Visionary leadership is missing in our associated work. We often have vocal upheavals by 'would be' leaders but very little vision being cast. This is a call for visionary leadership.
I am still waiting to hear our visible assocational leaders challenge our churches to set goals and standards by which we might be able to plant more churches. It seems there is a real disconnect here. Why are our visible leaders reluctant to put out the challenges and set goals? Are they afraid to step over some invisible barrier that may or may not exist? Or do they feel that this is not in their 'job description'?
How simple (to my way of thinking) it would be to establish an exploratory committee on church planting and how to advance church planting in our associated work. Now why would this be so hard to do? Would it accomplish anything in the way of church planting? I don't know. But I would like to believe it would move church planting to the forefront of why we even exist.
Where is the visionary leadership to do this? Where are the visionaries?
David
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3 comments:
I think it would certainly work to challenge pastors and their local churches to do more! The committee could have time at some portion in the meeting each year to share information and cast vision.
The problem I see is many think the more committees we have the closer we are to becoming like the SBC. They claim we don't need any committees while they tolerate the ones we have, and hate the idea of anything new.
I think the visable leaders are scared to be name-taged!
Bro. David,
Hopefully, I submit this with respect to you and with the hope of more N.T. churches. Your heart shown through your work and writing leads me to believe that you are a praying man.
While understanding that I am neither necessarily "visionary" nor "an associational leader", I would like to submit to you a connection that will bring together a simple way of thinking with the establishment of new churches.
*True prayer - seeking God's grace - giving a Holy Spirit initiated and God increased revival among our churches.*
Out of this, God will emerge "graced" bondslaves who will demonstrate God's power and God's wisdom.
Hence, I propose that God's people and God's churches circumvent the association and pray associatively and definitively on "bended knee" to the One who started the first church. We need to pray mourning over our sin that dishonors God and then in the same breath ask God for revival.
The result may not be an exploratory committee on church planting, but certainly church planting would be advanced.
Is this idea I advance simplistic? Yes, unequivocally, so simplistic it should not work or succeed.
Hey Bro. Looney,
I love your response! I know I have been praying for years and so have many others. It "seems" like nothing much changes. I am going to start praying more specifically in the area of people turning from sin so that God will bring revival. My question for you is in particular what sins do you think are hindering more churches from being started? Seeing our churches are pretty conservative and preach alot on sin and repentance do you think it is carnal, worldly type sins among the sheep in our flocks or do you think it is sins of ommission in the area of leadership by the shepherds that is the problem.....Or is it carnal, worldly sins among the shepherds and has nothing to do with leadership omissions.
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