The Challenge of Transformation
William Willimon
Just a few hours ago, I received an encouraging email from a Covenant pastor. He told me, “Thanks for all you are doing for the Kingdom and our movement.” That felt really good, because I do get discouraged sometimes with the state of the church.
He directed my attention to a blog entry by William Willimon. You may recall that he spoke at Midwinter a few years ago. In the blog, Willimon is quoting Paul Borden, a former professor of mine from Denver Seminary. Paul is a hard driver, that’s for sure. But he speaks the truth and leaves no wiggle room.
Under the title, Lessons We Have Learned in Leading Transformation, Borden challenges denominational leaders, pastors and lay people:
- Congregations that have been on a plateau or in decline for more than three years require intervention to produce any significant change. Without intervention these congregations will continue to be disobedient to God’s Great Commission for the Church.
- Leadership is essential. The pastor must be a leader or have the ability to exercise leadership behavior. However, most pastors cannot lead such change alone. Pastors need help from the outside. A key and fundamental role for denomination personnel is to stand with leader pastors and risk the loss of congregational dollars and affirmation.
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Paul Borden
Pastors and denominations that do not want to disrupt comfortable congregations must understand they are abdicating their responsibilities as Christian leaders to serve God well. Enabling and helping congregations to continually exercise sinful dysfunctional behavior means that such pastors and denominational leaders are practicing carnal co-dependent relationships that work against God’s mission for the Church.
- The ultimate issues in congregations that fight and resist change relates ultimately to people wanting to hold and control the power (to influence the congregations), money, and turf.
- Leading congregational transformation is much more difficult than starting new congregations. However, the investment is worth it when one sees expensive facilities sitting on valuable properties being used to achieve grand missions that produce changed lives and communities.
– From Transforming Power – Stories from Transformational Leaders for Encouragement and Inspiration, Compiled and Edited by Hugh Ballou, Discipleship Resources, P.O. Box 340003, Nashville, TN 37203-0003
What do you think?
March 19th, 2009 at 8:37 am
John, what I think is that working to revive a church is a mixture of annoying and wearing and exciting and fulfilling.
I’m finding that my attitude towards my pastor wants to settle either on blame and disappointment or love and wanting to be a support. Sometimes I want to minipulate events such that he is proved wroung and bad. Other times I’m able to see myself participating in a vision that will benefit generations to come.
In case you don’t remember I am writing from Greenfield, NH and the Greenfield Congre. Covenant church.
Thanks for the work you do. It is supporting us here.
Warren