O.K., after several false starts, I am ready
to wade into the pool of social networking and its implications for
congregations and denominations.
Just as we are in the season of the year
when the water in the pool in my backyard is cooler than I prefer, and that
makes me hesitant to wade in, I have to follow the lead of my
grandchildren--who symbolize the innovators by their willingness to wade in so
quickly--and join them in the pool to closely connect with them and tell other
early adopters to wade in because the water is fine once you get accustomed to
it.
As I wade in I choose to label or brand
social networking for congregations and denominations as Ministry Networking.
I believe this approach has comprehensive implications for connecting people
with a Christ-centered faith journey, connecting people with a
congregation, assimilating people deeply into congregational community,
developing people as disciples, and empowering the missional efforts of people.
It also has tremendous implications for staffing and governance in
congregations and denominations.
As I ponder wading into the pool of social
networking I must acknowledge a minimum of a 12 year journey to this point. As
early as 1996 I was beginning to talk about defining the difference between
congregations who organize around committees, versus those who organize around
teams or better yet communities. I also began to talk, teach, consult, and
coach around the difference between organizations who are centralized, versus
decentralized, versus distributive or networked. Further, it was then that I
was modulating my approach of working with congregations and denominations
from being a process consultant [I had tried except in conflict situations
never to be a prescriptive consultant] to being a framework coach that could
empower and energize networking approaches that ultimately learn best and
fastest through peer learning communities.
I first began to write some articles about
this around the turn of the millennium in which I indicated several things:
Religious
organizations who were just now moving from committees to teams ought to skip
this stage and move immediately to communities as an organizing principle.
Doing so could be one of the best ways to reach the generations of people born
after February 9, 1964 which is the hinge point between baby boomers and baby
busters.
Religious
organization who feel that moving from centralized to decentralized structures
is enough, are probably afraid of losing control if they empower distributive
or networked efforts. Therefore, they are willing to keep their organizations
boxed rather than centered. They are willing to stifle creativity and perhaps
to even stifle the movement of the Holy Spirit or of a clear discernment of the
movement of the Triune God.
The
answer or solution to the great opportunities and challenges faced by religious
organizations at the turn of the 21st century probably lies within them as they
respond to God's calling on their organism or movement. The answer is not in
more ideas, directed strategies, overbearing leaders who personify the vision,
but is in an enduring visionary leadership community.
Well, please excuse me for abruptly getting
out of the pool to dry off and respond to crisis in the "big house",
but I have chosen to make these posts short. However, I acknowledge this is so
short that I have hardly gotten to the first major point about Ministry Networking.
Stay connected. Much more is to come.
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