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Can strategic leaders assimilate lessons learned through the witness of Early Christian Communities into today’s organizational structure? One aspect of educating today’s leaders is helping them analyze social and cultural environments that dominate religious communities prior to and during the time of Jesus’ ministry. Strategic leaders can learn from Early Church struggles how Jesus responds through an attitude of love for humanity. His strategy changes the mindsets of people and alters the religious practices and reveals a lifestyle of faith and hope; the message of the Gospel in an organizational dimension.
Luke’s Gospel displays significant events that demonstrate Jesus’ encounters with man’s mindsets and reflects a series of doubt and unbelief through the entire Chapter. God’s plan strategically positions each verse by breaking down the social and cultural differences evident through event, gender, and trust, and presents a hermeneutical example of strategic leadership that can be seen through the eyes of Early Church leadership for today’s leaders and followers. One of the greatest aspects of Luke 24 is the fulfillment of God’s Promises through Christ’s Resurrection.
What was it that made people follow Christ and stay faithful to the call in spite of the ridicule and persecution they encountered as his followers? Can today’s leaders and followers find solace in God’s strategic design and plan as Early Church followers did? With the assistance of Robbins’ Socio-rhetorical Interpretation of Inner Texture, Intertexture, and Social and Cultural Texture, a gleaning process from strategic planning and strategic thinking performed on Luke 24, will give the reader insight into God’s strategic promises for today.
Unveiling of Inner Texture
In order to capture a socio-rhetorical view of Chapter 24, Luke pulls in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms in two separate verses (27 and 44) to bridge the promises of God and show the fulfillment of scripture between the Old and New Testament. In addition, both Jesus and the Emmaus followers display Progressive Texture patterns reciting the same text in two voices: verse 19-20 and verses 46-47, which exemplifies an exegetical study of Inner Texture patterns. Luke’s Gospel so graciously pulls in the Old Testament to demonstrate fulfillment of the New Testament through Jesus’ witness through an Opening-Middle-and Closing Texture Pattern to create a ‘next realm’ reality of where-do-we-go-from-here scenario for the Body of Christ.
Vs 27 – Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the scriptures.
Vs 44 – “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”
The totality of Luke 24 is a ‘Bi-Line’ for Strategic Planners and Thinkers in the way of capturing the Bible to present the future into the present. God finished his work, breaking down social and cultural limitations to build a better plan and present a strategic design for mankind. Through the patterns of Inner Texture, Luke unveils a visual that mergers the prophetic word from the Old Testament into the fulfilled word of the New Testament. Table 1 is an example of how the Law limits social and cultural aspects of the pre-church and how God’s Redemptive Plan tore the Veil from top to bottom to gain entrance into the hearts and lives of people to fulfill and unite humanity back to him. (See Appendix B for Table 1)
Unveiling of Intertexture
In order to understand social and cultural texture, a process called Intertexture is needed to understand how Luke bridges each verse in Chapter 24 by connecting individual events relative to the socio-cultural environment of the Early Church. A major goal of intertextual analysis is to ascertain the nature and result of processes of configuration and reconfiguration of phenomena in the world outside the text. Sometimes the text imitates another text but places different people in it. Sometimes it restructures a well-known tradition so that it ends differently or has very different implications for belief and action. Sometimes it inverts a tradition, turning the rhetoric of a previous situation on its head to create a new and distinct dramatic tradition. In each instance, the result is a text with a rich configuration of texts, cultures, and social and historical phenomena (pg. 40). Luke displays Narrative Amplification in his text and exercises a process called “chreia” (an attribute of speech and action aptly attributed to a specific person) to separate the narrative from Jesus’ voice in Chapter 24. Through an interchange of passive and active amplification, Luke majors on ‘hidden’ elements in relation to the social and cultural aspects of Early Church belief. For Luke to introduce women at the beginning of his chapter and explain their role in announcing Christ’s resurrection displays a breakthrough in social and cultural limitations; overstepping the boundaries of Early Church religious practices and eliminating man’s limitations that exemplifies a higher calling to the church in relation to God’s strategic plan. A breakdown of verses in Chapter 24 analyzes the strategic nature of Christian Leadership in the Early Christian Communities utilizing a compare and contrast texture to assimilate strategies for today’s leadership.
Women’s representation in Luke 24:1-11
(See Appendix A for Scripture Reference)
Socio-Cultural Aspects: There are three types of social and cultural texture that identifies with the women in Chapter 24:
• Patron-Client Relationship
• Shame
• Subculture rhetoric
A Patron-Client relationship in the Gospel of Luke, exemplifies God’s mercy over women regardless of their position in life. Robbins states that a patron-client relationship seems to be implied in the Gospels when people approach Jesus for “mercy.” Furthermore, all positive relationships with God are rooted in the perception of patron-client contracts.
Shame in this context, according to Robbins, refers to a person’s sensitivity about what others think, say, and do with regard to his or her honor. According to male-oriented first-century Mediterranean social system as current social-scientific critics reconstruct it; these women are enacting “shame” as a positive value. Shame in this context takes the positive form of “following and serving” Jesus from the time he was in Galilee until he came to Jerusalem. The women continue this role when they come to the tomb to “serve” his body after it is buried. From the perspective of current social-scientific reading to this account, then, these women enact the role of “shame” in exemplary manner (Malina 1993:50-55).
Subculture rhetoric, according to Robbins, imitates the attitudes, values, dispositions, and norms of dominant culture rhetoric, and it claims to enact them better than members of dominant status. This rhetoric implies that a network of groups and institutions exists for supporting persons throughout their entire life cycle. Both sexes, all ages, and complete family groups are perceived to have a stake in this rhetoric (Roberts 1978:112; Gordon 1970:115).
Compare and Contrast: Remember the jingle on a TV commercial that says, “You’ve come a long way baby?” Yes, women have come a long way in comparison to Early Christian communities. Peter G. Northouse wrote that beginning in the 70’s, researchers started investigating gender differences in leadership. Investigations into leadership style have revealed that women are somewhat more likely to use democratic and transformational styles than men. Research looking at leadership effectiveness indicates a slight disadvantage for women in masculine domains, a slight effectiveness advantage for women in feminine domains, and a greater use by women of effective transformational and contingent reward behaviors. Northouse continues saying that women are significantly underrepresented in major leadership positions. The invisible barrier keeping women out of elite leadership positions has been dubbed the glass ceiling. Removing the glass ceiling will help ensure equal opportunity, access to the greatest talent pool, and diversity, which has been linked to corporate financial success. Today’s strategic leaders can glean from Early Christian communities by identifying the value and potential women contribute every day to organizations. How do you remove the glass ceiling from your organization? Begin by identifying if there is a glass ceiling in your organization and work towards a breakthrough; give women an opportunity to contribute their time and talents in a more effective manner to benefit the organization. If the Lord Jesus knows the potential and contribution women give to society, perhaps strategic leaders will benefit by following God’s strategic plan of inclusion.
Peter Runs to the Tomb in Luke 24:12
(See Appendix A for Scripture Reference)
Socio-Cultural Aspects: There are three types of social and cultural texture that identifies with Peter in Chapter 24:
• Peasants (Entrepreneur, Laborers, Craftspeople)
• Reformist
• Subculture rhetoric
According to Robbins, Peasants operated in terms of the family labor year providing enough substance for his family, produce surplus for outside occasions, and produce “funds for rent” for landlords or tax collectors. As a Reformist, Peter views the world as corrupt because its social structures are corrupt; the Roman Empire; Pharisaical leadership. Robbins states that Reformists assume that evil may be dealt with according to supernatural insights about ways in which social organization should be amended. Investigation of the ways of the world and recommendation for amending it are the essential orientation. Specific alterations to be made are revealed to people whose hearts and minds are open to supernatural influence. Subculture rhetoric imitates the attitudes, values, dispositions, and norms of dominant culture rhetoric, and it claims to enact them better than members of dominant status.
Compare and Contrast: De Silva writes that Luke provides a model for how Jesus’ disciples are to look on those who are designated “enemies,” who are “not our kind,” who live on the “wrong side,” of some set of tracks by the standards of ethnicity, religion, nationality, sexual orientation and so forth. So we are to continue to heed God’s call to bring his salvation to all, we are boldly challenged, as Peter was, to cross those humanly drawn boundaries in outreach and to look on each person not through the lens of any human prejudice, nor to respond to them in kind when they speak to us out of their prejudice, but to seek their redemption in God’s love.
How many Peters are employed in organizations today and what type of leadership style do they carry? Peter followed the style of servant leader after his encounter at the tomb. Kathleen Patterson defines a servant leader as leaders who lead an organization by focusing on their followers, such that the followers are the primary concern and the organizational concerns are peripheral. Peter’s role as a disciple was part of God’s strategic plan. Jesus demonstrates how a person’s social or cultural role can change through a wise and compassionate leader; a strategic leader. Hughes and Beatty define strategic leadership as individuals and teams that enact strategic leadership when they think, act, and influence in ways that promote the sustainable competitive advantage of the organization.
The Men on the Road to Emmaus; Jesus Revealed - Luke 24:13-35
(See Appendix A for Scripture Reference)
Socio-Cultural Aspects: The social and cultural aspect identified in this text is:
• Thaumaturgical
• Challenged Response
• Subculture rhetoric
Robbins defines Thaumaturgical as a response that focuses on the individual’s concern for relief from present and specific ills by special dispensations. The request for supernatural help is personal and local, and its operation is magical. As a Challenge Response, the two witnesses are sharing their reaction to Jesus’ message, his witness, and his failure to support their belief in his deliverance of Israel from Roman ruler ship. Subculture rhetoric imitates the attitudes, values, dispositions, and norms of dominant culture rhetoric, and it claims to enact them better than members of dominant status.
Compare and Contrast: De Silva states that Luke speaks not only to religious professionals but to everyone who would make progress in discipleship, to everyone who seeks to leave behind old pains and the patterns they have engraved on their mind and heart. How many followers are identified with the two witnesses in an organization; they hear and don’t believe? Strategic leaders can help followers envision a fresh mindset of organizational success; eliminating presumptions. Hughes and Beatty recommends the power of language to help interpret information in ways that are helpful to the long-term success of the organization. You must develop with others a consistent message and deliver it in ways that acknowledge the value of others; celebrating large and small successes to build and sustain momentum.
Jesus’ Appearance and Promise of the Father and Praising God – Luke 24:36-53
(See Appendix A for Scripture Reference)
Socio-Cultural Aspect: The social and cultural aspects identified in this text are:
• Utopian - Jesus
• Revolutionist – disciples
• Dominant & Subdominant culture rhetoric
Robbins’ states the Utopian response seeks to reconstruct the entire social world according to divinely given principles, rather than simply to amend it from a reformist position. The goal of a utopian response is to establish a new social organization that will eliminate evil. It is much more radical than the reformist response because it insists on complete replacement of the present social organization. The Revolutionist response declares that only the destruction of the world—the natural world but also, more specifically, the social order—will be sufficient to save people. Dominant culture rhetoric presents a system of attitudes, values, dispositions, and norms that the speaker either presupposes or asserts are supported by social structures vested with power to impose its goals on people in a significantly broad territorial region. Subculture rhetoric imitates the attitudes, values, dispositions, and norms of dominant culture rhetoric, and it claims to enact them better than members of dominant status.
Compare and Contrast: De Silva states that Luke seeks to nurture a community that values and invests itself not only in facilitating the restoration of the sinner and the lost, but also in the liberation of those bound by cycles of poverty or oppression in any form. The plight of the poor (in the natural and in the spirit) is a social sickness, and as long as our hearts remain hardened to others in need, with our blinders on and our focus elsewhere, we ourselves participate in that sickness. Strategic leadership requires discipline, discipling, and integrity in leading an organization. Jesus’ characteristics in leading his organization display the following elements, which strategic leaders can adapt into their strategy:
• Knows position in the organization
• Knows calling and sacrifice for the organization
• Walks in integrity; fulfilling of his assignment
Strategic leaders face many obstacles in today’s organizations. The key to confronting obstacles is to know the value and worth of the position and fulfilling the purpose in the organization. Leaders that create an environment conducive to followers to perform tasks with integrity (e.g. supplies, tools, technology, rest areas, exercise rooms, day cares) will demonstrate a transformational leadership style (support of followers for the success of the organization) and gain follower appreciation; contributing to the organization’s success.
The Unveiling is Complete
How can Robbins’ analysis of Early Christian communities assist strategic leadership in today’s organization? By unveiling man’s understanding towards the process of assimilating success and failure between the time of the Early Christian communities through today, strategic leaders can gain knowledge and understanding of their environment. Jesus’ leadership is strategically instrumental in launching the purpose and success of the Gospel; to bring Good News. Jesus’ message focuses on reproducing others as him; walking in compassion. Theological concepts can become a bridge in identifying manners and customs associated to social and cultural elements within an organization. The greatest asset organizations possess is not a product but the people who produce the product; that is good news.
How can strategic leadership convey a message of good news and glean from Early Christian communities?
1. Define the work of a Strategic Leader. Hughes and Beatty define the work of a strategic leader as:
• The challenge to create focus;
• The challenge to align tactics with strategy;
• The challenge to keep the long term in mind despite short-term pressures.
An increasing pace of change and growing uncertainty and ambiguity define that world. As a result of organizations’ efforts to thrive in this environment, the world of work has become more complex and interdependent; just think of the complex organizational structures, systems, and processes that exist today to deal with this environment.
1. Creating a sustainable competitive advantage is no easy task. It involves bridging the gap between internal complexity and inter-dependence on one hand and the need for flexibility and resilience on the other. Balancing this tension is the work of the strategic leader.
2. Create an environment of Character Ethic as the foundation of success—integrity, humility, fidelity, temperance, courage, justice, patience, industry, simplicity, modesty, and the Golden Rule (e.g. Love your neighbor as yourself-Matt. 19:19 ).
3. Learn to give of yourself in order to produce yourself through others. By allowing yourself to be reproduced, you will inspire others to ‘stir up’ their personal convictions and commitments; placing a personal demand of integrity upon them.
4. Learn your limitations. Being a superhero will not save the organization. Realizing strengths and weakness can help create an environment of interdependence within the organization and outside the organization. People need people.
As technology creates warp-speed environments for organizations, strategic leadership is needed to prepare for the present and the future. Forecasting the present from the future is a practice that is gaining momentum in the global arena. As leadership matures into strategic leadership, organizations will come to value the worth of a strategic leader. As a Christian leader, knowledge and understanding of the Early Christian communities intertwined with today’s concepts will cause you to be a priceless commodity in an organization. The key to your continued worth as a Christian strategic leader is to practice Jesus’ message; take the Good News to others so they can reproduce.
Appendix A – Scriptural References
New American Standard Bible (www.blb.org)
Women’s representation in Luke 24:1-11
24 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; and as {the women} were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, {the men} said to them, "Why do you seek the living One among the dead? "He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." And they remembered His words, and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the {mother} of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles. But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them.
Peter Runs to the Tomb in Luke 24:12
But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he *saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened.
The Men on the Road to Emmaus; Jesus Revealed - Luke 24:13-35
And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and {began} traveling with them. But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. And He said to them, "What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?" And they stood still, looking sad. One {of them,} named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, "Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?" And He said to them, "What things?" And they said to Him, "The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him.”But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. "But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. "Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see." And He said to them, "O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!”Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?" Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther. But they urged Him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is {getting} toward evening, and the day is now nearly over." So He went in to stay with them. When He had reclined {at the table} with them, He took the bread and blessed {it,} and breaking {it,}
He {began} giving {it} to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. They said to one another, "Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?" And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, saying, "The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon." They {began} to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
Jesus’ Appearance and Promise of the Father and Praising God – Luke 24:36-53
While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and *said to them, "Peace be to you." But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. And He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?”See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. While they still could not believe {it} because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish; and He took it and ate {it} before them. Now He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”You are witnesses of these things. "And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising God.
Appendix B
Table 1.
THE LAW T GOD’S KINGDOM
Redemption through Animal Sacrifice H Redemption through the Lamb of God
Old Testament (Law of Moses-Psalms- New Testament (Fulfillment
(Prophetic in nature of E of God’s Plan through
Jesus’ Divine commission) Jesus’ obedience)
V
Customs, Manners, Attitudes, E Customs, Manners, Attitudes
Social and Cultural Differences I of the New Testament Church
L God’s Plan
fulfilled.
Covey, Steven R. (1989) (2003). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. New York, NY: FREE PRESS.
De Silva, David A. (2004). An Introduction to the NEW TESTAMENT Contexts, Methods & Ministry Formation. Downers Grove, Il: InterVarsity Press. p. 344.
Gordan, Milton M. 1970. “The Subsociety and the Subculture.” In Subcultures, edited by D. Robbins, Vernon K. (1996). Exploring the Texture of Texts. A Guide to Socio-rhetorical Interpretation. Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International.
Hughes, Richard L. & Betty, Katherine Colarelli. (2005). Becoming a Strategic Leader. Your Role in Your Organization’s Enduring Success. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Pg 9.
Malina, Bruce J. (1993). The New Testament World: Insights from Cultural Anthropology. Rev. ed. Atlanta: John Know Press. et al. (as cited in Robbins, Pgs 76-77,1996). Arnold. Berkeley, CA: Glendessary Press, 150-63 (as cited in Robbins, 1996). Roberts, Keith A. 1978. “Toward a Generic Concept of Counter-Culture.” Sociological Focus 11:111-26 (as cited in Robbins, Pg 86. 1996).
NASB. New American Standard Bible. (www.blb.org).
Northouse, Peter G. (2007). Leadership. 4th Ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. pg. 291.
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