ABSTRACT
Though language of ‘ministry’ and ‘pastoring’ is used within churches, the rhetoric of ‘leadership’ is especially widespread in the Western church. This chapter argues that, in light of this reality, it is not an option for the church - contrary to the proposals of some - to repudiate leadership language completely. Rather, it must be critically engaged, with a view to the construction of proper and theologically rich models of leadership. As yet, however, there is a relative lack of scholarly book-length works presenting normative proposals for contemporary ecclesial leadership. Expressing the pain of such an absence of theological engagement, this chapter explores the possibilities in the incarnation as a theological basis for constructing an alternative consciousness of leadership. Particularly, it identifies Fuller practical theologian, Ray S. Anderson, as a significant voice at the junction of ministry and incarnational theology.
