Ministers in South Africa are said to have a tendency to be task-driven rather than people-driven. Recently a Church staff member described to me her disappointment at being neglected as soon as it was "mission accomplished". Seeking to provide some perspective, I wrote to her: "Your minister is the professional who has a task to do. The good side of that is that such ministers are not too much ensnared by the personal dynamics and politics that sometimes go on in Churches, and so may be very effective. The downside is that they do this at the expense of deeper relationships or sensitivity to individuals. He's a man on a mission, and what's important to him is what's important to the mission." OBSERVATION: Ideally, I think, one should find a balance between the task and thoughtful consideration of people -- although it's a balance that easily tips too far to one side or the other.
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