Gunter lectures on leadership at APNTS

Manila, Philippines

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Nina G. Gunter, general superintendent emerita, recently served as guest professor for a graduate degree course in leadership to students at Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary (APNTS) in Manila, Philippines. The course provided three graduate credits, a full semester, taught in a two-week module.

Gunter's background as a general superintendent in the Church of the Nazarene (2005-2009) and general director of Nazarene Missions International (NMI) (1986-2005), a lifetime of preaching and co-pastoring experience, and her writing and studies in leadership provided a depth of content in this 45-hour module.
 
Funding for the project was provided by the Crawford Foundation. Cecil and Miriam Crawford, the founders, are graduates of Olivet Nazarene University (1941 and 1942). The Foundation supports Christian education programs internationally. Students came from Korea, Myanmar, and the Philippines. "I am deeply grateful to the Crawford Foundation for making it possible to interact with these students on such critical principles for their ministry," said Gunter.

The class was structured around current trends and practices in leadership. "The students and I discussed spiritual leadership and God's call to leaders of the 21st century," said Gunter. "I challenged them to walk the four steps of leadership: love, listen, learn, and lead." Practical insights for these 21st century leaders included the influence of diversity of race, gender, and generation. Other strategic discussions focused on practices for leading in conflict, the management of time, building and nurturing the team, and the landscape of mission for the future that has already come in making Christlike disciples in the specific places we lead.
 
In addition to the lectures, there was lively and insightful participation from students. They presented their definitions of leadership and concepts of implementation to their classmates in prepared papers of study and research. Each student also presented a case study paper from thought and research on a real life leadership situation.  "These projects were focused and well developed on current issues in this opportunity of learning from one another," said Gunter. One student shared: "Leaders must be awake about everything and never sleep. I have learned that I cannot put live eggs under dead chickens."

With permission from Nazarene Publishing House, Gunter was able to orchestrate a special printing in Manila of her leadership text coauthored with Gay Leonard, Holy Leadership in a Hectic World. Each student received a personal copy. Holy Leadership in a Hectic World expounds on many of the principles covered in this class for leaders of all types in all locations desiring to embody the best of leadership principles with the direction of the Holy Spirit. 

Moody Gunter lectured in the classroom one day on personal and church finance. In addition to teaching the class, both Nina and Moody Gunter preached in local churches. She preached a districtwide NMI rally to an overflow crowd and an additional 200 people on the lawn. He presented seminars for three days to 60 pastors on the Metro Manila District on church administration, finance, and pastoral burnout.
 
"This teaching experience was not ordinary for me," said Nina Gunter. "Through many hours of preparation in both mind and heart, God helped me aim to demonstrate knowledge of current leadership trends and practices. Beyond that, He inspired me to help the students develop as leaders to fulfill our great mission."
 
"This class was very timely for me," said Mark Andrew Almorio, a student from the Philippines. "She is a practitioner, giving us enlightening moments that explain what, how, and why we have to continue or revise our leadership endeavors."

The class forged new relationships, and Gunter continues to hear from many of her students at APNTS. Ngun Sui Thang of Myanmar wrote: "I will not forget the words of Dr. Nina G. Gunter: 'Leadership is not about showing power or authority. It is about serving people with love and care.'"
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