 |
| Swimming in a Naturalistic Culture
|
|
|
|
|
Location: Blogs Don Green |
 |
| Posted by: Don Green |
9/20/2007 7:23 PM |
There is an old proverb that says, "He who swims in the water gets wet." That obvious observation prompts me to ask, "What happens to our views of leadership when we swim in a naturalistic culture?" Most Christian leaders would never openly embrace the blatant biases of an unbiblical worldview, but something far more subtle often happens. Without intentionality even Christian leaders are prone to minimize the importance of faith in God, prayer, and supernatural realities in the practice of leadership. If we are not careful, as we immerse ourselves in secular leadership literature, we may fail to see how the culture's view of leadership begins to shape our views, perspectives, methods, and models. If the process continues unchecked, our ability to pursue godly leadership may be diminished.
How can you ensure that your views of leadership are shaped by God's Word rather than the world's best thinkers on this topic? More thoughts on the intersection of leadership and worldview perspectives will be shared in future blogs. |
|
| Permalink |
Trackback |
Comments (6)
|
Re: Swimming in a Naturalistic Culture |
By dustandbreath on
10/1/2007 10:33 AM |
| It is very hard to see leadership in a truly Biblical sense. Whatever a true Biblical sense is. People complain, for instance, that the "CEO" model has crept in to many churches. This is the fault of mimicking our culture and adopting secular models. Yet a minister who MAY be using the "CEO model" might try to inform themselves Biblically by asking "how can I be a servant within this model." Another might gravitate toward the CEO model, because it fits his "high D" personality type, not to mention the size of the church he serves. Another person interprets that God looks to ONE leader to bring about change (like Moses, Joshua, etc) and funnels that thinking through their already "pastor/preacher centric" church model, and think the "buck stops with them. Yet another sees that model as approaching megalomania, and cries out for a plurality of leaders, again, pointing to the Bible. <br><br>Ohhh--and just try to discuss what "lead" means, and who the leaders really are.<br><br>Nothing is really that clear. The easiest way, it seems, to judge leadership as being Biblical is more by character and fruit, than it is model. Within the bible we see many different types of models played out and even intertwined. We also see respected leaders making radically different leadership decisions, such as when Barnabas and Paul separate over Mark--with nary a Biblical commentary on who was "right" or "wrong". Actually, it seems as though both operated within their temperament . . . and in the end, even then there was reconciliation and collaboration between Paul and Mark. <br><br>We need to tread lightly in our discussions on leadership, not being too quick to denounce something as wrong. But being prayerful and Biblically informed will help us be more critical (in a critiquing sense) when we read naturalistic books and models. |
|
|
Re: Swimming in a Naturalistic Culture |
By dgreen on
10/1/2007 12:11 PM |
| I think it was Os Guinness who said something to the effect, "We cannot see culture; we see with culture." That is why it is very difficult, if not impossible, to see leadership in a truly Biblical sense. We see leadership through the lenses of our personal experiences and the cultural influences that shape us. You have captured the essence of what I am advocating--"being prayerful and Biblically informed" so we have some means of critiquing leadership from other perspectives. As for your caution not "to denounce something as wrong" was there something in the post which you read as denouncing a particular model? That was certainly not my intent. My concern is that we not allow ourselves as leaders to become disconnected from God's work in us and through us. To do so is to end up adrift from His guidance, absent from His power, and attempting to produce spiritual fruit with natural means. |
|
|
Re: Swimming in a Naturalistic Culture |
By dustandbreath on
10/1/2007 9:37 PM |
| Something that is becoming painfully apparant to me is just what your concern is: not bo become disconnected from God's work in and through us. To guard my heart. To minister with humility. To not serve and be 'successful' because I want people to see I have accomplished something (not just the church, but more so my educational institution . . . ), but to serve because of Him, and according to how he has gifted me and hopefully to discern what he wants to accomplish through me in a given situation. As for my comment on "be careful not to denounce", no, i wasn't referring to anything implied by you. I was thinking of people who complain that church leaders style themselves in way that is too secular, too informed by current management books rather than the Bible. Not that I dismiss their claims outright, they may have valid points. But I don't see a clear model, especially of what we call pastor/preacher/minister who is paid by the church to preach and "do" ministry. (and I am balancing that "do" model with Ogden's Unfinished Business, and Nelson's Me to We ... both are current reading) |
|
|
Re: Swimming in a Naturalistic Culture |
By Wolffman on
10/3/2007 5:46 PM |
| Hundreds a month....not how many fast food stores are opening, not how many walmarts are popping up...but how many church's are closing their doors.<br>Somewhere around 40 a month is how many new church's are popping up (depending on which research you go with).<br>Why?...Populace is growing yet church's are closing. <br>I believe it is leadership in the church that has gone to the worlds' view and abandoned God's supernatural reign. (Not necessarily the pastor, but the lay leadershp has been ignored in many a church.)<br>Church's that operate a part from a true biblical standard and out of tradition will come and go as the culture they represent gives way to the next.<br>The only way to tell counterfit from the real thing is to really know the real thing. <br>Hey church!...let's get back to knowing God and let leadership evolve out of our submission to him. |
|
|
Re: Swimming in a Naturalistic Culture |
By Wolffman on
10/4/2007 9:09 AM |
| Previous comment should be hundred a month. Sorry for the extra "s" |
|
|
Re: Swimming in a Naturalistic Culture |
By dustandbreath on
11/14/2007 7:28 PM |
| Wolfie--I just learned about 3400+ a year close their doors. You are correct: hundred's a month. Concerning that, and other like statitisitcs about no country in America has seen overall church growth compared to population growth (save in Hawaii): Everybody has a different answer to the malaise. Dave Ferguson says if we adopt the "Big Idea" and help lives be transformed, that will change things. Greg Ogden says it is it "Dependent Pastor" model from medival times that needs to be replaced with "every member a minister" ministry. Then Ed Stetzer says it is due to a "spiritual issue" that is rectified when leaders humble themselves before the Lord. And then another says we are not relevant in methods or message and they get hyped about the Emerging church as the answer. In the end, I have been mostly one over by the approach of Natural Church Development: Each church has weak areas, for one it may be leadership, for another evangelism. Whatever it is, identify it and find a Biblical and Contextual way to grow more healthy in that area. Of course, "leadership" may lurk behind all of our ills, as in the end they are responsible. But they are not necessarily worldly, as they are clueless and lack true training and insight by those who went before them. |
|
|
|
|