Organic Transformation in Ministry
December 1, 2012 by Roderick Fillinger
Filed under Newsletter
We just need some new “Programs”.
Let’s take out the pews and put chairs in the sanctuary.
I think we need some new blood. We need to get some young guys on our leadership team.
We need some ‘contemporary music’.
Sound familiar? These are all comments that I have heard regarding the revitalization of a local church. Each statement exhibits a serious distortion and misunderstanding of the nature of the church and true biblical transformation.
Organizational Transformation. The initiatives listed above facilitate organizational transformation. They are one dimensional. They may change procedures but in and of themselves they do not produce transformation. People are generally willing to embrace such change because it requires little or no personal sacrifice or accountability. There is no threat to their comfort level. They can continue ‘as is’ and point to these ‘changes’ as ‘evidence’ that they are open to transformation. Except, these initiatives do not lead to personal or corporate transformation. They do not bring people face to face with the true and living God Who is interested in holiness much more than happiness among His people.
Organic Transformation. This involves changing the DNA of a local church. It is sometimes likened to “riding the bull”. The picture tells the story. There are risk galore, challenges that stretch leaders to the breaking point. People love their comfort zones. Transformation inherently requires change, leaving the comfort zone and stepping out into unknown territory. The old ‘flat earth’ proponents used to say of this challenge – ‘there be dragons out there’. Yes, and you will meet them when you lead this type of transformation.
On a day when many evangelicals are perhaps flexing their political muscles in the aftermath of their decisive votes in Alabama and Mississippi, it’s worth pondering whether evangelicals’ actual cultural (rather than political) influence is waxing or waning. While reading Charles Murray’s new book, I came across insightful and disturbing discussions by Yuval Levin and Ross Douthat. Surveying the devastating decline in marriage and other critical social markers in the working class, Levin notes the failure of social conservatism outside the political sphere:
In our time, American social conservatism has much to be proud of as a movement for justice: Social conservatives devote themselves to the pro-life cause, to human rights, and to the plight of the poor abroad. But American social conservatism has almost entirely lost interest in the cause of order—in standing up for clean living, for self-discipline and restraint, for resisting temptation and meeting basic responsibilities. The institutions of American Christianity—some of which would actually stand a chance of being taken seriously by the emerging lower class—are falling down on the job, as their attention is directed to more exciting causes, in no small part because the welfare state has overtaken some of their key social functions.
Douthat agrees and adds an important point:
As it happens, this is one of the themes of my forthcoming book — the extent to which the story of religion in America over the last two generations is a story, not of outright secularization, but of institutional decline. Contemporary Americans are as religiously-minded as ever, but the rise of church-switching and do-it-yourself faith and the steady weakening of the traditional churches and communions has left the country without religious institutions capable of playing the kind of social role that Levin describes above.
* Decision Making Profile
The church has adopted a variety of dysfunctional decision making profiles. The decisions often do not serve the purpose of the church (Make Disciples). The existence of control groups and personal agendas results in perpetual dysfunction and schism in each local assembly.
I encourage my readers to request a copy of this one page article. This profile guides you through a Decision Making Process that is effective and honors the text of Scripture. Decisions in the church must honor the Word of God – always! Call me to review the application of this in the ministry in which you serve. 1 800 472 3764 orinfo@igniteus.net.
“Timing For Transformation” – I frequently (virtually every week) have a Pastor tell me about the dysfunctional nature of the church in which he serves. My response is “Who did God put there to correct that dysfunction?” This usually produces prolonged silence. The answer is obvious. There is little or no beneficial result in denying reality.
Establish a season of intercessory prayer for yourself and the process. Identify and enlist a Team of men who will not cave in to resistance and the appeal for maintaining status quo. Set some realistic time parameters. Trust God to enable and produce health and effectiveness where you serve. Enjoy the ride!
Send your thoughts to info@igniteus.net. THANKS!
* eStore on The Web – I am working with our Web Master to create an eStore on our IgniteUS Web Site (www.igniteus.net) . Over the years God has enabled IUS to develop some very beneficial resources. We will make these available with instruction and the option to get coaching for applying them in ministry. More to come on this topic.
