Did You Hear the One About the Monkey and the Fish?

I have to admit, I purchased the book because of the title more than anything else.  I also heard about David Gibbons and was simply intrigued.  The premise of the book is simply to think differently about how we are doing church.  This is a book for leaders.  I wrote in my reaction for Made to Stick to get together with peers and communicate ideas up.  These ideas will be a shock to a supervisor if there is not a ton of support.  However, a team better not surprise their supervisor with some of the premises in this book. It is very progressive to try and go against the age-old church growth principle, “People homogeneously link themselves.” (p. 76-77) Gibbons takes it on.   However, he is taking it on in a very multi-cultural location.  Some churches just can’t do it.  It would be demographically impossible.

Another one of those progressive ideas that needs to have massive sensitivity when presented to a supervisor is Gibbons statement, “the new big is small.” (p. 63)  I am seriously considering more thinking on this topic.  If our new reality is what Hybels says a constant economic struggle, then the mega-church, although having done a fabulous job in brilliance and gospel intrigue, may struggle with future resources.  Gibbons is encouraging a 30-300 size groups I am likening to small delta forces.  Our military has had to change the way we do war in their new reality, I wonder if The Monkey and the Fish is touching on the new reality. 

Personal leadership abounded in the book.  Gibbons is encouraging the Church to ask themselves the following questions: “What is my Nazareth, Pain and what is in my hands.” (Current 5) I don’t want to connect but have recently learned to connect with the reality that people will listen more to our pain than our success.  Without having a clear picture of Jesus being third culture, personally we won’t go through the change it takes in our thinking.  Like failure being God’s success.  Paul tried to tell us, “In our weakness he is strong!”

My vision has been stretched and hopefully will continue to be stretched as it relates to those coming up the pike towards leadership.  I see a huge need to develop in them a fluid, organic and messy spirituality where everyone plays their part (Current 6).   I can’t be more passionate about it.  Everyone doing their part.