I have said that, in the Congregational Church, "The minister has influence, not power." I remember discussing with someone a decision which the Church had considered in a meeting, and the notion that the minister had special power. OBSERVATION: But perhaps, in a sense, he or she does not even have influence, in a Congregational Church. My own perspective is that, while the minister has influence, it is not something that he or she should generally* seek to bring to bear on the Church. I would see my own influence as being merely a part of every influence in the Church -- and that, too, will go nowhere except through the influence of God. This is incidentally virtually the opposite of what is called Transformational Leadership, which has been summarised: "Leadership is influence."
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*except to protect the dynamic of the influence of all, where this may be jeopardised. One of the things which has distressed me more than many others in ministry is when the influence of all is compromised.
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