An ancient wise man was approached by a despondent villager who asked for healing. The wise man asked three telling questions: When did you stop singing? When did you stop dancing? When did you stop telling stories? These questions echo the tone of the wedding feast at Cana and spotlight the actions of leaders.
Cana’s dance
Jesus began his public ministry at a party. The wedding feast at Cana in John 2 was Jesus’ first leadership appearance as well as the first of the seven miracles or signs of John’s Gospel. First-century marriage celebrations in small villages were often week-long parties. The bride and groom were paraded around town like royalty. Families, friends and neighbors gathered and enjoyed great food and lots of dancing. It was a time for parties and promises.
In Cana, Jesus was a community leader, dancing from the center of the gathering to the edge the group and then across the gaps in the groups. Along with Mary and his disciples, Jesus was in the middle of everything at the festivities, perhaps as a relative (John 2:1-2). Moving to the edge of the party to the food supply area, he could see the overall situation clearly and sense the concerns about running short of wine (John 2:3-4). Interestingly, he moved back and forth across the gaps to the different people groups at the party with ease (John 2:5-11). These are the actions leaders of faith communities take.
In step with the community
Leadership is always a moving target, a dance. Leaders stay in rhythm with the music of their community, moving in synch with their partners. Reading the mood of the community, stewarding group energy, sensing opportunities as well as dangers, building momentum, inviting other sections of the orchestra to blend in with good timing, marshaling group strengths for key efforts, using the rush of adversary’s anger to let them run right by, knowing where we are in our community’s time and space, trying not to step on toes, sidestepping traps, centering in God’s calling for the community — leaders do these things in step with their faith communities. Nimbly, leaders do a dance of self, soul and social sensitivity.
Places on the dance floor
But leadership is much more than just being light on our feet. Leaders move around the dance floor deliberately and strategically from one area to another — from the center out onto the edge and into the gaps. Picture it like this:
• Dancing from the center. The opening step in the leader’s dance is connecting and belonging. Since we can’t lead a group from outside that group, leaders first concentrate on making secure connections to their community of faith. Sociologists describe centered groups, those communities with a clear sense of identity and belonging. Leaders know the center is the primary connector to any community, the place where relationships are rooted and cultivated and mission is multiplied. Leaders love and invest in the center.
• Dancing on the edge. Leaders who firmly belong to the center their communities move strategically to the edge on occasion. There are three reasons to lead from the edge of a community. (1) The edges are the most dynamic parts of a system. If you want to know what’s going on in and around your community, you move to the edge and see the action. (2) Out of the hubbub of the center, leaders can see what’s happening within their own community with fresher, calmer, more objective eyes. Vision gets a bit clearer on the edge. (3) From the edge, leaders can see beyond the community and size up what the larger environment is doing and what the future holds. Leaders enjoy the edge.
• Dancing across the gaps. Leaders also move from gap to gap, cluster to cluster, from sub-hub to sub-hub within their larger groups. Like a dance where we change partners from time to time, leaders link and listen to the various audiences within their faith community. We’re often the go-betweens for community communication and action. Leaders honor the gaps.
May I have this dance?
Some of us are “center leaders.” We thrive on being at the heart of everything the community does. Others of us are “edge leaders.” We are at our best when we stand on the periphery of the community as scouts and interpreters. We look into and beyond our group. Some of us are “gap leaders.” We glide back and forth among sub-groups and keep all the different interests engaged in the larger life and mission of the community. For effective community life, all three kinds of leaders are needed. Can you lead from the center, on the edge, and in the gaps?
Study the Cana party in John 2 again for leadership guidance. Then, follow the strategic movements of Jesus. Go to the center. Move to the edge. Glide across the gaps. Dance like a leader.
Bob Dale ([email protected]) is a leader coach in Richmond and a retired seminary professor and denominational worker.