People. Mission. Change.

I've read an interesting post about developing entrepreneurs in the context of mission. I just thought I would put some highlights out there, and some thoughts as well.

"In the Church, mission has been tacitly a tool of maintenance, a means to preserve the way we are, or at least the way we perceive we are. Perhaps change is afoot? Mission, not as a way of bracing the Church as it is, rather as engaging with the culture, seeing people not as products or numbers but as individual seedlings growing from the soil of their own history and context. Not a Church seeking to be relevant, but to be resonant."

This is why I love the name of our church, Resonate Community. It's exactly what we want to do. The authors of the article explain that we, as leaders, are to engage people in a coaching relationship, one that allows us to sharpen people individually. I like to challenge people to tap into their hidden potential, the God-given gifts they have. I think I make people uncomfortable sometimes, but that's OK. The authors quote Sir Francis Drake:

"Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore."

A true leader creates leaders. This is true in business, sports, and, yes, the church. Our modern way of doing this is to cram information down the throat of potentials, and let the cream rise to the top. Only the elite can be leaders. I think, however, that anyone has the capabilities to be a leader, but they must be developed, not instructed. This is often the most painful part, where people engage themselves in being molded and shaped, pushed and challenged in every part of their thinking and behavior.

In a couple of weeks, Erika and I will be participating in coaching development, so we can know we can best develop other people. In my limited experience with this, I have found this to be the best way to see people grow. Rather than telling them what I think, I want to show people how to process and think for themselves. Failure is inherent in this approach, but growth comes no matter what.