This is the final piece in the jigsaw where we will briefly look at “Empowered Individuals”.
The Empowerment (Trust) Matrix
Low trust Entrenched in Bunkers Caged Eagles
High trust Flying Blind Empowered Individuals
Low Enablement High Enablement
The goal of all organisations/churches and its leaders should be to get as many people as possible into the empowered performer category ~ the lower right quadrant.
The message is obvious for those who want to build an empowered organisation/church: reduce the number of people who are entrenched in bunkers, flying blind or caged eagles. Increase the numbers who are fully trusted (EMPOWERED).
Oxford dictionary ~ Empowered
give (someone) the authority or power to do something
enable someone stronger and more confident
Strong’s
from strong’s 1743 (dunamoo); to empower :- enable, (increase in) strength (-en), be (make) strong
from strong’s 2901 the Greek krataios meaning to empower
“Empowerment”
Refers to increasing the spiritual, political, social, educational or economic strength of individuals and communities.
Biblical reference: Luke 10 v 1-16
Read and absorb what Jesus did, he briefed fully the 70; he told them what to do, what to expect there were no surprises. Jesus communicated effectively and efficiently releasing every person in to being who they can be in Christ.
How effective was Jesus in empowering all 70 read verse 17, look at how they returned. That is true empowerment, how empowered are your leaders, team leaders and members of the church?
To enable individuals to fulfil their purpose for God, I believe they should be free, free from self doubt, self limiting beliefs and most of all free to be who they can be in Christ.
Finally empowerment includes seven capabilities or similar:-
1. Ability to consider a range of options from which to choose (not just yes/no, either/or.)
2. Ability to exercise assertiveness in collective decision making
3. Setting people free to Be Who You (They) Can Be in Christ
4. Having positive-thinking about the ability to make change
5. The ability to make decisions about personal/collective circumstances
6. The ability to access information and resources for decision-making
7. Ability to learn and access skills for improving personal/collective circumstance I have underlined the first four as amongst other areas these are covered in our empowerment programme ‘Be Who You Can Be in Christ’.
I would like to suggest that if the church wants to fully utilise the attitudes, skills and knowledge (A.S.K) of the body of Christ, they ought to know to whom they are preaching too and their ASK.
Some of the churches I have attended tended to be draconian in their interaction with people. It’s time in the 21st Century that the church to break free and loose old leadership habits and embrace ‘Transformational Leadership’.
Be Who You Can Be in Christ’s aim is to ‘Remove Barriers Releasing Potential and lighting the path ahead.
Removing Barriers Releasing Potential 