Leadership

Earlier this week a friend who is a leader of a large public sector agency in our community and I were comparing leading our organizations. I made the ages old reference to leading a church like being on the Titanic-trying to turn a massive ship is a time consuming process. He likened his job to being the captain of the Exxon Valdez...trying to navigate the waterway's around Alaska- surrounded on both sides by glaciers and other unmovable land masses. like trying to thread a needle in the dark. Of course he also suggested that leading his organization has a huge challenge-keeping the cargo on board! While our organizations are as different as night and day, there is a similarity between us. Both of us are trying to navigate in uncharted waters. Recently there have been a deluge of articles suggesting that the Southern Baptist Convention is in decline and a series of rebuttal arguments suggesting that things are really better than they appear. From where I sit- on the left coast, in a highly unchurched population- both sides may be missing the point. We've never been here before. So, the past- while instructive- cannot be a guide for the present. We can learn lessons from our past, but it may be time to look to the present and intermediate future.
As pastors we need to ask, "What changes/adjustments do we need to make as believers, families, churches, and denominational agencies to respond to the opportunities God presents us with?" God is opening doors for service- they don't always look like they did in the past. God is leading individuals and churches to respond to their communities in fresh ways. Instead of comparing ourselves to one another let's focus on where God has placed us, stay planted, and stay focused on the larger objective. Do we need a Great Commission Resurgence. Yes. Do we need a fresh touch from the Holy Spirit? Yes. Do we need to constantly be evaluating our strategies. Yes. Too much of what I've read and listened to tends to suggest an either or type of response. What about both/and responses? Are we in decline? Numerically, yes. But maybe that's healthy. I know even in my small church we still have people on our rolls we can't find. A decline in numbers from where we are may mean drawing closer to identifying those for whom we are truly spiritually responsible. Are we baptizing as many as we have? No. But again, how many adults have we re-baptized because we failed to do an adequate job of discipleship? Far too many. I know these are old arguments and probably cliche's by now....
I won't be attending the SBC this year- too far, too costly, I choose to use my limited travel expenses for meetings closer to home. My prayer is that the meeting won't devolve into an us vs them, or a past or present or future orientation, but that God will move- and like neither the Titanic or the Exxon Valdez our denomination will allow God to lead on a path that continues to advance the Kingdom of God!