Nelson Mandela: Reflections on Leadership

Nelson Mandela’s death made a huge splash in newspaper headlines ... and it went on for days. Truly here was the death of a recognised leader par-excellence, possibly unmatched in today’s world. I began to reflect .. 

Some ‘leaders’ are good managers: they have practical sense, people skills and the ability to get excellent team results. But there is a huge difference between true ‘leadership’ and ‘management’.

True leadership is about example and integrity, living a vision and being passionate about it, and even if unknowingly, imparting it to others; it is choosing to live outside one’s restricted circle and exist for a wider one.

Leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Ghandi and Martin Luther King lived what they taught and managed to affect the conscience of a nation, indeed of the world. Their vision was imbedded in a sense of justice and their own personal lives were deeply caught up in it. They loved their people and each in turn was a ‘father’ to them.

They were leaders not just by the fact they spearheaded movements; they were leaders by virtue of what they were.

God calls for leaders; I’m not talking about those who’ve been to theological college or leaders’ training events. They’re not even people who aim to be leaders; they’re leaders because they live a vision and their words and actions match; they lead because their ambition is to love the things God loves with passion. 

The world is short of great known leaders; it’s short of great-unknown leaders too; the latter can be old, young, male or female and come from any strata of society; they may not make newspaper headlines when they die but those around will have been deeply affected by their lives.

My Humble Professor

Sometime ago now I studied Theology at Birmingham University. In my youthful zeal I wanted to know God and understand His Word. Little did I know that, for some of my contemporaries, such study would lead up a path of reasoning, doubt and loss of faith (a tragedy).

Reading the Bible with Michael (not his real name) is one of my life’s most pleasurable experiences. He loves reading the Bible and each week he comes to the Jesus Centre with a chosen chapter for us to read together. Well, today he chose 2 Timothy 3 – not an easy chapter and full of long words which he struggles to read. But, with a lot of prompting, we get through about half the chapter.

Michael has a general learning difficulty but that does not mean he is dull or clueless about spiritual things – rather the opposite! Individual words carry great power and meaning for him and he will pick out a word like ‘repent’ and say it slowly and then, with a twinkle and faraway look in his eyes (like he is glimpsing an unseen world) tells me what a wonderful word it is. And wonder is the word for the invisible realms are a great reality to him and he truly ‘wonders’ when he thinks on these things.

This joy and wonderment is catching. I find myself getting excited too, and I catch myself saying things like, ‘isn’t that just wonderful, Michael!'

No wonder Jesus rejoiced, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.” (Luke 10:21)

We need more people like Michael! I can learn as much about God from him as any professor of Theology!

Recently I asked myself what the Bible has to say about people with learning difficulties. At first I thought it had nothing to say but a closer look proved me wrong. For a start, if I took a pair of scissors and cut out from my New Testament every encounter Jesus had with a disabled person, there would be some very large gaps!

Jesus told us not to just love people like ourselves, people we get on with, merely fostering mutual relationships we can both benefit from. He instructed us to reach out to people who are not like us, who cannot repay us either materially or on a personal level. We are to reach out to the poor, the homeless, the disabled, people we may not always feel comfortable and I’m sure this includes people with learning difficulties.

Jesus said we would be blessed by this criss-crossing of like/unlike relationships. Now, that word ‘blessed’ is a fat, fat word, bursting with meaning. We will be drunk with God’s favour; our souls, the fibre of our beings, will be greatly enriched by our generosity. We will become full, satisfied, as we find ourselves receiving His goodness into ourselves. We are drinking and eating kingdom plenty. The repayment is now – and in eternity.

This cross-communication in our relationships, like to unlike, chalk to cheese, is one of the great geniuses of the kingdom of God; love without a price tag.

And I feel blessed, utterly blessed through my weekly encounters with Michael. But didn’t Jesus say I would be? 

Thank God for my humble professor.

Glass Half-full: Half The Sky

Somalia, Eritrea, Latvia, Slovakia, Poland, Lithuania, Russia, Iraq, Kurdistan, Palestine, Iran, Pakistan, India ... we’ve had women from all these places coming to ‘Your Learning' over the past two years at Coventry Jesus Centre. They usually come in with smiles but every life carries a story with it ... sometimes I’m told a little, I never probe. Sometimes the story is left untold.

I’m reading ‘Half the Sky’ at the moment (authors: Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn). Shocking in its revelation of the extent of the suppression, oppression and abuse of women globally, it offers a persuasive call to empower women through education and micro-financing projects - among other things. The empowering of women in such ways, the writers tell us, is a sure way to better the prospects of societies generally that are struggling with poverty in the developing world. A new breed of ‘social entrepreneurs’ has/is arising to arrest the problem of gender inequality worldwide - described by Kristof as the ‘paramount moral challenge’ of this century.

It’s one of those must-reads for women (indeed, men as well) that care; it’s greatly changed my understanding of just what women throughout the world suffer. Now when they come and take their place in class I wonder ...

Recently two female students from Kurdistan introduced me to one of their heroes, Hapsa Khani Naqib, a twentieth century Kurdish social entrepreneur. With their help I wrote out the story of her life and I asked one of them to lead a group involving reading and talking about her life. After reading ‘Half the Sky’, I can understand a little more why she is their hero. 

My friends, Ro and Mim, are starting a new project ‘Glass Half Full’. Their aim is to encourage small scale manufacturing in the developing world (starting with Bangladeshi women) by finding a market for their goods in the UK.

Glass half-full? A situation (such as a woman’s prospects in the developing world) can be a cause of optimism (a glass half-full as opposed to empty) or pessimism (only half-full or half–empty).

Personally I find such projects exciting; they’re providing new opportunities for people with little prospect; they’re doing something and every little something is better than nothing.

Meanwhile, these women are also on our soil, actually down the road, next door, in our class. It’s an opportunity...
   
 The empowering of women, enlarging the often narrow visor of their life-possibilities, is a must. As the Chinese saying goes, ‘women hold up half the sky.’

Hapsa Khani Naqib: Kurdish Hero

HapsaKhani Naqib and her brother

This is a reading text I wrote for two of my Kurdish female students, Siti and Silan. They asked if we could learn about her in our ESOL class. For very obvious reasons, she is one of their heroes.

The story is written simply so it can be easily understood. Silan led the group, reading and discussing Hapsa Khani Naqib's life.

Hapsa Khani Naqib (1891-1953) was a strong and determined reformer. She campaigned for independence for the Kurdish people. She also campaigned for women’s rights.

Hapsa Khani Naqib was born in the city of Sulaimaniyha in 1891. Sulaimaniyha is in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. 

Hapsa Khani Naqib was married to Sheikh Qadir Hafid. The British forces occupied Iraq at this time. Many of the people of Iraq wanted independence. Sheikh Qadir Hafid played an important role in the revolution against the British forces.

Hapsa Khani Naqib, like her husband, wanting freedom for the Kurdish people. She also wanted freedom for women. She believed that women as well as men should be educated. At that time, most women were not educated in Kurdestan.

Hapsa Khani Naqib started a night school for women in Sulaimaniyha. She also campaigned for the downtrodden and oppressed women living in her neighbourhood.

Hapsa Khani Naqib founded the first Kurdish women's organization in Iraq. This was called the ‘Kurdish Women's Association’. 

 Hapsa Khani’s house became a centre for Kurdish women’s rights. 
 Hapsa Khani said, "There is no difference between men and women...so I am going to continue..."

 In 1930, Hapsa Khan sent a letter to the League of Nations. She asked them to support the rights of the Kurdish people.

The Republic of Kurdistan was founded in 1946 by Qazi Mohammed. Hapsa Khani supported the Republic.

 Hapsa Khani Naqib died in 1953. She was 62. After she died her home became a school. This is just what she wanted!

Today Hapsa Khani Naqib is greatly admired by the Kurdish people. She lived for them. She struggled for them. She did not give up! She played a very important role in their struggle for freedom.

Christianity, a Generation Away From Extinction? The Wisdom of the Old

Lord Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury

Here I am, chatting to my elderly Dad (87). He’s just out of hospital, foot bandaged and propped up on a stool, but still  a keen reader of the Daily Telegraph. 

‘Here you are, this will interest you,” he says and hands me an article headed: ‘Lord Carey  warns that Christianity is a generation away from extinction in Britain.’ It’s all rather depressing ... the Church of England, indeed Christianity in our country, on the brink of demise?  A gloomy picture.

Now Dad has been a church-goer for much of his life and he says to me, in his old-age wisdom: ‘I think people these days just can’t see the point of Christianity – that’s the main problem.’ Before you know it, a letter is crystallising in my mind, I write it and check it with Dad (because really it all started with him) – and so here it is, editor! 

Lord Carey has warned that Christianity is, "a generation away from extinction" in Britain.

‘So what is the problem? We can blame the apathy of the masses; we can blame ourselves for our lack of zeal for evangelism.

For me, one of the keys to unlocking the difficulty we’re facing is this: people have to see the point of Christianity. After all, it’s not just about maintaining church services, important as they are for replenishing and encouraging spiritual life. 

People have to see that Christianity, the embracing of the teachings of Jesus, receiving Christ and all He is, makes a difference.

When the church can be shown to demonstrate Jesus’ teaching in action, it has every chance of growing ... but people must see it first.

I both work and volunteer at a church-based drop-in centre in Coventry. What we do is minuscule compared to the great need that is all around: we supply free breakfasts several times a week, offer help to find homes, run small skills classes to equip and enable people to be ready for work, however low-paid and offer a hand of friendship. We don’t evangelise much; we just try and serve, meet a need where there is one - and people come.

For many homeless and vulnerable people, our centre is their church; people come to help and join us.  You see, they can see there is a point to it all; a true embrace of Christianity issues in love for all, particularly the disadvantaged and poor.

Small expressions of such church-service to the surrounding community are common; where they exist, the boot is on the front foot; we’re moving forward. It’s our small way of replicating Jesus’s story of the ‘Good Samaritan’ – a call to practical love.

So, what’s the point of Christianity?  – “Don’t tell us,” they say, “we can see!”

The letter, somewhat abbreviated, was published in the Daily Telegraph on the 23 November. Daily Telegraph letter 23 November

Love Is Never Intentions Only: William Booth's Legacy

Simple stories sometimes say everything you want to say. Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan, simple, uncomplicated as it is, never fails to reach my heart; it searches me, inspire me, galvanises me and directs my gaze – to others.

The other Sunday morning I had to tell our folks about how ‘Your Learning’ (Skills project) is progressing at Coventry Jesus Centre and I couldn’t resist telling them the following story: 

William Booth died in 1912 and his funeral cortege brought London to a standstill. 150,000 filed passed his casket to pay their last respects and his funeral was attended by 40,000 people. 

William Booth: Funeral Procession

Queen Mary, wife of George V and an admirer of Booth, attended the funeral at Olympia. She did not come as a dignitary; rather she sat unnoticed near the back amongst the vast crowd of, 'thieves, tramps, harlots, the lost and outcast to whom Booth had given his heart' (The General Next to God: Richard Collier: Collins 1965). Next to her sat a shabbily but neatly-dressed woman who had once been a prostitute and when the coffin passed by, the woman placed some red carnations on it. Turning to the queen, she said, “He cared for the likes of me.”

That’s it. Love is expressed in care and care has hands and feet and is never intentions only. At the Jesus Centre we can theologise on what we do, not always a bad thing, but let’s hope the people we work amongst can similarly summarise our work:  “They care for the likes of us.”

Up The Mountain: Teach Us Your Ways

And it will come about in the last days
That the mountain of the house of the LORD
Will be established as the chief of the mountains.
It will be raised above the hills,
And the peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say,
“Come and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD
And to the house of the God of Jacob,
That He may teach us about His ways
And that we may walk in His paths.”

Micah 4: 1-2

It’s great to have hungry people around, people you haven’t got to entice to eat, dangling morsels before them in case they  may just fancy a little something, but people who are hungry, hungry for the word, the ways, of God. 

There’s nothing much better in life, as far as I am concerned, than for people to come to us mountain dwellers (see above verses) and say, “We want to learn God’s ways so that we may walk in His paths.” It was happening last night at the New Friends course at Coventry Jesus Centre. 

We asked our new Middle Eastern friends if they had managed to read anything from the Bible this week. “We’ve been very busy this week,” they said. “We’ve only managed to read Luke and John’s Gospel.”

I remember days when, at school as a teenager, I could not put the Bible down. Bible verses were written in my rough book, pondered and learned; it was food for a hungry soul. I longed and longed for God, to know Him more. Yet, last night I felt a little ashamed: my new friends are hungrier than me.

Such appetite is a mark that God is doing 'His thing' - creating passionate followers of Jesus who long to love and know Him and love all that He loves. 

Healthy babies guzzle and grow - very quickly in fact. If we need anything, it’s hungry babes. No, they are not streaming to us, not yet, but they’re coming, and in my heart, I find little more exciting.