Unity is Prohibited by the Need for Control

To effectively steer the Church toward God's design for Body Life, leaders need to model unity out of diversity by how they react in situations where they might feel threatened because someone disagrees or opposes them. If these kinds of situations head toward defensiveness and a quest for control, you're own reactions could pose as a stumbling block to fulfilling God's design.

Reasons Leaders Feel Threatened and Feel the Need to Gain Control

A need for control often comes when a leader feels threatened. At first glance we might think the threat comes because ...

  • people disagree with us (believe or feel different than you),
  • challenge our decisions (think different than you),
  • or don't take our advice or guidance (act different than you).
Rather, the threat comes when we sense ...
  • a loss of status, power, respect, influence, or control due to the disagreement, challenge, or lack of submission.

How Leaders Needing to be in Control Prohibit Unity in the Body

Threatened by a loss of status, power, respect, or influence, leaders might set out to regain control and esteem but in unhealthy ways. When others sense a leader's need for control, they might react in self-protective ways. This leads to a stressful and divisive environment where misunderstandings and conflict flourish.
 

In addition to what you read on this page, the Steering the Church Toward Body Life Leadership Guide looks at the results of leaders needing control and the realities they need to grasp to keep themselves from setting out on a quest for control.


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