My consistent question as it relates to becoming a Missional Congregation is, “How?” I fully understand a new church is easier to develop a missional mindset than an established church. I had the thought the other day, “I wish all church goers desired to be missional instead of being passively involved in church as the dispenser of religious goods and services.”
An existing congregation is made up of intertwining stories, traditions, cultures and networks constantly banging into one another all the time. These normal interactions with others in and out of the Church makes the DNA of the Church what it is…since interactions can vary and change.
Principles to Understand
- Focus on the culture of the church and not the organization of the church
- Focusing on the culture doesn’t change the culture
- Changing Culture takes time and small steps
- Baby steps
- Starting with “Alignment” is not the answer
Transformational leadership vs. Transactional leadership…Sometimes leaders get into the thinking that in order to overhaul their Church they just start doing things differently. This is a great idea if the organization is making shoes or buttons or cars, however it is an entirely different set of variables when dealing in the social sector or even a church. However, I imagine a president of an auto company would also say, “We too, just like the Church, are dealing with soul type relationships.” There is a huge difference between Transformational Leadership and Transactional Leadership. One depends on ingenuity more than on Godly dependence. One moves prayer as a strategy and not an identity. One gets people in a room to cleverly maneuver words together in order to drum up lifestyle, without focusing on the God of the lifestyle. I maybe splitting hairs but this is a big deal and many churches have been dealing with this for awhile.
