On my mind this week:
I'm trying to figure out what an ideal balance is, for a church, between a) leading by building on the passions and energy of the congregation (instead of forcing the congregation to fit a particular mold of programs and activities), and b) leading by pushing, educating, and directing the congregation in ways that they might never have thought of on their own. It's the tension between serving the congregation humbly and leading the congregation as I have been equipped, educated, and - ultimately - called to do. I want the church to be organic in many ways - that is, letting the identity of the church and its priorities grow out of the energy of the congregation. But at the same time, I want to be able to nudge the congregation in things that are important and have goals and visions for the future of the community's life together.
Basically, how does the pastoral role develop congregations? How does a church become organic in a way that it still is open to being pushed and challenged for the sake of faith, mission, and ministry?
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