Interrogative Paper #1. Dr. Charles Stanley In Touch Ministries

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Jonah McKinney
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1 Interrogative Paper #1 Dr. Charles Stanley In Touch Ministries Lyndia A. Hayden Northwestern University LEADERS 481, Spring 2012

2 Interrogative Paper #1 Dr. Charles Stanley 2 I have been a fan of Dr. Charles Stanley, a televangelist, for about a decade. I believe that he is a gifted man of God who has exhibited leadership qualities through an organization that he founded in In Touch Ministries ( In Touch ). In Touch's mission statement is to lead people worldwide into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and to strengthen the local church. As a Christian, I can identify with this mission and can testify that my relationship with Jesus has grown tremendously through Dr. Stanley s leadership. Many local churches can also use the free material available on In Touch s website to prepare sermons and to build their ministries for community outreach. I can also identify with In Touch s values on a personal and professional level: ministry minded, integrity, humility, innovation, excellence, initiative, and accountability. These core values are embodied in my character. I live by these values to raise and have relationships with my children, my husband, family and friends, and to interact in my professional life with my peers, superiors and direct reports. Dr. Stanley s outreach started locally in Atlanta, Georgia with approximately 16,000 viewers. Today, "In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley" can be heard around the world via radio and television broadcasts, the handheld In Touch Messenger and on the web site, In Touch programs are seen and heard domestically and internationally on more than 2,400 radio and television outlets in more than 50 languages, reaching more than one million people. The ministry produces CDs, DVDs, pamphlets, Life Principles Notes, books and other Christian resource material, including its award-winning, free monthly devotional magazine, In Touch. I never thought that I would be enamored by a televangelist, especially since I attend and am actively involved in my local church. There have been dozens of public scandals regarding televangelists over the years that have undoubtedly created a sense of distrust for religious

3 Interrogative Paper #1 Dr. Charles Stanley 3 leaders. These scandals have ranged from sexual misconduct to improper use of financial contributions. In addition, there has been an exponential increase in mega churches, some of which are the size of football fields and other entertainment complexes, which demonstrates how much church has become like a business. Dr. Stanley has demonstrated how In Touch Ministries can translate that business, which is deemed as a non-profit, into a spiritually profitable business by accomplishing the goals of their mission statement. While some of my peers are enamored by Joel Olsteen, who I view as a motivational speaker, my admiration for Dr. Stanley has grown stronger over the years as I compared him to other televangelists. At face value, he seems to be like any other televangelist. He preaches about the bible (the Word ), has authored dozens of books, and has a global network. What distinguishes him from others, in my opinion, is that he is humble and communicates the Word in layman terms and in a conversational manner. Although Dr. Stanley was born in 1932, he doesn t fit into the stereotypical view of an old-school preacher who is out of touch with the modern world and the needs of Christians in a society that is full of temptation. The bible is complicated and many people have difficulty understanding and relating the Word to the present since it was written over 2,000 years ago. In that respect, I believe that Dr. Stanley s leadership skills approach aligns with Mumford, Zaccaro, Harding, et al. (2000), who suggest that leadership outcomes are a direct result of a leader s skilled competency in problem solving, social judgment and knowledge. As a leader, Dr. Stanley demonstrates these skilled competencies through references in the bible that validate his teachings. He places emphasis on a Christian s relationship with the Holy Trinity, The Father (God), The Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit (Jesus Christ and God spiritually indwelled in Christians when Jesus was crucified). Dr. Stanley has the natural ability to communicate the Word that was written over 2,000 years ago

4 Interrogative Paper #1 Dr. Charles Stanley 4 and relate it to the challenges and decision-making process of everyday living. He gives examples of how the circumstances in biblical times are very similar to the challenges that are faced today. At all times, he encourages Christians to develop a relationship with the Holy Trinity for guidance and to obey the Word as part of how Christians live and make decisions. The expansion of In Touch is a testament to the number of Christians who believe in and follow Dr. Stanley s teachings and leadership. Although Dr. Stanley s focus and foundation is based on religion, he exhibits the traits of any leader: intelligence, self-confidence, determination/motivation, integrity, empathy and sociability. He preaches that people should make valuable contributions that have eternal value. He empowers Christians with the knowledge and tools so that they can lead productive lives, while managing trials and tribulations. That philosophy expands beyond religion. According to the Blake Mouton model (Northouse 2010), Dr. Stanley s leadership style aligns with team management. He has earned the respect and trust of Christians around the world. Through his management structure of Ministry Ambassadors, assigned by region, he has built a framework for outreach. Dr. Stanley s leadership qualities impact my leadership style. I admire how he practices what he preaches, an important principle to me. He engages millions of Christians to come together on one accord for the sole purpose of living according to God s will and has in turn built a massive network for Christians to interact with each other. This is not an easy task because there are many televangelists who are trying to do the same thing. As a leader, I am a role model for my family, friends, business associates and direct reports. I set direction, align people and provide motivation. I live by example so that I have personal and professional life experiences that I can refer to when I am trying to talk to others about a direction that should be taken,

5 Interrogative Paper #1 Dr. Charles Stanley 5 getting people to come together on one accord or simply motivating people to do better. Whether I am relating to someone on a personal or professional level, I believe in helping others to understand that they have a stake in their success and can achieve their goals, but I also make them aware that they don t have to do it alone. I and the rest of the team, whether it is colleagues, friends or family, will be there for support.

6 Interrogative Paper #1 Dr. Charles Stanley 6 References Harvard Business Review (2011). 10 Must Reads On Leadership. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. In Touch Ministries. Retrieved from Mumford, M. D., Zaccaro, S. J., Harding, F. D., Jacobs, T., & Fleishman, E. A. (2000). Leadership skills for a changing world: Solving complex problems. The Leadership Quarterly, 11(1), Northouse, Peter (2010). Leadership, Theory & Practice. Scandals involving Evangelists. Retrieved from

Master of Arts Course Descriptions

Bible and Theology Master of Arts Course Descriptions BTH511 Dynamics of Kingdom Ministry (3 Credits) This course gives students a personal and Kingdom-oriented theology of ministry, demonstrating God