In their book Emerging Churches: Creating Christian Community in Postmodern Cultures, Eddie Gibbs and Ryan K. Bolger, have a chapter called “Leading as a Body.” In this chapter they survey hundreds of churches in both the U.S. and U.K. concerning approaches to leadership. According to information gathered by Gibbs and Bolger, emerging church leaders seek to implement what is called “leaderless groups.” For many this is a strategic move, so that power within a church is decentralized, thereby empowering all people to collaboratively lead their church. This means that the church is a “peaceable community through the nonhierarchy of the priesthood of all believers.” According to Gibbs and Bolger, this does not mean that leadership is unnecessary, but rather that leadership has taken on more of a “facilitative role.”
One key aspect of leadership that “leaderless groups” are changing is in the area of vision. As Gibbs and Bolger point out, “emerging church leaders regard the way vision casting is performed as a manifestation of control.” Vision does not come from one individual but rather is birthed out of the collaborative efforts of the community.
Another aspect of “leaderless groups” resists putting people in leadership based on willingness, but rather on giftedness. As Gibbs and Bolger point out, emerging church leaders believe that gift-based ministry cannot truly take place in an environment that is controlling. Which, according to this reasoning, would suggest that true gift based ministry could take place only when power is decentralized, thereby creating space for people to flourish.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Leaderless Groups
In their book Emerging Churches: Creating Christian Community in Postmodern Cultures, Eddie Gibbs and Ryan K. Bolger, have a chapter called “Leading as a Body.” In this chapter they survey hundreds of churches in both the U.S. and U.K. concerning approaches to leadership. According to information gathered by Gibbs and Bolger, emerging church leaders seek to implement what is called “leaderless groups.” For many this is a strategic move, so that power within a church is decentralized, thereby empowering all people to collaboratively lead their church. This means that the church is a “peaceable community through the nonhierarchy of the priesthood of all believers.” According to Gibbs and Bolger, this does not mean that leadership is unnecessary, but rather that leadership has taken on more of a “facilitative role.”
One key aspect of leadership that “leaderless groups” are changing is in the area of vision. As Gibbs and Bolger point out, “emerging church leaders regard the way vision casting is performed as a manifestation of control.” Vision does not come from one individual but rather is birthed out of the collaborative efforts of the community.
Another aspect of “leaderless groups” resists putting people in leadership based on willingness, but rather on giftedness. As Gibbs and Bolger point out, emerging church leaders believe that gift-based ministry cannot truly take place in an environment that is controlling. Which, according to this reasoning, would suggest that true gift based ministry could take place only when power is decentralized, thereby creating space for people to flourish.
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dibbs.
ReplyDeleteBrian,
ReplyDeleteI must admit that this approach to leadership is quite appealing. I, too echo with the desire to see more and more of the “power” and “hierarchy” be demolished. I have seen leaders use the mantra of “vision” to communicate their agenda and not what God’s agenda was for a body of believers. By the same token, I have seen a leader trying to empower his people to do the work of the ministry, but had no takers. For those such as this second example, I see a frustrating time ahead for those that want this to work “out of the gate.” As you point out, it should be the desire of any body of believers to empower people based on giftedness and not merely willingness. But the real question is what do you do when people are unwilling? What do you do when people are not at a point where they (1) understand their giftedness, or (2) have a desire to use their full resources for the kingdom of God? Obviously, the frustration with so many of these approaches to leadership is their “theoretical” aspects. I would want to see this approach in action, and even more so, how it was developed.