Posted: April 15th, 2015

Leadership Interview Summary

Interview Overview:
For this assignment, you will be responsible for interviewing an individual you deem to bea Christian leader. This leader must be married, as you will also be required to interview his/her spouse. Spouses should be interviewed separately or in a setting where one spouse is not aware of the responses of the other spouse. You can choose the leader based on whatever criteria you deem important; however, be prepared to justify why you have chosen this individual as a leader worth interviewing.
The object of this assignment is to synthesize the components of a leader and explain how the person you chose fits into the category of leadership/ leader.

Interview: Interviewing:
You will interview the leader you chose and his/her spouse based on the interview guide. Remember, the purpose of this interview will be to assess what makes up the life of a leader. It is recommended that you record your interviews so you can listen to them again after the interview in order to reconnect with the data gathered.
Your assignment is toSYNTHESIZE the interview and must not be submitted as a question answer response. Submit a 6�7-page paper regarding the life of a leader using the data you gathered through the interview process. In this paper,you will find common themes that run through the interviews and, if necessary, quote the interviewees (make sure to use pseudonyms for all references to interviewees). This paper must be insynthetic form rather than in comparative form (Interviewee 1�s response followed by Interviewee 2�s response). Make sure to highlight information that the leader and spouse agree on as well as information that they disagree on.
Follow the outline below for the body of your paper; and separate sections using the headings of this outline:
1. Leader
a. Brief background of the leader and your justification for choosing to interview this person.
b. Brief background of the leader�s spouse.
2. Leadership Definition
a. How did the leader define leadership? How does his/her answer compare with the spouse�s definition of leadership; did he/she agree or disagree?
3. The Life of the Leader
a. What (in the life of your leader) makes him/her a good leader? Focus on his/her spiritual life, family life, and ministry/vocational life. Consider how the leader�s impact on his/her family affects his/her success in leadership.
4. Conclusion
a. What did you learn about the life of a leaderfrom this interview? Explain how it influences your definition of leadership.

Q. Why did you enter this particular chaplaincy discipline?
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6. A. Though a few specialty areas are available within the Chaplain Corps (hospital and family life ministry, resource managers, ethics and world religions instructors) most chaplains are generalist. Even for those who choose a specialty area, service in the specialty area is only for three to four years. Training for the specialties is provided in civilian educational institutions. The chaplains chosen to attend specialty training are selected in a competitive process and selection is considered a privilege and an honor.
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8. As to entering the military chaplaincy in general, the reasons vary. Many have had some previous contact with the military, previous enlistments, parent, or acquaintance. Most consider it a calling.
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11. Q. How long have you served as a chaplain within this chaplaincy discipline?
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13. A. I served for 26 years, retired, and have worked in the Chief of Chaplains Office in the Pentagon for the past five years. While on active duty, I served as a preacher, youth service/Sunday school coordinator, pastor, counselor, administrator, leader, college professor, analyst, advisor and research officer. The diversity and variety of service is common.
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16. Q. What preparation did you receive to qualify you for this chaplaincy discipline?
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18. A. All chaplains have advanced degrees with requirements that have varied through the years of between 72 and 90 graduate hours. Most chaplains have Master of Divinity degrees. Chaplains have a minimum of two years of pastoral work experience following completion of the graduate program. In addition, many chaplains receive additional graduate training in disciplines needed for ministry while on active duty.
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20. Q. What ministry opportunities are availed to you in your particular chaplaincy discipline?
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22. A. The opportunities for specialty service include: hospital and family life ministry, resource managers, ethics and world religions instructors, preacher, youth service/Sunday School coordinator, pastor, counselor, administrator, leader, college professor, analyst, advisor and research officer. Specialized ministry is usually for periods of three to four years. Most chaplains do not specialize and serve in a variety of ministries over the course of their careers.
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24. Q. What are the strengths of your ministry discipline compared with other types of chaplain ministry?
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26. A. The advantage of working in a specialty area is that it provides the opportunity to develop skills in a particular area, secure professional certifications if required, and focus for a period of time on one area of ministry.
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29. Q. What weaknesses do you perceive in your chaplaincy discipline?
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31. A. For those who wish to make service in the military chaplaincy a career (20 or more years), specialization reduces the opportunities available for promotion and broadening experience for higher levels of responsibility.
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34. Q. What are your greatest challenges serving as a chaplain within this discipline?
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36. A. The greatest challenge is to recognize that the reason for any aspect of our service is not to meet our individual needs but to meet the needs of our Soldiers.
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39. Q. What threats, concerns or challenges do you perceive for evangelical chaplains in your chaplaincy discipline?
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41. A. Working in a pluralistic environment is new for most entering chaplains. Chaplains are protected by law, policy and practice from being required to perform any actions that would violate the tenets of their faith � but learning how to work within the pluralist environment, in concert with the tenets of your faith and without compromise, requires both time and maturity.
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43. Q. How effective do you perceive your ministry efforts are within your chaplaincy discipline?
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45. A. Measuring effectiveness of ministry is difficult. Occasionally we see the positive outcomes of our ministry but chaplains do a lot of ministry and never know with certainty whether their service has changed anyone�s life. For a time I kept a letter in a desk drawer that had been sent to me by a Soldier. Upon receipt of the letter, I did not recall the Soldier or anything about the Soldier�s story. The letter thanked me for helping him through a difficult time. It stated that he would not have made it without the assistance provided. I offer this to provide an insight into the ministries provided by chaplains, or any pastor for that matter, and to illustrate the difficulty in quantifying the often subjective nature of pastoral success. My learning of the assistance I had provided to this Soldier was serendipitous. The letter, however, was a token reminder of the effect that caring for others could be. My conclusion, if we are trying, with God�s help, to serve Soldiers, we may never know we are helping � but God and the Soldier will.
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47. Q. How has your ministry as a chaplain affected your personal and family life?
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49. A. This is one of the more difficult challenges for Soldiers in general and chaplains in particular. Our work requires us to be away from home, sometimes for extended periods of a year or more. To keep the family strong requires exceptional efforts to bridge the gaps and unavoidable hardships resulting from lengthy separations