A lot of people are pessimistic about the church of Jesus surviving. I am concerned about the state of Christian leadership in America but frankly I am not too worried about the church.
Oh, yeah, I agree that the church as we have known it for the past few centuries will not likely survive. However, that might be great for spiritual growth.
I don't see very many Christian leaders who really want to lead. Oh, I see a lot of people who want folks to conform to their programs and preaching but not many really want folks to get fired up, get on board with Jesus and get going into the world to make a difference.
What is it about Christians that they are ferociously into control? Why do so many leaders complain about the lack of motivation among their members? I learned from Steve Griebling the truth that everyone is motivated. But, they are not very motivated to do what we want. This makes preachers pretty uncomfortable because they have a wonderful plan for others.
When I was assigned to oversee the small groups at College Hill Church I jumped at the opportunity. I had a wonderful plan for how the groups needed to operate and what they should do. I quickly discovered that certain groups had been going for years and they had no intention of changing just because I came on staff. These people told me in no uncertain terms that they liked what they were already doing and had every intention to stay the course.
The church women had run "circles" for a long time and they liked them just the way they were. This was my baptism into church power structures. I learned from these people a very, very important lesson. Here it is. "If it ain't broke, don't change it!"
I suddenly became a great and successful ministry leader. I stumbled into what was working and I affirmed it and blessed it and marketed it. I blew the horn for women's circles and all kinds of small groups that were considered old fashioned and out of tune by "the experts". I mentioned them in the announcements, listed them in the bulletins and wrote glowing reports for the annual meetings.
The experts were missing what their "customers" wanted and I was forced to acknowledge that these men and women actually loved their old fashioned styles and were learning to follow Jesus more fervently be being in them. And, over time some of them caught the wave of innovation and tried some of my new ideas.
Find what works and affirm it.
Find what is broke and fix it.
Find people that want to do things and support them.
God is at work and He has given us the church but it has many forms. Get fired up and get going.
Comments or brick bats?
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3 comments:
Hi Gary,
I am writing to you from beautiful Estes Park Colorado...I have been in the mountains away from everything "church" (but NOT everything "GOD")for almost a week now and I am refreshed, blessed, and honestly dreading coming back.
You are SO RIGHT about church leaders needing/wanting control...what I've seen of late (in my own church) is that when the control goes away, often so goes the motivation. Unless someone is behind people (SOME people, not ALL people) prodding, and cheerleading, they are content to sit in the pew and wonder what the leadership is doing about the current state of the world.
I believe the most profound thing you said was, "FIND WHAT WORKS AND AFFIRM IT." That is currently what our pastor is trying to do...and what he's finding is that we don't "look like" a typical church. Our small groups don't look "typical"...our ministries aren't typical, and our demographic (those we minister to) are not typical. I am grateful for a pastor who is NOT so into control that he feels he must have his hands in every ministry going on in the church. His philosophy, much like that of mega church Tommy Barnett (Arizona) is this: "Find what you love, find your passion, and go do it." He has modeled this for us PERSONALLY in the fishing business he now has...it was his passion. He's doing it. The people at Grace were (are) his passion...he's doing that too.
When it all works...and church leadership will keep their hands off of it rather than try to "fix it" or stuff it into some mold that THEY prefer, things go much better.
I do not believe the Church is in trouble...I believe, as you do, that CHURCH AS IT HAS BEEN KNOWN is in trouble! Hallelujah!
Yes, the church of the 20th Century may be on the way out but God will replace it with something far better. As I remember it, Jesus promised that the "gates of hell" could not bring it down! PTL that Jesus is in charge.
I'm excited to hear that your Pastor does not need to be in control. Thank God that He gave us the Holy Spirit to be in charge. "Let my people go!" That is as relevant today as it was when Moses said it to Pharoh.
Hi Gary...
WOW...I've never thought of that verse in that context..."Let my people 'GO'!" Yes. Relevant. Totally. Grateful for all you're doing!
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