nurturing servant leaders in religious education - Scholarly ...

CES and trials
Directors indicated that their time in the CES had helped them to increase in patience
when it came to both themselves and others while growing into different leadership
roles. This may have a direct application to the amount of faith, just spoken of,
encouraged in CES. As with other churches, a focus on foundational virtues is strong.
For instance, in order to take on new assignments, the patience to grow into those
roles is also necessary. Different aspects of increasing patience were seen in director
answers,
We train leaders of tomorrow to replace us, and that’s how we train them (through
delegation). Give them something to do, hoping they will learn from their
mistakes. As leaders we should understand and expect mistakes (DB).
Patience, not only with one’s weakness and imperfection, because that can be
highlighted in leadership, but also seeing and being patient with the shortcomings
and weaknesses of others that you’re serving, that you’re helping to become, or
helping those weaknesses in others as well as in yourself to become strengths
(DC).
CES and knowledge
Several of the participants mentioned that serving a formal mission for the Church
had a direct effect on their desire to teach in CES. During this mission young men and
women are given constant opportunities to teach, proselyte, or give service. Many,
nine volunteer teachers and one director also shared experiences of service in light of
their mission. Although serving a mission is not a prerequisite for teaching in CES,
many of the participants had served in this capacity and saw a direct correlation
between teaching in the mission and teaching in CES. Experiences during that intense
time of teaching and service were seen as being continued through service in the CES.
Illustrative answers included,
I wanted to teach when I got home from my mission. I learned how to teach there,
because I didn’t know how to teach at all. I didn’t realise how I was learning to
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