In the the NZ Herald today there was an article “Taking the easy way out” from the Observer. It talks about outdated management structures. It outlines about the demise of General Motors which is in a death spiral. Its business model ensures that each car it produces costs $4,500US more than its rivals. It says that the business model of GM and indeed most of the worlds largest traditional companies, is played out. The Proudfoot 2005 international productivity report states that it found that within these companies everyone was “busy doing the wrong things” to raise productivity. The article says that autocratic control is not the answer, they must produce to real demand placing decision making on the front line nearest the customer.
When reading this I thought about the traditional church. I can see that after 40 years in the traditional church in all leadership positions at some time or other, I was busy doing good things. Things that helped keep the wheels of the organisation turning but had little to do with, or little effect upon, the lives of our own people or the community in which we were placed. Busy doing the wrong things really spoke to me.
It alarms me that some churches still see autocratic control as being the answer. Appoint the right person, give him his head, get the right systems and programs in place, get more staff on board to cover various age groups and things will really move. The result is that you have is tension at the top, people feeling driven, slaves to the system. Autocratic control is not the answer really spoke to me.
What is the real demand out there in the world today? Isn’t it Kingdom Building? Pointing people to Christ and helping them to understand how God has acted on their behalf and encouraging them to respond in faith to that and helping one another to greater maturity in Christ. The traditional church places responsibilities to the structure before and between their people and the lost. It subtly says “leave it to the pastor and the staff, they’re the paid professionals”. Faith is not a given. Philip’s grandfather (a minister for 50 years) regularly said not to forget the warning of Jesus “”When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
Whatever shape the new structure of the church takes, it must bring decision making to the front line nearest the customer. To my mind that is…leadership must be placed in the family where it belongs, where it is closest to the unbelieving community (the customer). Christians need to understand that you don’t need professional help to be the person you are meant to be for your family and the community in which you have been placed. You need to be dependent on God and subsequently filled with the Spirit. Anything else will be more of a hindrance than a help.
