I sat in a gathering this week, listening to some people who had been involved in high level corporate business, and whose lives had totally changed by becoming followers of Christ. These men are now trying to reach into the business community with the gospel, encouraging business owners to implement Kingdom of God principles to operate their business.
One word kept coming across the conversation - VISION. The emphasis was that businesses could not run only to make money; rather, the owners had to have an idea, a picture in their mind of what they want their business to achieve. For example, Bill Gates vision was a pc on every desk. The day was focused on people who were leading others.
As we were talking and sharing, my mind went to the hundreds of people I have known in my life who do not own a business, or have a vision for their life, or who will not "make something happen". The followers of the world (and it is obvious that we need more followers than leaders!)These are the people who work in factories, hospitals, farms; tradies, office workers, call-centre staff.
These people make our world function. They often do not set an agenda or vision - they faithfully and diligently follow the agenda and vision set by others. They carry out the work.
I have been to many conferences and seminars, and heard many preachers declare that this or that is the most important issue in the church today. Pray more, preach less, reach out to youth, reach in to men, do community services, know your community profile, establish networks, change form, the emerging church etc... Many of these things are true and have their place. One very loud voice over the past 10 years has been LEADERSHIP. That everything rises and falls on leadership.
I would suggest that the main issue for the modern church is quieter and more subtle than all of these - followership. Most leaders and ministers (both lay and ordained) are trained in leadership, have sound planning and strategy skills, great people skills and pastoral skills. They can also work within a leadership team to produce vision and energy required to work with God in this crazy 21st century.
But the followers must follow. Yes, have your say and debate both the means and the outcome; but please, if your leadership team has consulted you, prayed to our Lord and discussed all the implications to come up with a sense of vision or a new ministry or a change in direction,PRAYERFULLY FOLLOW THEM. Dedicate yourself to following your leader. Not blindly, but willingly.
Too often, followers will not follow. to paraphrase Thomas a Kempis, "your opinion is not as important as you think".
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Ahhhh! Spoken like a true leader! But you're right. To steal a phrase, we are in a post everything era where anything goes and the right to beleive in nothing seems to be the order of the day. A group or club that prospers usually does because it has self belief, integrity and a vision. When service groups numbers are diminishing and the "what's in it for me" groups are prospering, we have to ask why. As a Church, we must ensure our leaders have the integrity to maintain our beliefs and not dilute the word to be "user friendly". As followers, we must then support our leaders and their visions. We have a great "club rule book" to ensure we are heading in the right direction and if we maintain integrity in our daily walk, we will soon be known as a "what's in it for me" group because the benefits of being a follower of Christ far out way the benefits of any other group on this earth!
ReplyDelete