nurturing servant leaders in religious education - Scholarly ...

I was just thinking and looking at each one of you, and I really feel the Spirit,
these spiritual giants. For me it’s a privilege to be in this room and to be able to
hear basically their testimonies of being an institute teacher. And you can see that
because you can feel it. And it’s just a wonderful thing to be in the presence of.
And it’s wonderful, and probably one of the special moments in my life in the
gospel. And I’m just very much like them. I’m really learning myself (VT1).
Another reason for the feelings of sameness with other staff and students may be that
participants felt in a very real sense that they too were learners. A further reason may
be like Clark (1992) explains, those who come to institute and seminary classes really
aren’t young spiritually, no matter how much knowledge one may have as a leader.
The apparent lack of knowledge expressed by both directors and volunteer teachers
when called upon to be leaders appears to have helped each to enter their positions in
a state of humility.
Directors and volunteer teachers alike were more than willing to give examples of
others in their group, or others being interviewed, to point to each other out as servant
leader exemplars. They knew each other well. They did not feign relationships. They
had shared much together. They brought up stories from their pasts together, even
though some did not teach in the same building. They were friends and displayed a
genuine admiration for each other.
Participants seemed to deeply love those they served. They indicated a love for the
CES programme, or the garden framework that gives them the opportunity to serve
together. The feeling in the room was consistently that of bolstering each other up and
of the enjoyment of being together.
Participants indicated they knew their students and colleagues well. They understood
the people they were with because they have laboured alongside them, and they love
those they serve. Being in the same garden together teaches them to appreciate not
only others but themselves, which translated into not distancing themselves from
students or other volunteer teachers and/or directors.
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