I bet many of you have seen this video. If not, next time you have three minutes to spare (like, right now), give this a look:
The thing is, Derek Sivers is right - much the same way Seth Godin is in his book "Tribes." There are leaders and there are followers, but in the end it has to be about the movement, not the person. And no leader - no matter how dynamic their personality or how worthy their cause - no leader can be such unless they have people who are ready to follow. And not people who follow them per-se, but people who follow the movement. People who are passionate about it. Fervently invested in it.
So - it has to be about the movement, not the leader. And both the leaders and followers need to get this, or no one's dancing for long.
It's a great way to understand the church, but there sure are a lot of obstacles that can get in the way. You have pastors who make it more about themselves than it needs to be. You have churches who make it more about the pastor, putting them on a pedestal, separate from everyone else. You have congregants who are more observers than followers, and you have churches and pastors who never quite find the movement (read: mission) they are called to.
In other words, there are a lot of moving parts involved in helping a church look like this rock show/dance mosh pit, and it's quite the task bringing them all together as such. But it can be done. Here's a very simplistic way of understanding a more complex process:
Find your mission/movement - BUT, don't just limit yourself to what you see others do. Dare to dream and find your own calling.
Find a good leader - BUT, resist every urge to instinctively make it all about them. And resist every urge to allow them to do the same.
Find those good first followers - BUT, don't let them go un-nurtured and unsupported. If the mission/movement is right, there's no shame in being "just another follower." In fact, it's absolutely critical.
And most of all, never be afraid to do a wickedly crazy dance. You very well may be surprised at the good things that can come from it.
Just keep your shirt on. Pretty please.
So - it has to be about the movement, not the leader. And both the leaders and followers need to get this, or no one's dancing for long.
It's a great way to understand the church, but there sure are a lot of obstacles that can get in the way. You have pastors who make it more about themselves than it needs to be. You have churches who make it more about the pastor, putting them on a pedestal, separate from everyone else. You have congregants who are more observers than followers, and you have churches and pastors who never quite find the movement (read: mission) they are called to.
In other words, there are a lot of moving parts involved in helping a church look like this rock show/dance mosh pit, and it's quite the task bringing them all together as such. But it can be done. Here's a very simplistic way of understanding a more complex process:
Find your mission/movement - BUT, don't just limit yourself to what you see others do. Dare to dream and find your own calling.
Find a good leader - BUT, resist every urge to instinctively make it all about them. And resist every urge to allow them to do the same.
Find those good first followers - BUT, don't let them go un-nurtured and unsupported. If the mission/movement is right, there's no shame in being "just another follower." In fact, it's absolutely critical.
And most of all, never be afraid to do a wickedly crazy dance. You very well may be surprised at the good things that can come from it.
Just keep your shirt on. Pretty please.
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