Rory leads Glenridge Church International, Durban, South Africa, which is part of the New Covenant Ministries International network.
Rory’s philosophy of ministry is “keep it simple.” In fact, it is so simple they don’t even have a church website, yet the church gathers nearly 3,000 people! Glenridge focuses on three things: Inclusion, Intercession, and Increase. They do Sunday meetings and small groups, and that is about it. I first met Rory last July and in the times I have been privileged to chat with him have been hugely impressed by his integrity, generosity, and humility.
Who is your leadership hero? Why?
Dudley Daniel & Chris Wienand – big-hearted, humble men, who believed and saw things in the next generation. (Dudley was the founder of NCMI and Chris started Glenridge church.)
How long have you been in leadership?
In church leadership for 20 years.
What was your first leadership role?
In church life I served as a deacon. In the wider world my first leadership role was as Head Boy at my school.
How long have you been in your current role?
13 years
How long has your church been established? Did you start it?
25 years – no, Chris Wienand started it.
What has been the growth curve of your church?
There was progressive growth up until about 2002, and we then saw a big growth spurt. The church now numbers about 2,800 people. A key for our growth was moving into a new facility. The church had been renting a venue that seated 800, but then built a venue that seats 2,000. Raising the finance for this was a huge faith deal – raising finance for buildings is always more of a faith issue than a finance issue. We now have three services on a Sunday, and also a small French speaking service for guys who have come down from the Congo.
What has been your biggest leadership challenge?
The Biblical discipline of others – dealing with men who have sinned and handling the pain of walking friends through biblical processes.
What has been your greatest leadership success?
Taking chances on men who others have written off – seeing the potential in them and following up on it. Many of these guys are now powering on in their own capacity.
How are you developing new leaders?
We run leadership courses but it is mainly one on one – taking guys on trips, and having them in my home for discipleship time. We give them opportunities. For example, last week we had a 23 year-old who had never preached before preach to a thousand people at our evening service. I like to practice selective risking! I saw in him integrity, hunger, deep love for the word, and that he was servant hearted. So although outwardly he was not an obvious choice (being a quieter guy) he did really well. I believe leadership is caught more than taught. I look to lead by example and we have very few programmes in the church so its more a case of personally leading guys on.
How are you continuing to develop your own leadership gifts?
I had stagnated for a while because of busyness and then made a radical decision for personal growth. This means an intensified reading programme (E.g., at the moment I am reading through Williams’ Renewal Theology and eight different books on the Sermon on the Mount) and finding time to meet with men who are bigger in God than me. I also set aside more quiet time – I now give two days a week to preparation.
0 comments:
Post a Comment