Building a Diverse Leadership Team: Strategies for Inclusion

Shannon Rains

 

In Acts 6, a situation arose that caused some widows to receive inadequate care. The Hellenistic Jewish widows spoke Greek and were shaped by Roman customs. In contrast, the Hebraic Jewish widows were shaped by the cultural practices and language in and around Jerusalem, much like the apostles leading the church. The Hellenistic widows were overlooked in the daily food rationing, a situation that caused harm. Predictably, and rightly so, this led to tension between the two groups, with the Hellenistic widows and their friends complaining about the lack of care shown to them. 

Nothing in the text suggests that the situation was intentional discrimination from a place of mean-spiritedness. Instead, the Hellenistic widows were simply invisible to the leadership, without a voice, and lacked the power and influence to change their circumstances. This likely stemmed from unfamiliarity with the dominant culture and language. But, if the situation were ignored, blatant discrimination would take place. Instead, we have a case study in spiritual leadership, inclusion, and empowerment, elevating this text as one of my favorites. 

 “So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6:2-4)

As leaders, we often encounter complaints arising from injustice, a failure to hear the congregation’s needs, or an inability to see and anticipate the needs of those in our midst. When people are overlooked, without representation, and misunderstood, anxiety rises, and conflict might break out. Sadly, a common temptation is to ignore the issue or to marginalize the experiences of the outsider, allowing anxiety, fear, and suffering to continue.

Some leaders try to be all things to all people. They put themselves in the shoes of others in their congregation, trying to understand their experiences to change them. While important, this is an emotionally draining process that might be impossible to do well. Our circumstances will likely prevent us from hearing, seeing, and identifying the needs of others. What if that same energy is used to identify others who can be part of the solution?

If we want to develop more diverse and inclusive leadership teams, we need to look no further than the case study presented in this text. Let’s break it down.

1. The Twelve gathered all the disciples and stated the issue at hand. It was clear and concise; they initiated action.
2. The Twelve understood their leadership role and protected it. They knew what they were called to do and chose to stay focused.
3. The Twelve invited the disciples to select the right leaders (or servants) for the job. 
4. The Twelve made the potential leaders’ spiritual lives the primary qualification for leadership. Were they full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom? Did the people have confidence in them? Yes. These leaders seemed to trust the character of the men and their relationship with God. And, since we know the rest of several men’s story, it was a good call.
5. The Twelve commissioned the new leaders, turning the task over to them. No micromanaging. No withholding of power. These new leaders got to work.

When tension arises, anxiety goes up, and the desire to double down by managing the problem becomes extremely tempting. But the conclusion of this story tells us that the faithful actions of all the leaders were a factor in the church’s continued growth. 

As I think about building a diverse team, I think of Nike’s slogan, “Just Do It.” Do not get in the way of the work of the Holy Spirit in others for the sake of the community. Overthinking is not helpful. Instead, build a diverse team through prayer, relationship, listening, and empowering the people God has provided in the church.