Wisdom from Al Roxburgh

I really like the insight here, from Alan Roxburgh:

For leaders, cultivating growth is about becoming an abbot in a
congregation rather than a pastor. An abbot is a leader who forms a way
of life among a whole poeple. Missional change is primarily about
formation–and formation is about the habits and practices which shape
new ways of being the church. Cultivation is an ancient word taken from
agricultural practices. It is an organic metaphor rather than one of
managment or warfare. A gardner or farmer understands that the life and
purpose of plants or crops is not something over which the farmer has a
great deal of control. And so, leadership as cultivation is not about
people fitting into your strategy; it is about providing the
environment in which missional imagination buds and develops and in
which the farmer may well be astonished by the results.

Amen and amen.  This sort of understanding of the role of leadership is becoming more prevalent in newer expressions of Church.  However, leading in this way is incredibly difficult, especially within denominations and groups that don’t have traditions in place.  Because there aren’t clearly understood systems and practices in place, the leaders have the challenging role of creating systems without falling into the habit of fitting people into a strategy.  When most people enter a church, they look for already-existing systems and strategies, and wait to be invited into one of those systems.  If they are a bit more assertive, they’ll step in themselves.  The idea of having ministry built around them, and having leadership on tap to assist them in expressing ministry, is a foreign one for most people.  And so, at Missio Dei, we are trying to develop an ethos of participation, where everyone is involved, and where decisions are communal decided (which doesn’t mean everyone has a role in every decision), but this is easier said than done.  We all have varying cases of a Constantinian-hangover, where we look to the leader(s) to decide and do things.  And at this stage, some people need to be re-parented in their understanding of church before they can really grab ahold of their God-given ministry. 

Mark Van Steenwyk is the editor of JesusManifesto.com. He is a Mennonite pastor (Missio Dei in Minneapolis), writer, speaker, and grassroots educator. He lives in South Minneapolis with his wife (Amy), son (Jonas) and some of their friends.

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