Episode 198: The Importance of History and Context in Leadership

October 5, 2021

Where is the first German-speaking Methodist Church located?

No, we’re not asking a random trivia question.

It’s a question about history.

You’ll need to listen to Episode 198 to get the answer. But, for now, we’ll tell you this: it’s probably not located where you think.

This month, we’re diving into the importance of history and context in leadership. We explore the history of one local congregation that earned the name First German Methodist Episcopal Church to get us started. And, literally, it was the first German-speaking Methodist Church in the world.

Through this one story, you’ll hear why exploring the enduring threads of history is essential to leaders. Then, you’ll get to explore what to do when the history of a local church isn’t positive, or it doesn’t sync with the current climate surrounding the church.

Finally, we’ll offer questions to help you explore your community and identify the essential history and current local context.

Write it Down/Talk it Out

  1. What are you doing to understand the history that led to your current reality?
  2. What do you understand about your current context?