We heard from a lot of readers off-line over the past few days, in response to a previous post, thanking us for a) acknowledging that making the shift to a new, renewable approach to life and work can be lonely and b) giving them some ideas to get started. But we also got an email from someone encouraging us.
She is the pastor of a suburban congregation in the eastern part of the U.S. and reports that after hearing one of our presentations a year or so ago, she just "tried doing a few of the things" we talked about in her circles of influence. She started with her congregational council (like a board of directors). And then she hosted a couple of "leadership summits." She invited anybody who "looked like a leader" but opened it up to whoever wanted to attend. We don't know exactly what happened at these events but she says they generated a lot of good energy and conversation; and then things started to happen. She did her best to encourage people. She said "yes!" a lot. But mostly she has just tried to stay out of the way and not squash things as they emerge.
One woman who "caught some of the energy of leading with purpose for the sake of those who are on the journey with her" started a small group that is, among other things, learning how to play together. One week they were studying the story about Jesus' embracing the children. "We have a very active nursery school in the building," the pastor reported, "so [this woman] arranged for the group to spend 1/2 hour in the classrooms observing (and playing) with the kids. Then the nursery school director came to them and they all talked about being a child and how a child learns. They have an adult play day (where they get to play with the kids toys ) scheduled." Just imagine how differently those adults will lead, having learned how to play together!
A book group in the same congregation was reading Jodi Piccoult's My Sisters Keeper. They realized they didn't really know how to talk about bioethics. So, one member suggested they try learning from their neighbors. They invited a local man from the community who is knowledgeable about these issues to come talk with them; he agreed to come the next week. Another member of the group, who also studies at the synagogue in town, called a member there to learn about a Jewish perspective on bioethics; "and the next thing we knew, he was with us one Sunday to talk about it." Just picture the new possibilities that may emerge as the people in these congregations develop relationships with one another, and begin to pay closer attention to the places where their passions and interests converge. Our pastor friend has another leadership summit planned.
We are "moving ahead," she wrote, "into the unknown!"
The truth is, there's no way to know where you'll end up as you begin to make the shift to a renewable way of living and working together. One of the main jobs of leadership in a renewable approach is to recognize, tap into, and unleash the creativity and passion of the people you've been called to serve with and work beside. That means you really do have to be prepared for "the unknown." In our book The Future Starts Now, we suggest that you might want to start thinking of yourself as an explorer, bold enough to act on the basis of what you believe you're being called you to do but humble enough to know that you don’t know everything and can’t do everything perfectly.
Thanks, dear friend, for reminding us all about just how much fun that can be.
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