I have just finished two books, “The Captain Class” by Sam Walker, and “Humilitas” by John Dickson. Both fascinating reads, and particularly for someone such as me who loves sport, has worked under some mighty leaders within the Australian education landscape, and who is committed to understanding God’s plan in all circumstances.
short, Sam Walker spent 10 years working out what were the best ever sports teams across the world – he applies a scientist’s logic (as a trained scientist, I enjoyed reading his technique) to identify these teams (16 in total), and then he explores what were the keys to their success.
Here is a quote from his book:
The secret to winning is not what you think it is.
It’s not the coach. It’s not the star.
It’s not money. It’s not a strategy.
It’s something else entirely.
The “something else entirely” is the leader. To Walker’s genuine surprise, he discovers that each team in the list was only genuinely a “world’s best” team when led by a person who led with a style best summed up in the word “humble”. To us Christians, this is no surprise. This is Christ’s call on the way we live our lives, each and every day. Of course it is a winning way!
“Humilitas” is a study in the root meaning of the word humility, as it applies to leadership in church and other walks of life. Dickson is an Australian author, CEO of “The Centre for Public Christianity” and his books are very readable. He reminds us that humility, as Jesus taught it and as modelled in a godly way in many Biblical narratives, is not about being humiliated by rather the intentional act of “lowering oneself” – that is, redirecting personal power towards the service of others, whatever the cost.
The narrative of the gospels and the acts of the apostles gives us clear insight into being humble, as we see Jesus modelling it, and his disciples and followers practicing it, sometimes as God would want, and sometimes not.
In our 21st century context, in a Christian school in the western world, being humble in all our relationships is a constant and ongoing challenge, as it pushes against worldly “wisdom”. It is an issue of the heart, a matter of character – so important and, yet, so easily put aside or forgotten.
In forming teams of leadership in this school, and others I have led in, I have sought to find those who will model Godly humility in their leadership and teamwork, and to bring me back to that space as we work together, should I need reminding. I have been blessed in so many ways by those I have met in leadership roles at this school, since I began here 10 months ago. Blessed, because of their willingness to be vulnerable, to redirect their personal power towards the service of others, whatever the cost, to listen and seek deeper understanding of what God would have them do and how he want this to be done.
Looking forward to 2018, and the formation of leadership teams across the school, I am very pleased to announce the following appointments. In making this announcement, I am particularly excited by the way each pairing has such complementary mix of God-given gifts that will impact in such positive ways, in the development of their work together and the leadership of staff within their area of responsibility.
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Your prayers for the School Leadership Team, as we seek to serve the DCC community in these roles in the years to come, will be greatly appreciated. May we seek to model Christ in all that we do, learn how to grow in our roles in all humility, and seek to bring glory to God through all our College’s activities.
educating 4 life, too 
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