Emerging Leadership?
Previously, I briefly reviewed my understanding of how leadership has evolved through the centuries. As I examine leadership in the era of change from a modern mindset to a postmodern one (whatever that means), it seems that little is changing.
When I explore what leadership actually looks like in emerging churches, I get a very modern picture of leadership. (Please note: When I say "explore" I usually mean by engaging a church's website, which is far from an accurate picture, but I still believe that much can be learned about leadership in how it is presented.) Some churches, such as Imago Dei, have a board of elders that includes all the pastoral staff, and a board of directors (program directors, I presume). At Solomon's Porch, there are dedicated staff members and a Leadership Co-Op (with the senior pastor always being a member) composed of members that are elected for two year terms, with only two consecutive terms permitted. From the description, the Leadership Co-Op acts like a board of directors of a corporation, hiring and firing, and overseeing the budget while putting out communal fires. Jacob's Well is apparently similar.
What is my point? I don't know. (Thinking out loud here, remember!) I guess when I look at all these emerging churches, I expect to see new, emerging forms of leadership. Instead, the structures remain the same, there is just more diversity of people. All these churches have a lead pastor. Essentially, it seems the leadership structure is still very modern, with one primary voice and the corporate board of directors dealing with the budget and "big issues." Why are there no co-pastors? Is there something inherent to spiritual leadership that demands only one prominent voice? Or is it that our structures have not caught up to emerging rhetoric?
In our house church, we have no official leaders. Jared and I step up to the plate with our natural leadership abilities frequently, but each is often not able to accomplish what we would like or envision, simply because the community doesn't want to or has another idea. Jared is the "prophetic voice" so to speak, so he is often viewed by visitors as the pastor, but that is likely to change as we recently decided to try some different approaches, getting even more people involved with feeding and leading thoughts. But we have had our share of challenges in terms of decision making as a community. And there are small, practical issues every once in a while.
So maybe the one-voice, board oversight structure is not a "modern" function. Perhaps it is the most logical for our human condition, the concept that has survived the "evolutionary" forces of social change through the centuries. Or perhaps, there can be a different form of leadership, intensely spiritual, yet looking nothing like modern churches. Perhaps the lack of new leadership structures in general, even among emerging churches, and the hardships we face in our home church, are just evidence that we are still in the early staging of emerging from a modern mindset, at least in the church. And then again, to throw a wrench in it, there are some who see emerging spiritual culture looking for the ancient paths of epistemology and ecclesiology. Perhaps emerging churches will actually become more hierarchical as the importance of community formation and voice are emphasized.
"How many licks does it take to get the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop? The world may never know."
3 comments:
Perhaps one voice for the good of all - lessen the multiple and perhaps selfish view of each individual. Few of us sinners can set aside what is Right for our own view of what we think is right. Good leaders listen before they act. Even in the higher thinking order of a later century Jean Luc was Captain Picard.
Perhaps you're right. That is definitely the more "ancient" view of leadership (and as I mentioned, some emerging individuals are looking to the more ancient ways of knowing and doing). Of course, that concept of leadership was fostered in a community where most were illiterate, few had any access to Bibles if they could read, and education, in general, was lacking. Now, most American Christians are educated, literate, have access to a Bible, etc.
Your second good observation is more to the point. Many voices, many possibilities for selfishness. More possibility for sin to "lead." And that may be the case. I believe it was Doug Paggitt who said something to the effect of, "If you want to root out heresy, don't look to the places where multiple voices are heard, but rather the places where only one voice is heard."
And I totally agree with your final point. Good leaders will listen before acting. At least, for the most part. It is complicated, but I appreciate and agree with the main idea.
Thanks for the comment!
Yes, I think you read correctly what I wrote incorrectly - Few of us can set aside our own view of what we think is right for what is tuly Right.
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