Friday, September 18, 2009
Leading Means Going First
Rev. Bill prvides and extensive quote that he summarizes this way:
I'll just briefly explore on related question and answer. "What transformation?" Well, what pops to my mind is the personal one wrought by the Holy Spirit in our lives. So our primary call as leaders in the church is to be transformed into the image of Christ.
So, if that is the case, what are we as leaders to spend most of our time doing? - Talking to church consultants or reading scripture? Rev. Bill is a fellow Presbyterian - imagine the majority of a Session meeting devoted to prayer and study and personal accountability, and not to budgets and committee reports. What would the church look like? (Here is an answer from my perspective - I'd be willing to stay in Session meetings that lasted until 11PM if that was the case)
For those churches that elect their leadership, what would that process look like if the initial effort was to find people who were mature disciples, and not necessarily great business, or other, leaders?
Why do we assume things would not run smoothly under the situation I have just described? More importantly, should they? For insight, you might want to read this book.)
I long for a church that builds God's people and not itself.
One of the ideas that strikes me is that the pastor and leaders in a congregation have to be the ones to lead the change if transformation is to take place.That is a powerful, powerful statement, and one fraught with terrible implication.
I'll just briefly explore on related question and answer. "What transformation?" Well, what pops to my mind is the personal one wrought by the Holy Spirit in our lives. So our primary call as leaders in the church is to be transformed into the image of Christ.
So, if that is the case, what are we as leaders to spend most of our time doing? - Talking to church consultants or reading scripture? Rev. Bill is a fellow Presbyterian - imagine the majority of a Session meeting devoted to prayer and study and personal accountability, and not to budgets and committee reports. What would the church look like? (Here is an answer from my perspective - I'd be willing to stay in Session meetings that lasted until 11PM if that was the case)
For those churches that elect their leadership, what would that process look like if the initial effort was to find people who were mature disciples, and not necessarily great business, or other, leaders?
Why do we assume things would not run smoothly under the situation I have just described? More importantly, should they? For insight, you might want to read this book.)
I long for a church that builds God's people and not itself.
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