrated more creativity, resulting in success for spreading Christianity.

The Apostles and Extending Leadership

Jesus picked the disciples whom He believed would spread Christianity and establish

churches (Reader’s Digest Association, 1987). Jesus’ selection of leaders made a mixed, assorted

group. One of His chosen was Paul, who had previously worked against Christianity and thus

had knowledge and insight into what the opposition felt and why. Paul brought insight about the

opposing religion and thus this vital information was available to the entire group. In this way,

the leaders could know what they were challenging and understand how the natives perceived

other religious beliefs. The information that Paul knew and shared from his background

benefited the assembly when these Apostles were sent out to the communities. Another disciple,

Barnabas, not only encouraged people but also served as a role model by helping others and

giving funds to support Christian churches (Hurlbut, 1967). As the following part explores, this

goodness was common for the Apostles in spreading God’s word.

The Apostles worked ethically and supplied the continually poor population with what

this environment needed (Reader’s Digest Association, 1987). The Apostles’ reputation of

honest leadership proved consistent; so the populace learned to believe and trust them. The next

paragraph explains more about the benefits derived from their diversity and artistic power.

By collecting diverse leaders for the disciples, different insights and perceptions for

achieving their goal of spreading Christianity and initiating churches were made possible.


Different talents and imaginative ideas were more likely. Additionally, Jesus’ choices such as

Barnabas proved beneficial for ministering. Through his model behavior, Barnabas innovatively

demonstrated to others the expectations of being a Christian. Because each disciple had a

different background, this showed potential Christians that anyone could become a Christian, no

matter where a person comes from. The disciples set good examples for Christianity. Each of

Jesus’ chosen leaders proved beneficial in their own distinctive ways for ministering Christianity

to other communities. The next section demonstrates how contemporary leaders can understand

this in a way to utilize aspects of creativity with similar conduct and methods.

Applying Early Church Leadership Concepts

As early church leaders creatively opened the insular minds of people to Christianity,

leaders today can open their organization’s way of thinking to creativity. As the next part

explains, beginning with leaders who can demonstrate their skills and abilities to qualify for a

leadership position is a good place to start.

Maximizing Creativity by Choosing the Appropriate Leadership

To select the most novel leaders provide the opportunity to prove their skills, Pendse

(2007) recommends applying the Initiative, Creativity, and Results (ICR) approach. The ICR

application allows a leader applicant to find a dilemma within the company and productively

create a solution. In this process, the candidate selects one or more problems, proposes a project,

enlists coworkers’ or other outside assistance, and produces one or more assessable resolutions

that benefit the organization. Completion of one or more of these ICR projects would qualify a

candidate for a leadership position. For optimal results, other fine points entail in this procedure

but this is the basic outline and the next paragraph presents an example.


For maximizing creative innovation with the ICR method, Pendse (2007) stressed the

advantage of creating or already operating with an open style of corporate culture. This company

atmosphere normally encourages inventiveness and managers who support imaginative

initiatives or would be willing to develop them. Pendse stated this kind of corporate culture or

setting aids the ICR procedure. Contemporary companies that are rapidly growing demand

employee creativity and need innovation in order to grow. The ICR Approach has the following

multiple advantages for creativity from leaders to followers:

1. It rewards initiative by promoting an ingenious member to a leadership position and

possibly a new product or market for the firm.

2. The ICR promotes leaders objectively, without bias.

3. It provides an example to human resources in how creativity can work and bring

innovation into the firm.

4. It proves to followers, from new recruits through top management, that the organization

seriously desires creativeness.

5. The procedure helps generate a supportive organizational culture.

6. It boosts morale.

7. The process, as a whole, proves that creativity can resolve quandaries.

Utilizing processes such as the ICR demonstrate how to encourage leadership creativity and

transfer to followers in the organization. Next, the essay examines biblical guidance in leadership

practices.

Organizational Leadership for Today from Sacred Texture Analysis

From socio-rhetorical criticism, sacred textural study presents insight into the most

significant and best leader in world, Jesus. Because God was behind the growth of Christianity,


especially through Christ, this was deity. Before sending the Apostles out on their missionary

assignment of growing Christianity, Jesus provided authority and power to them, as the next

paragraph explains.

Preparing Leaders

In Luke 1:1-6, Jesus gave specific instructions and information for the pending leaders,

the Apostles, to accomplish their tasks. Jesus spoke to them regarding what to take, where to go,

how long to stay, and even what to do when they left. Commentary surrounding this scripture

explains that these disciples were competent teachers others for what the Lord had prearranged

for them (Biblegateway, 2008). Jesus is the source of power so if leaders go out “. . . with the

word of his ministers in power, to deliver sinners from Satan's bondage, they may be sure that he

will care for their wants.” (p. 1). This power and support is implicit, as sacred texture that Jesus

will supply their needs as the Apostles did their work. The next paragraph demonstrates how

contemporary management can relate to this.

Employing this Data Today

Modern leadership should simulate Jesus’ leadership with trust, giving authority to

followers for making their decisions. As they assign tasks in expectation of completing them, top

management should provide the control and influence down through its hierarchy to all

followers. As Jesus’ hierarchy was mainly horizontal, organizations should have their personnel

operating with few hierarchical levels, making managers easily accessible. Leadership should

teach and provide appropriate training for their followers to effectively complete a task and

demonstrate to followers that leadership would care for them. All of these business practices

simulate the leadership that Jesus practiced. More advice follows in the next section,

summarizing how leaders can use biblical leadership history that remains applicable today.


Leadership Recommendations

For maximum results, leaders must take the following action steps and develop a plan

that accommodates for their organization.

1. Leadership should create a clear goal, vision, plan, and a mission statement.

2. Leaders should accommodate for follower needs, such as teaching beforehand, to prepare

them for effective assignment completion.

3. Managers must formulate a comfortable environment, a positive corporate culture, for

creativity to prosper.

4. Management should work ethically to gain trust from followers.

5. Executive must pay attention to the needs of stakeholders, possibly identifying an

opportunity for a niche.

6. The administration should encourage and Practice Diversity, such as in composing

project teams.

7. Leadership should set the organizational structure to function with a horizontal hierarchy,

keeping staff close to management.

8. Top management ought to elect the best leadership that will encourage followers and

creativity.

9. Executive leadership should utilize the ICR Approach to start with the most creative

leaders and demonstrate support for creativeness in the corporate culture.

10. Management should fulfill the followers’ needs for achieving tasks.

Conclusion

From this essay, leaders can gain several directions and guidelines for growing creativity

in their corporation. However, leaders must review earlier leadership techniques that are timeless


and practice the creativity that they encourage others to do. In other words, they must practice

what they preach. In utilizing this information, leaders can feel confidence and a sense of pride

that Jesus used these concepts centuries ago for a much more significant mission than we can

imagine today--and achieved His magnificent mission that saved lives eternally.


References

Biblegateway.com. (2008). Commentaries: Luke , Chapter 9. Retrieved September 23, 2008,

from http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/index.php?action=getCom

mentaryText&cid=50&source=2&seq=i.49.9.1&interface=print

Hurlbut, J. L. (1967). Hurlbut's story of the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing

House.

Pendse, S. (2007, December 3). Initiative, creativity, results: A win-win-win strategy for

promoting employees. Ivey Business Journal. Retrieved August 25, 2008, from Executive

Briefing Database.

Reader’s Digest Association. (1987). Jesus and His times. United States of America: Reader’s

Digest Association.

Robbins, V. K. (1996). Exploring the texture of texts: A guide to socio-rhetorical interpretation.

Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International.

Stark, R. (1996). Why did Christianity succeed? PBS, The rise of Christianity: A sociologist

reconsiders history. Retrieved September 11, 2008, from

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/why/starksociology.html

Early Church Creativity. Application For Todays Organizational Leaders

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