Vocational Formation: Navigating Leadership Disorientation

Abstract

Disorienting dilemmas appear as frequent experiences in the Christian leader’s vocational formation. Such events are depicted in virtually every leader found in Scripture, along with those in our contemporary era. Whether referred to as a “leadership crucible,” an “optimal conflict,” a “conflict in context,” or the “dark night of the soul,” contemporary leadership literature provides insight into the impact of these events on a leader’s perspective of life and vocation. Recovery from these events is often arduous. Therefore, a generative framework for vocational formation and a Christian leader’s response to disorienting events, in particular, is needed to integrate a theological consideration of the Holy Spirit’s role in the Christian leader’s vocational formation, while considering how transformative learning theory contributes to understanding leadership disorienting dilemmas.