What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.
The Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 14:15)
What if we said the same thing about leadership? “I will lead with my mind, but I will lead with my spirit also.”
In my experience of church leadership, observing both my own inner dynamics and in working alongside dozens of other leaders, I have seen this tension. There is a spectrum that we all move along. Some leaders tend to stick firmly towards one end or the other. Some are chronic over-thinkers, astute and business-minded, evaluating their ministry with SWOT analyses and strategizing their next steps. Some leaders tend to over-spiritualize everything, living in the heat of the moment, moving forward with little fore-planning and calling it being Spirit-led, conflagrating their whims and moods with discernment.
And yes: by “some leaders,” I mean “me.” The struggle is real. We are complicated and nuanced creatures.
The mind and the spirit are not opposed to one another. At their best, they complement each other as each potential question or decision exists along a continuum between the two.
The trick comes in having the wisdom to know to lean more on the mind or the spirit. It is quite tempting to run to one extreme or the other. (And, quite, frankly, easier and faster). Some decisions that are very practical and logical are over-spiritualized, and others that are more mystical in nature are over-systematized or over-debated. Some things are best approached as a “spiritual” decision while others as a “thoughtful/logical” decision.
Most decisions require a delicate blend of both. Good leaders welcome this tension.
