To Boldly Go …

“To boldly go where no one has gone before.” This line, that is well-known by any sci-fi fan, is from Star Trek. It was a good way to describe the mission of the U.S.S. Enterprise and its crew, but I wonder if it has overly influenced our understanding of ministry leadership. Without a doubt, churches and ministries today need bold and courageous leadership. They need to shed their tendency to cling to comfort and to the status quo. But there are two problems with going boldly in the Star Trek model. The first problem is when leaders fail to recognize the difference between their church members and the crew of the Enterprise. The latter had signed up for the mission. To be on the Enterprise was to have made a commitment to be on a grand, dangerous, uncertain adventure. And while it is true that church members also “joined” the church, many did so with different expectations. They may have been excited about a bold adventure 15 or 20 years ago but have since lost their edge. In some cases, they’ve never reflected on the Christian life as an adventure. Leaders who are eager for new challenges will often attract followers who share their outlook. But it’s a grave mistake to assume that the enthusiasm of this small core is representative of the larger “crew.” The second problem is with the idea “where no one has gone before.” A number of trailblazers already exist in the ministry landscape. And while the Church needs to be in a mode of constant innovation and experimentation, many individual congregations can learn from the lessons – positive and negative – of others. Why create a model that has never been seen when you can learn from others? (The key word is “learn,” not “copy.”) If you’ve noticed some murmuring among your leaders and you’re wondering if a mutiny is brewing, you may need to take a step back. That doesn’t mean giving up on the mission. But this could be a good time to invite them to re-enlist in the adventure and to clarify where you’re heading. It’s easy to receive my blogs by email. Just sign-up on Feedburner by clicking here.]]>