The need to influence is typical of Church leadership theory in North America -- often represented by diagrams such as the one on the right. I researched this for a Master's degree. One Sunday, our Church saw a (broad, gentle) revolt over a proposal of our diaconate, to have earlier service times. Our diaconate, though, did not press hard. I asked our assistant minister whether he had noticed the dynamic, and how it linked to the diaconate's promotion of the proposal. “Oh. Yeah,” he said. I asked him what would have happened if I or our leadership had pressed for this more purposefully. Of course, conflict. OBSERVATION: In general, "influence" is to be avoided.
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