1. Training
in a Manner Respectful to the Callings of Local Leaders
Everything senior missionaries do in supporting local
leaders must key off one seminal principle—senior missionaries must always
train in a manner respectful of the callings of local leaders—meaning that they
must recognize that local leaders are and must remain in charge, however much
training they need at the hands of senior missionaries. Senior missionaries should never undermine
the authority of local leaders. With this
seminal principal in mind, the following are sub-principles to follow when
training local leaders:
(a) Senior
missionaries should not take control from local leaders.
Senior missionaries should not take control from local
leaders. Local leaders should
understand that they, and they alone, are authorized to act within the scope of
their respective callings. They should
not defer or abdicate their responsibilities to others (even experienced senior
missionaries). After getting advice and
counsel, local leaders should make all final decisions related to their
callings. Senior missionaries may teach principles,
review with local leaders the Handbooks, and give counsel and advice. Often they may act somewhat as a “counselor”
would act within any of the Church presidencies. But never should they act as though they
have the “final say.” Instead, they
should clearly point out to local leaders that they are the decision-makers and
that, in making decisions, they should seek for the Lord’s guidance, after
doing all they can to figure out for themselves the best course of action (which
may include getting advice from senior missionaries). Senior missionaries should insist that all
final decisions come from local leaders.
(b) Senior
missionaries should understand that their role is that of teaching, advising
and giving support.
Once it is firmly in mind that senior missionaries are not
“decision makers,” it is easier to describe what they should and may do. They should teach; give advice and guidance;
demonstrate how things might be done; review and distill for the benefit of
local leaders principles and lessons in Church publications. They should provide support as requested and
needed.
(c)
Except in rare instances, senior missionaries
should operate in the background, working directly with local leaders, and
leaving it to local leaders to conduct meetings, give directions to members,
and be the public face of the Church.
The qualifying term “shadow” in the phrase “shadow
leadership” is used advisedly. Senior
missionaries are to operate in the “shadows” or “in the background.” This means they are work directly with local
leaders, meeting in private, to help them understand their duties in the
Church. It further allows senior
missionaries to be direct, when such candor is called for. Doing so allows local leaders to be trained,
and on occasion corrected, without compromising their authority in the Church
or standing before other members.
Since senior missionaries should not take an active role in “public,”
members should not be confused about who is “in control,” looking solely to local
leaders for decisions and counsel.
(d) The
ultimate goal of “shadow leadership” is to teach “repeatable” skills, and once
they are taught, to get out of the way allowing local teachers to use the
skills taught to do their duty.
Without question, the training of senior missionaries may,
on occasion, be intrusive (or at least more intrusive than one might
like). This may occur because local
leaders are inexperienced, or new to the Church, or lacking in some basic skills,
and consequently need more direction and help than they will need in the years to
come after they have had more experience in the Church. A new primary president, just baptized, never
having seen a primary operate, or having watched children grow up in the
Church, may require extensive training.
Some of the training may have to be done openly or in “public; in order to give the primary president the vision,
the senior missionary may, for example, need to conduct “sharing time,” help
primary children learn songs, or demonstrate how to give a lesson, with
enthusiasm and enough energy to keep the kids attention. Yet even when this is necessary, a couple of
key points must be remembered. First,
the purpose is to teach skills—and skills are best taught by “doing” rather
than watching. Hence, as soon as possible, the local leader should
be entrusted to try on their own the “skill” being taught. Second,
there is not “one” right way to do most things in the Church, and senior
missionaries should and must tolerate deviations, as long as they are not
“destructive” or clearly “wrong” or not in keeping with the order in the
Church. Lastly, senior missionaries
must resist being sucked into “doing” more than they should. Senior missionary should not fall in the trap of
“doing the same thing,” over and over again, because the local leader is lazy, shy,
uncomfortable, or absent.
(e)
Public “correction” can be terribly corrosive to
the authority and standing of local leaders.
It should only be done when absolutely necessary to preserve the order
and good name of the Church. And even
then, the correction should be done in a loving way and not done to embarrass,
belittle or undermine local leaders.
Senior missionaries must be very wary of publicly correcting
local leaders, recognizing how embarrassing this may be for them and
appreciating how it might undermine their authority. For the most part, correction can be done
behind closed doors and in private settings.
In privacy it will be far easier to teach the right lessons, without facing
resistance that might otherwise arise due to embarrassment, bruised pride, or
stubbornness. But, on occasion, it may
be appropriate for senior missionaries to ask for something to be “corrected”
during the course of a meeting. Examples
might include requesting that a baptism be repeated because the baptismal prayer
is not said properly; that a member not be confirmed upon learning that the member
was not baptized by a priest or one holding the Melchizedic Priesthood; that false doctrine be publicly disavowed
when no one else in the congregation steps up to comment; or and, that an
excommunicated member not be permitted to perform a priesthood ordinance. Local leaders should be given a chance to correct
these mistakes on their own, but if they fail to do so, senior missionaries may
take action. Unlike some other Christian denominations, the
Church has few ordinances, and very little of what one might think of as
ritual. But as to the ordinances it
does have—Church order requires that they be performed strictly in accordance with
the prescribed guidelines. Hence, it is
appropriate to intervene to correct the performance of these ordinances, even
if it is done publicly. Such public
correction sends several critical signals for members:--ordinances are so sacred
and important that they must be done in the Lord’s prescribed way; and if not,
they must be repeated until done properly; the Lord’s kingdom is a kingdom of
order; and lastly, Church leaders should not permit others to hijack Church
meetings for their own agenda as a platform for promulgating false doctrine or
attacking the Church.
As noted above, even when public correction is justified, it
should be done in the right spirit—conducted solely for the purpose of
protecting the interests of the Church and not to embarrass, belittle or
undermine local leaders. Only in the
rarest occasions should it be used to admonish local leaders in the performance
of their duties—such correction can generally be done privately. And even then, such admonishment should
come, not from senior missionaries, but from their presiding authorities. One is reminded of the counsel found in the
121st Section of the Doctrine and Covenants: “Reproving betimes with
sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards
an increase in love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to
be his enemy; That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords
of death.”[1]
[1]
D&C. 121: 43-44.
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