World View V Resources

The other day i was helping with a churches intership training, it was part of a series on Leadership, integrity, ability and all that kind of stuff. The guys gave really good 10 minutes talks on:A) What they liked or valued about leaders - B) If they could change anything about their church, what would it be.

I had a short slot at the end to pick up the loose threads. The primary loose thread appeared to be, if they view church in those two flows (from previous article) that a wrong flow would dictate how they would communicate, what they would communicate, what they would lead the next generation towards. All of them believed that church should flow outwards, and that our ecclesiology (church infrastructure) should be dicatated by and formed through our Missiology (what we are here to do). In reality, most had never thought of this, were beginning to think of this or were so 'INHERITED CHURCH' in their thinking, didnt realise there was anythign to think about. In reality - their leadership development and use of time was at this stage, fairly well orientated to a Wrong Flow model of church. As such, it was likely that this Inherited thinking would re enforce things to the next generation.
Funnily, after the session was over, i was in their church office being showed various types of welcome pack model, Lots of leaflets about programmes, values and mission statement...... mission statements that marginalise mission to a seminary call or the mission field of elsewhere in the world, like the disciples were on hold in Jerusalem and skipped to Judea.
I know the church has been there for around 90 years, so i thought i would go lightly, by asking, " is it the mission of the church, to see people undergoing personal transformation - leading to societal transformation?" 'Yes', "So, over the last 10 years, how has the former significantly begun to effect the latter, what of your communication, your training, your money and resources are flowing towards the Transforming of the City? - Oh, and havent you been trying this for 90 years? to what end?"

I wonder where that next generation will take things if they have the capacity to be formed and provoked to once again, have church as the agent of the coming kingdom, and i wonder if their leadership can lead us back into life? We are not judged by what we do not know - but by the choices we make once God has shown us options, another way.