nurturing servant leaders in religious education - Scholarly ...

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The connections participants indicated they felt between themselves and other people, to the CES, to the Church, and to the other elements in their lives seemed sparked by a desire to show love. Love was given out of gratitude for having been blessed so much in their own lives in the way of personal strengths, life’s experiences, and the consistent giving from other elements. The sun: Consistent giver of life The life of the garden is sustained by the constant giving force of the sun. Without it plants could not make energy in which to become stronger, nor could the light display their beauty. In looking at the force of the sun, and its central importance to life, Jesus Christ appears to fill this role for the metaphorical garden presented in this thesis. Participant answers showed that Christ’s life and love were the sustaining force that makes the growth of everything else possible. Participants expressed that gaining a personal relationship with Jesus Christ was a way in which growth could take place. Because all participants in the study were also members of the Church, the central focus on Jesus Christ was not unexpected. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints worship Jesus Christ (Intellectual Reserve, 1995). He is the centre of the Church, meaning his life and teachings are central to all doctrine in the Church. Members believe that there is no other way whereby humans can be saved, only in and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ (Pearl of Great Price, 2003, p. 60). Members believe as they come to know, as they increase their love and devotion to Christ, they will one day be able to return to live with their Heavenly Father again. Underlying this belief is the premise that people are free agents, able to choose their actions in their search to return home again. With the freedom to choose comes consequence, the need for developing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as the pathway to exaltation. For members of the Church, the journey to understanding Jesus Christ is personal. The relationship is grounded in the Church’s doctrine of continuing personal 85
evelation. As members of the Church are baptised and consequently confirmed, each person becomes entitled to receive personal revelation to guide his/her life, and to receive personal and continual heavenly aid and revelation as humbly and righteously sought after. Members of the Church believe the heavens are not closed, but continuing communication, as was common in Biblical times, continues today. The plot: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints The plot is the “piece of land” on which the garden is present. The plot works within the laws of the land in which it is present. The plot has an owner, boundaries, and ultimate input into the structure and purpose of the garden. Those representing the plot may hire out others to work the land such as the gardener. The plot may be expanded, have open or closed boundaries, and be one of many plots in many lands. The Church seemed to represent the worldview within which the participants worked as part of CES. Rather than the structure of CES representing the common garden, participants seemed to realise the CES was a way in which to understand the teachings of the Church. Director A explained further, CES are junior companions to the Priesthood. And so, that’s a CES leadership concept, servant leadership concept, that when we work with the bishops, and the stake presidents, that we listen to their needs, and that whilst we are responsible for the educational needs, the Priesthood (of the Church) have the keys to lead (DA). Never at anytime did participants indicate they served because they wanted to help the CES as an organisation in itself to succeed. Participants seemed to see their context as being much larger than the organisation in which they were currently positioned. The CES was a way of assisting them to know better their life contexts. Purpose for the garden: Strength of the plants The garden has a purpose, meaning it is planted for a specific reason and to fulfil it. Purposes of the garden might be to create or celebrate beauty, life, order, specific themes, or for the enjoyment of an audience. The stated purpose of the Church is to help all to “come unto Christ” (Moroni 10:32).The CES works within that same mission. This being the stated purpose for the 86
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NURTURING SERVANT LEADERS IN RELIGI
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Table of Contents Table of Contents
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CES and teaching tools.............
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List of Tables Table 1 2004-2005 CE
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vii
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opportunity to finish this degree c
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(seasons), Church Educational Syste
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thesis represents a personal journe
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leadership in which the servant lea
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viewed as a key element in the prod
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Part of the inadequacy of our many
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who have planted the good word of G
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Chapter V presents the findings of
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Early missionaries found success am
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together to give them his last coun
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established an expanded institute p
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of data gathering there were 1758 s
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also helps teachers learn how to mi
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Chapter III: Literature Review The
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Ye know that they which are account
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Servant Leadership, now in its sixt
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More grounding necessary Issues sur
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uilt sufficiently on studies conduc
Page 47 and 48: Exploring paradox Servant leadershi
Page 49 and 50: the actions of a servant-first scho
Page 51 and 52: Unfortunately, with increasing mate
Page 53 and 54: Significance of the study The curre
Page 55 and 56: Chapter IV: Methodology The objecti
Page 57 and 58: context plays an important role in
Page 59 and 60: Chosen participants fell into two g
Page 61 and 62: have at times been divided in analy
Page 63 and 64: Focus groups Focus groups were cond
Page 65 and 66: Data analysis Data for this project
Page 67 and 68: Figure 1 Garden Elements Admirers S
Page 69 and 70: particular selection method was to
Page 71 and 72: Overall, the list shows a trend tow
Page 73 and 74: all. By being able to teach it, I
Page 75 and 76: Family The importance of the family
Page 77 and 78: One of my favourite people in one o
Page 79 and 80: highlights one director’s belief
Page 81 and 82: CES and the relationship with self
Page 83 and 84: teach when I was out on the mission
Page 85 and 86: CES and confidence Four volunteer t
Page 87 and 88: CES and integrity When asked what i
Page 89 and 90: share that night she remembered and
Page 91 and 92: While the differences of people wer
Page 93 and 94: cultures to some degree and were ab
Page 95 and 96: of service in the garden from the f
Page 97: From participant answers, it would
Page 101 and 102: whole person. In speaking of the wh
Page 103 and 104: CES was a way in which the purposes
Page 105 and 106: wisdom is portrayed as “antitheti
Page 107 and 108: new opportunities to learn, to enga
Page 109 and 110: Chapter VII: Application of Finding
Page 111 and 112: Participants also indicated that th
Page 113 and 114: the significance of what was said,
Page 115 and 116: Chapter VIII: Conclusions and Recom
Page 117 and 118: Study strengths and weaknesses This
Page 119 and 120: Looking ahead: A personal reflectio
Page 121 and 122: Clark, J. R., Jr. (1992). The chart
Page 123 and 124: Intellectual Reserve. (1994). Teach
Page 125 and 126: 112 Rieser, C. (1995). Claiming ser
Page 127 and 128: Appendices Appendix A-Structure of
Page 129 and 130: Appendix C-Participant Information
Page 131 and 132: Mobile: 021-1822-371 Email: Lesley_
Page 133 and 134: Zealand context, at least one year
Page 135 and 136: Appendix E-Director Consent Form Co
Page 137 and 138: Appendix G- Translated Information
Page 139 and 140: 126 ‘E anga fēfē ha‘aku kau k
Page 141 and 142: Áho: Approved by the Auckland Univ
Page 143 and 144: Leadership.” What do you feel are
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