ALSO COMING IN SUMMER 2007...Emergent Village friendship are not to be considered be-all and end-all...

Visit emersionbooks.com to pre-order An Emergent Manifesto of Hope

ALSO COMING IN SUMMER 2007 . . .

Organic Community: Creating a Place Where People Naturally Connect by Joseph R. Myers; Available May 2007.

Justice in the Burbs: Being the Hands of Jesus Wherever You Liveby Will and Lisa Samson; Available August 2007

Signs of Emergence: A Vision for Church That Is Organic/Networked/Decentralized/Bottom-Up/

Communal/Flexible/Always Evolving by Kester Brewin; Available July 2007

ISBN 978-0-8010-8654-X

9 7 8 0 8 0 1 0 8 6 5 4 0

An EmErgEnt mAnifEsto

of HopE

edited by Doug Pagitt + tony Jones

C

Releases April 2007

Pagitt_booklet.indd 1 12/11/06 8:05:42 AM

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Contents

Introduction:Friendship,Faith,andGoingSomewhereTogether

TonyJones

Part1 AHopefulPeople

Emergent—a Generative Friendship of Missional Christians DougPagitt

1.GrowingPains:The Messy and Fertile Process of Becoming MarkScandrette

2.MeetingJesusattheBar:Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Evangelism

HeatherKirk-Davidoff

3.WhatWouldHuckleberryDo?A Relational Ethic as the Jesus Way NanetteSawyer

4.ThePostmodernParent:Shifting Paradigms for the Ultimate Act of Re-Creation

CarlaBarnhill

5.TheArtofEmergence:Being God’s Handiwork TroyBronsink


�Contents

Part2 HopefulCommunities

New Ways, Questions, and Outcomes for Churches of Our Day DougPagitt

6.AnEver-RenewedAdventureofFaith:Notes from a Community SherryandGeoffMaddock

7. JailhouseFaith:A Community of Jesus in an Unlikely Place ThomasMalcolmOlson

8.TheExistingChurch/EmergingChurchMatrix:Collision, Credibility, Missional Collaboration, and Generative Friendship

TimConder

9.TheAmericanCatholicMerger-Church:A Too Small Answer BrianMitchell

10.Presbymergent:The Story of One Mainliner’s Quest to Be a Loyal Radical AdamWalkerCleaveland

Part3 AHopefulFaith

Christianity and the “God of Good Hope” TonyJones

11.FollowingJesusintoCulture:Emerging Church as Social Movement RyanBolger

12.ChurchEmerging:Or Why I Still Use the Word Postmodern but with Mixed Feelings

BrianD.McLaren

13.TheEndofReinvention:Mission Beyond Market Adoption Cycles WillSamson

14.ConvertingChristianity:The End and Beginning of Faith BarryTaylor

Part4 AHopefulWayForward

Theology of Practice, Practice of Theology DougPagitt

15.LeadershipinaFlattenedWorld:Grassroots Culture and the Demise of the CEO Model

SallyMorgenthaler


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16.TheSweetProblemofInclusiveness:Finding Our God in the Other SamirSelmanovic

17.Orthoparadoxy:Emerging Hope for Embracing Difference DwightJ.Friesen

18.HumbleTheology:Re-exploring Doctrine While Holding On to Truth DanKimball

19.LeadingfromtheMargins:The Role of Imagination in Our Changing Context

TimKeel

20.DiggingUpthePast:Karl Barth (the Reformed Giant) as Friend to the Emerging Church

ChrisErdman

Part5 HopefulActivism

The Jesus Way in the Realities of Life TonyJones

21.APoundofSocialJustice:Beyond Fighting for a Just Cause RodolphoCarrasco

22.EmergentKissing:Authenticity and Integrity in Sexuality KarenE.Sloan

23.OurReportCardintheYear2057:A Reflection on Women’s Rights, Poverty, and Oppression

DeborahandKenLoyd

24.PracticingPentecost:Discovering the Kingdom of God amid Racial Fragmentation

AnthonySmith

25.RestoringHonorintheLand:Why the Emerging Church Can’t Dodge the Issue

RandyWoodley

Afterword:This Is Just the Beginning: Living Our Great-Grandchildren’s History

DougPagitt

Notes309


�

IntroduCtIon

FrIendshIp, FaIth, and GoInG somewhere toGether

TonyJones

Toanswerthequestion“WhatisEmergentVillage?”Ioftengobacktothebeginning.WhenIjumpedonboardEmergentVillage,Ireallydidn’tknowwhatIwasgettinginto.IwasinvitedtoameetinginacrummyhotelmeetingroominArlington,Texas,inAugustof1998.And,assomanyhavefound,itwasanexhilaratingexperience.Theenergyintheroomwaspalpable.Theroompositivelycrackled.Ithinkthat’sbecausewehadthefeeling,evenbackthen,thatwewereontosomething.

Andevenaswestruggledtodeterminewhatthat“something”was,wetalkedaboutanelementoftheconnectionthatwasseem-inglyevenmoreimportant,andsurelymoreelusive,andthatwasandisfriendship.

Tobesure,therearewordsinEnglishthathavebeenoverusedtothepointofconfusion.Loveisone.Andfriendisanother.Yetaswesearchedforwaystoidentifyourselves,otherappellationsdidn’tfit.Weweremorethana“network,”andwesurelyweren’ta“denomina-tion.”Wedidn’twanttobea“club”ora“society.”Somepeoplehavecalledusa“thinktank,”butthatdoesn’tquitefiteither.


� IntroduCtIon

Wejustkeptcomingbacktothewordfriend.Wewantedtorecoverthatwordandtoinvestitwiththeologicalmeaning.Weknewthiswouldn’tbeeasy,fornotonlywerewefightingawordthathadbeenoverusedtothepointofmeaninglessness,butwealsohadthecreepingsuspicionthatmanyofusdidn’treallyknowhowtobetruefriends.

Itdoesn’ttakelongtofigureoutthatfriendshipishard.Mostofusfindoutby,say,kindergarten.RecentlyIhadtowalkwithmyfive-year-oldsondowntohisfriend’shouseacoupleblocksawayandwatchhimapologizeforsomethinghe’dsaidonthebus.There,stand-inginthedrivewaywatchingwithhisfriend’smom,IexperiencedvicariouslythroughTannerhowitfelttodiscoverforthefirsttimethatafriendshipisafragilething,somethingthatneedsgreatcare.

BythetimeIwasfirstgettinginvolvedinEmergent(beforeitwasevencalledEmergent),Ihadhadabouttwoandahalfdecadesofstrugglingthroughfriendships—enoughtokeepmequitehumbleabouttheprospectofmoreandbetterandlonger-lastingfriendships.Likemosteveryone,Isuppose,Ihadawakeofex-friends(nottomentionex-girlfriends!)thatIbroughttoEmergent.

YetIdidimmediatelysensethattherewassomethingdifferentaboutthisgroup.WetalkedaboutideaswehadforthechurchandfordevelopingadeeperlifewithChrist,butwealmostalwaystalkedaboutdoingittogether.Infact,Ihadthegrowingsensethatthiswasthegroupofmenandwomenwhowouldtakethechurchintoitsnextiteration,andIbecameconvincedthatweweregoingtodoittogether.

Inthebeginning,wecametogetherundertheauspicesofLeader-shipNetwork(LN),achurch-assistingfoundationinDallas.LNhadhiredDougPagitt,aformerevangelicalyouthpastorandprovennetworker,todevelopanetworkofinnovative,youngpastors.Dougbeganthisworkin1997,makingapointtoflyaroundthecountryandconnectwithanyyoungchurchleaderaboutwhomhehadheardgoodthings.1Withthatkindofenergyintheroom,therewasexcite-menteverytimewemet.Personsflowedinandoutofthegroup—theboundariesofthegroupwerequiteporous.

Oneofthethingsthatwewerecommittedtodoing,fromthebe-ginning,wasthrowingparties.Weoftencalledthem“events”or“conferences,”buteveryoneknewthatinrealitytheywerepartiesforthechurchandforourcommonlifeinGod.Regardlessofthe


�IntroduCtIon

invitedspeakersorthemusiciansplayingonstage,therealpremiumwasplacedonrelationalconnection—that’sourtechnicaltermforfriendship.

Aswithanyfriendship,Isuppose,somefolksdidn’tjibewithwhatwewereabout.IwassittingintheBaghdadCaféintheCastroneighborhoodofSanFranciscoafewmonthsago.Itwas2a.m.,andIwastherewithMarkScandrette,KarenWard,andLillyLewin.Wehadbeenspeakingalldayatanevent,andtherewewere,orderingpancakesandhamburgersinthemiddleofthenight,stilltalkinga-mile-a-minute.Inamomentofinsight,Marksaid,“Wereallyarearelationallymanicpeople.”

Thatmaniacalstylehasbeenastruggleforsome,andunderstand-ablyso.Ourkindoffriendshipisahigh-demandfriendship.Folksgivealotandtheyexpectalotinreturn.Butthisfriendshipbearsmuchfruit.Thissoilhasbeenworkedthoroughly,andgoodstuffhassprungupfromit.

Whatyouholdinyourhandsisanexampleofthegoodstuff,andI’mtalkingabout“good”inseveralways.

Firstofall,itisa“good”asin“goodsandservices.”Mostlikely,youpaidforthisbook.It’sagoodthathassomehowbeenproducedanddeliveredtoyou.Friendshipsoftenproducegoods,itemsthatbecomeanextensionofthefriendship.Inthatsense,EmergentVil-lagehasbeenproducinggoodsforawhile.Events,conferences,evenchurchplantsthathavebeeninspiredbytheEmergentfriendshipcanbeconsideredgoodsthathavecomeaboutthroughit.

Butinanotherway,weconsiderthiskindof“good”differentlythanothersmight.ThebooksthathavebeenproducedfromthesoiloftheEmergentVillagefriendshiparenottobeconsideredbe-allandend-allbooksonanysubject.Instead,theyaretobeconsidereddiscussionstarters—partoftheconversationaboutwhatitistobeEmergent,friends,Christians.Likeacoffee-tablebook,thisbook(andtheothersthatcomefromEmergentVillage)ismeanttositatthemiddleofarelationship,toprovokeconversation,andconsequentlytodeepenthefriendship.So,this“good”worksinacyclicalwayinthefriendship.Itbothcomes from thefriendshipanddeepensthefriendship.

Inanothersense,wehopethisbookisa“good,”andthat’sinthephilosophicalsense.Aristotle’sdefinitionofgoodcomesatthebegin-ningofhisNicomachean Ethics:“Everyskillandeveryinquiry,andsimilarly,everyactionandchoiceofaction,isthoughttohavesome


� IntroduCtIon

goodasitsobject.Thisiswhythegoodhasrightlybeendefinedastheobjectofallendeavor.”2Inotherwords,everyhumanenterpriseisdonewithsomeend,someresultinmind.Thatresultisthe“good”oftheendeavor.The“highestgood,”accordingtoAristotle,isthatgoodattheendoftheline,thegoodthatisdesirableexclusivelyforitsownsake.

Inhiswell-knowndefinitionofapractice,neo-Aristotelianphiloso-pherAlasdairMacIntyrereliesonthisunderstandingofa“good”:

Bya“practice”Iamgoingtomeananycoherentandcomplexformofsociallyestablishedcooperativehumanactivitythroughwhichgoodsinternaltothatformofactivityarerealizedinthecourseoftryingtoachievethosestandardsofexcellencewhichareappropri-ateto,andpartiallydefinitiveof,thatformofactivity,withtheresultthathumanpowerstoachieveexcellence,andhumanconceptionsoftheendsandgoodsinvolved,aresystematicallyextended.3

Sowhenwegettogetheranddothingstogether,thethingswedotogetherarethe“goods”internaltothatenterprise.Thestrivingtowardexcellence,together,achievesgoods,andthegoodssubse-quentlyresultinmorestrivingandmoregoods.

Ican’tsaythatweknewexactlywhatweweregettingintoin1998,whenweplannedourfirsteventtogether.Butitdoesseemthatwewereengaginginsomesortof“sociallyestablishedcooperativehumanactivity,”asMacIntyrecallsit.Tosayitinalessphilosophicalway,we’verolledupoursleevesanddonestufftogether.Ithasinvolvedevery-thingfromdebatingleadingtheologiansandbiblicalscholars(liveandinprint)toliterallydigginginthedirttogethertogetGod’sgoodnessunderourfingernails.Asaresult,we’veachievedsome“goods.”

Oneofthosegoods,Ithink,isthispolyphonictext.Inavarietyofvoices,thisgroupoffriendsisattemptingtosingasongtogether.Therearetimes,I’msure,whentheharmoniesdon’tmatch,whensomeoneseemstobesingingoutoftune.Butthat’sreallynotthepointforus.Thepointisthatwe’resinging,andthatwe’resingingtogether.Wegetbetteratsingingonlyby(1)doingit,and(2)listeningtothosearoundus.YoumightthinkofEmergentVillageingeneral,andthisbookinparticular,asachoirwithnoconductor.

Ofcourse,theChristianfaithisbasedonasacredtextthathasasimilartrajectory.Attimes,theBibleseemscontradictory,outofharmonywithitself.Butonthewhole,itisbeautifulinitsgrand


�IntroduCtIon

sweep,andthosedisharmoniouspartsinfactestablishthebeautyofthewhole.Ourhopeisthatthisbook,inasmallway,isareflectionofthedisharmoniousbeautyoftheChristianStory.

Finally,wehopethatthisbookis“good”inthesensethatwhenyoureadityoudon’thearagiantsuckingsound.Ihavefoundtheseessaystobecompellingandbrilliant,eachinitsownway.

Bemindfulthatthisbookgathersawidevarietyofauthors,notunlikeEmergentVillageitself.Andeachauthorcomesfromadifferentfieldandvaluesadifferentexpertise.Oneisamissionary,anotheraphilosopher,anotherabeatpoet,andanotherawriter.Eachoftheseactivitiescarriesitsownrationality—thatis,itsowninternalwayofthinkinganddoing—and,assuch,eachhasitsownwayofjudgingwhatisgood(andwhatisbad).So,it’sabitartificialforustoaskeachoftheseindividualstowritethreethousandwordsofprosetobefittedintothisbook.HowdoyouexplainwhereyoufitintheEmergentfriendshipinthreethousandwords?Or,worseyet,howdoyoudescribeyourhopesanddreamsforthefutureofGod’skingdomandyourcooperationinitinasmanywords?

Obviously,that’sreallyanimpossibletask.However,theimpos-sibilityofithasn’tdauntedtheseauthorsonebit.And,asaresult,youdoholdathingofbeautyinyourhands,somethingthat’s“good”inthesenseofbeingfavorable,bountiful,andfertile—likeafieldthatis“good”forplanting.WhenIlookatmybackyardgardeninthespring,itisn’ttheleastbitorderlyorsystematic,butitsureisbeautifulandgood.It’sfullofleftoverweedsfromlastfall,someoldleaves,andnotafewrocksthathavebeenheavedtothesurfacebythewinterfrost.But,asIturnthesoil,spreadayear’sworthofcompostoverit,andreadyitforplanting,Iknowthatthisgoodgardenwill,byAugust,producegoodfruit.Itwon’tbeperfect.Therewillbeweedsandbugs,someplantswon’tmakeit,andthedogmightgetinanddigabit.But,onthewhole,theoutcomewillbegood,andwe’llbeeatinghomegrowntomatoesbythemiddleofAugust.

Ihopethatyoucanseethebeautyinthemessthatisthisbook.It’snotone,univocalmessage.But,seriously,who’dwantagardenofallgreenbeans?No,you’vegottohavevariety,andthat’swhatyou’llfindinthepagesthatfollow.

WhatisEmergentVillage?Amess.Abeautiful,goodmess.


10

13F

ConvertInG ChrIstIanIty

the end and BeGInnInG oF FaIth

BarryTaylor

Barry Taylor lives and works in Los Angeles California. He has a Masters in cross-cultural studies and a PhD in intercultural studies with an emphasis on the relationship between faith and contemporary culture. Taylor teaches at Fuller Seminary in California, where he has developed a number of courses focusing on the intersections between theology and popular culture. He also teaches on advertising at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. Along with teaching, Taylor is a songwriter and composer, recently working on film scores as well as with his own recordings. He travels widely as a lecturer and speaker at international events exploring emerging global culture. As a Brit living in “exile” he is constantly searching for the perfect cup of tea!

“Godisnowhere.Godisnowhere.”InhisbookHey Nostradamus!DouglasCouplandtellsthestoryofCherylAnway,aChristianteen,pregnantandsecretlymarried,whoscribblesthisepigramonher


11ConvertInG ChrIstIanIty

schoolbinderbeforearampagingtrioofmisfitclassmatesgunherdowninaColumbine-stylehighschoolshooting.1

SinceIreadthosewordsinCoupland’sbookacoupleofyearsago,Ihavebeenturningthemoverandoverinmymind.Forme,thislin-guistictricksumsupmuchofhowIfeelaboutthepresentconditionoffaithinthetwenty-firstcentury.ThespacingoftheletterstransformsGodfromabsenttopresent,andthisissurelyindicativeofthecurrentsituation.GodmayhavealwaysbeenImmanuel(“Godwithus”)tothechurch,butthesamecannotbesaidofthewiderculture.

MuchhasbeensaidandwrittenaboutthecollapseofthesecularprojectandthesubsequentreenchantmentofWesternculturethatischaracterizedbyarisinginterestinissuesoffaithandthe“returnofGod”tothepublicrealm.God,itseems,isatopicofinterestonceagain,anditispossibleandpermissibletospeakofGodandfindawillingconversationpartnerinourculturetoday.

ButbeforewegettooexcitedaboutthereturnofGodtoourcul-turallandscape,IthinkweshouldbeawarethatGod’sreturnisnotareturntobusinessasusualforreligionnorisitawholesaleembraceoftraditionalfaithsbythebroaderculture.Infact,theliterarydeviceCouplandusesresonatessomuchbecauseitrepresentstheongoingtensionthatexistsinthearenaoffaithtoday;GodisbothpresentandabsentinthatthereturntoGodisnotareturntotraditionalcon-ceptsandideasofGod.“ThroughouthistorypeoplehavediscardedaconceptionofGodwhenitnolongerworksforthem,”wroteKarenArmstronginherbookA History of God.2Faithinthetwenty-firstcenturyisnotexclusivelycenteredonconceptsofGod.

postmod god

Weliveinapost-Nietzscheanworldoffaithandspirituality.Ni-etzsche’sdeclarationthat“Godisdead”stillholdstruesinceinterestinallthingsspiritualdoesnotnecessarilytranslatetoabeliefinametaphysicalGodorthetenetsanddogmasofaparticularfaith.ThereturntoGodweareexperiencingtodayisnotaresurrectionofthepre-modernGodasmuchasitisanewiterationofconceptsofthedivine,basednotonmedievalscholasticismormetaphysicsbutratheronthedaringandoftenprecariousnotionsofpostmodernculture.


1� an emerGent manIFesto oF hope

ThechallengesforChristianfaithintimesliketheseareimmense.ThevaportrailsofChristianityremainontheculturallandscape,buttheoncedominantreligionoftheWestnolongerhasthelastwordonmattersoffaith.3Whether“Christianity”hasanyfutureatallasavibrantexpressionoffaithintheManfromGalileeisamatterofdebateasfarasIamconcerned.Perhapsthetimescallforsomethingelse,somethingother,notmerelytherepackagingofoldmetaphors(playingthe“relevant”game),butanewincarnationofwhatitmeanstofollowJesus.

Traditionalfaithsofeverykindareexperiencingchallengestotheirhegemony,totheirclaimsonthetruth,andtotheirself-proclaimedrighttospeakauthoritativelyonbehalfofGod.Theriseoffundamen-talismseemstobeaconstantreminderthatreligioncanbeasourceofchaosandconfusionaswellasaproviderofcomfortandconsolation.Formany,theformerseemstooutweighthelatter.Thisdynamic,whichhasonlygatheredmoresteampost9/11,isjustasmallpartoftheerosionofconfidenceintraditionalreligioninourtime.

Theculturalperceptionofanimmensedifferencebetweenthosewhoconsiderthemselves“spiritual”andthosewhoconsiderthem-selves“religious”isanotherexampleoftheshiftinourunderstand-ingofthedivine.

Whatitmeansexactlywhenapersondeclareshimselforherselftobe“spiritualbutnotreligious”isamatterofsomedebate.Somepeoplefindspiritualanirritatingtermthatmeansnothingofanyrealsubstance,amarkerforasortof“wishy-washy”sentimentalismthatpassesitselfoffasrealfaith.Othershaveembraceditwholeheart-edly,andtheriseofspirituallanguageinsermonsanddiscussions,aswellasagrowinginterestinspiritualdirectorsinmanychurches,pointtoanembraceofthetermonsomelevelsevenamongstthe“religious.”

Idon’tthinkthereisonedefinitionforthetermorforitsusage.Spiritualityisanumbrellaword,acatchallconceptusedtocharacter-izeacommitmenttothesacredelementsoflife.Itdefiesasingulardefinition,hencethefluidityoftheusageoftheword;itisalsoanevolvingtermratherthanoneoffixeddetermination.

Onethingthatitdoessignify,almostuniversally,istherejectionoftraditionalfaithsasaprimarysourceofconnectiontothedivine.Iwouldarguethattraditionalfaithsarenolongerthefirstresourcethatpeoplegotoinordertodevelopandnurturetheirspirituallives,but


1�ConvertInG ChrIstIanIty

insteadfunctionmoreassecondaryarchiveswithwhichnewspiri-tualpermutationsarecreated.Thosewhodochoosetoexploretheirspiritualquestswithintraditionalfaithenvironmentsdosowithverydifferenteyesandintentionsthanpreviousgenerationsofseekershave.Formespiritualityisthereligionofthetwenty-firstcentury.

Thisisadramaticshift,andonethatsomemightcontest,butthemomentumseemstobetowardthisperspective.Itshouldcomeasnosurprisetousthatourunderstandingofreligionisundergoingatransformation.Intimesofsignificantculturalchange,allthewaysinwhichweorderourselvessociallyareusuallyaffected.Forin-stance,religionasitwasexperiencedinthepost-Reformationperiodwasquiteunlikeitspre-Reformationincarnation.4Thatfaithinthepostmodernworldisshowingitselftobemarkedlydifferentfromfaithinmodernityonlyservestounderscorethesignificanceoftheculturalchangeswearepresentlyexperiencing. God is nowhere. God is now here.

Ifthenwetrulyfindourselvesinanewsituation,oneinwhichtheoldwayssimplynolongersuffice,whatthenofthefutureforChristianfaith?Ihavealreadyraisedthenotionthattheremaynotbeafuturefor“Christianity,”thereligionofChristianfaith.ImeannodisrespecttohistoricChristianitywhenImakethiscomment,nordoIseektosimplydismisscenturiesoffaithfulservice,worship,andtheology.

IthinkthattheChristianfaithhasbeenheldcaptivetoa“pseudo-orthodoxy”formuchofthelatetwentiethcentury.Christianity’sloveaffairwithmodernityanditsuniversalizingtendenciescreatedacli-mateinwhichthegeneralassumptionhasbeenthatwhatconstitutesChristianfaithhasbeen“settled,”andthereforeanychallengetothestatusquoisoftenrejectedasunbiblicalorunorthodox.Theas-sumptionisasingularunderstandingofthefaith.5Theeasiestwaytounderminedifferentperspectivesonissueslikefaithandpracticedur-ingmylifetimehasbeentocallsomeone’scommitmenttoorthodoxyintoquestion.ButChristianfaithisopentodiscussion.Historicallyitalwayshasbeen.Itcanbequestionedandreinterpreted.Infact,Iwouldarguethatitismeanttobequestionedandreinterpreted.

Religionisalwaysaculturalproduction,andsocioculturalissuescannotbediscountedfromthewaysinwhichweenvisionandun-derstandfaith.6Issuesandquestionsraisedbyourparticularculturalsituationnotonlyinformbutshapethevariouswaysinwhichwe



interpretthegospel.Ifthereeverwasatimetoquestionthestatusquo,itisnow.

Converting the Converted

Fortherestofthischapter,Isimplywanttoexplorewhatthefu-turemightlooklikeifweconsiderthepasttwothousandyearsasanevolutionoffaithandnotassomethingthathasbeenstaticandfixed,somethingthatafewdisgruntledpeoplearetryingtounravelandundermine.

WhatIofferisnotcompletebyanystretchoftheimagination.IrealizethatashortessaycannotdojusticetomostoftheissuesthatIhaveraisedthusfar,andthatIwillhaveprobablyraisedmoreques-tionsthananswers,butitisintendedtogenerateconversationandongoingreflectionasmuchasanythingelse.

God is nowhere. God is now here.Thetimesinwhichweliveareintenseonanynumberoflevels.

Thethreatofterrorhauntstheworldlikeaspecter;issuesofglobalpovertyanddiseaseareconstantremindersofeconomicdisparityandhumandespair.Ourworldhasalsorecentlybeenrockedbyaseriesofnaturaldisasters,thesheerforceofwhichhasraisedre-newedconcernsaboutenvironmentalissuesandtheramificationsofourcommitmenttofossilfuels,chemicals,andotherresourcesontheplanet.Theimpactofglobalizationanditsmanydiscontentsonvariouspartsoftheworldisacontinuingpartofourdailylives.Alongwiththis,weintheWestfindourselvesdrowninginchoices,tryingtobalanceourrampantmaterialismwithareneweddesireformeaningandpurpose.

Thesearecertainlynotthetimestobeseekingself-preservation,butthatseemstobethegeneralfocusofthechurchtoday.Everywhereweturnweseebooks,conferences,workshops,andahostofotherresourcesthatfocusonwhatcanbedonetopreservethechurch,andwearewilling,itseems,toemployanymarketingdevicetomakeithappen.Trendwatchersandmarketingstrategistsofferwaysinwhichchurchescanconnectwiththeculture.WebrandandmarketChristianityinattemptstomakeitviableagain.

Butwhatifweletgoofourneedforabrandedandmarketableentityandturninsteadtowardanewwayoflivingandbeinginthe



world?Thisisnotanentirelynewidea.DietrichBonhoefferpositeda“religionlessChristianity”inthe1940s,butwhatifitisanideawhosetimehasfinallycome?Whatif“religion,”andbythisImeantheinstitutionalandorganizationalformaroundfaith,isnolongernecessaryforthefutureoffaith?

Religionsexistincertaintyandsanctity;faithlivesininquiryandfluidity.Thereasontraditionalfaithsarehavingahardtimeofthingsisthatthepresentsituationisoneinwhichcertaintyissuspectandsanctityisbeingredefined.

Weshouldconsiderlettinggoofourobsessionwithcertainty;wedo,afterall,“seethroughaglassdarkly,”astheapostlePaulremindsus.Itishardtoclaimclaritywhenshadowslingeroverwhatisre-vealed.Thefutureoffaithdoesnotlieinthedeclarationofcertaintiesbutinthelivingoutofuncertainty.“Believingthatonebelieves”ishowphilosopherGianniVattimoputsit:“Tobelievemeanshavingfaith,conviction,orcertaintyinsomething,butalsotoopine—thatis,tothinkwithacertaindegreeofuncertainty.”7Ourdeclarationsaboutmattersoffaitharealwaysfragmentaryandprovisional.

Thisideachallengesreligion’scommitmenttosanctity.Sanctityimpliessecurityandinviolability—theterritoryisdelineated,thelinesclearlydrawn.Contemporarysocietyisreluctanttodrawsuchlinesofdivision;sometimesitisdifficulttotellwhereoneideaendsandanotherbegins.

Oneofthemostinterestingdynamicsofthepresenttimeisthecol-lapseofdistinctionbetweenthesacredandtheprofane.Contemporarysocietyallowsforthe“holy”tobefoundinthemostunexpectedplaces.AsChristopherPartridgewrites,“Thenewspiritualawakeningmakesuseofthought-forms,ideasandpractices,whicharenotatallalientothemajorityofWesterners.Theyemergefromanessentiallynon-Christianreligio-culturalmilieu,amilieuthatbothresourcesandisresourcedbypopularculture.”8ThefutureofChristianfaithliesinitsabilitytoinhabitthisgrayworld,notattemptingto“sortitout”asmuchastobeavailabletohelpothersnavigateandnegotiatethecomplexitiesthatsuchadynamicraises.To“gowiththeflow”mightseematritewayofdescribingtheologicalengagement,butacommitmenttofluidityandawillingnesstoswimintheculturalwatersratherthaninsistingonone’sownpaddlingpoolisanecessaryperspective.

Allofthesethoughtscanbesummarizedasacommitmenttoweak-nessratherthanstrength.“MuscularChristianity”and“robustfaith”



areviewsthatworkedwellinmodernity’sconcreteworld,buttheviabilityofChristianfaithinthetwenty-firstcenturyisnotguaran-teedbyclaimstopoweranddeclarationsofstrengthsanddoctrinalpostures.Thisisnotaslideintorelativismbutacommitmenttonondogmaticspecificity.Wecantellthegospelstorywithoutresort-ingtocompetition,exclusivism,orelitism.

God is nowhere. God is now here.WhendiscussingtheconversionofAfricanslavestoChristianity,

W.E.B.DuBoisarguedthatAfricansdidnotconverttoChristianitybutratherconvertedChristianitytothebasicthemes,rhythms,andinterestsofAfricanreligion.9InconsideringthefutureofChristianfaithinthetwenty-firstcenturyIfindthisideaofreverseconversiontobereallyhelpful.

Theconcernsofreligionaredifferentfromthoseoffaith.Religionisconcernedwithrightbelief,faithwithbelievingintherightway.ThiswassomethingthatJesusconfrontedcontinuallyinhisencounterswiththePharisees.Theircommitmenttorightbeliefactuallyledthemtowrongfulliving,toexclusion,judgment,andprejudice.IbelieveourcommitmenttothereligionofChristianityhasledusintoacul-de-sacofineffectualityandredundancy.Ourconcernswithconvertingtheworldtoourwayoflookingatthingsarecompletelyoutofsyncwiththedy-namicsoffaithinourtime.Weneedaconversionofsorts.Aconversiontothethemes,rhythms,andinterestsofpost-secularWesternculture,notsothatwebecomejustliketheculture,butsothatourcountercul-turalwayoflivingcanbeheardfromwithintheculture.Ihaveheardanawfullotofsermonsinmytimeaboutnotbeing“oftheworld,”butthatisonlypartoftheadmonitionfromJesus.Itbeginswithacalltobe“intheworld,butnotofit.”FortoolongChristianityhasattemptedtoexistoutsideofculturalsituations,seeingitselfasacultural,asifsuchathingistrulypossible.Perhapsthishadsomeresonanceinmodernity,withitscommitmenttoobjectiverationalism,butintoday’sworldsuchaviewseemshopelesslyremoteandoutoftouch.

IfirmlybelievethatJesusdidhistheologyandlivedouthislifeinthemarketplaceoftheculture.Hisministrywasconductedoutsidethesacredspacesofhisownfaithtradition.Hisforaysintosacredspaceandtimewereusuallytoaffectpronouncementsandchallengestothereligiousestablishment.

FortheChristianfaithtoremainviable,wearegoingtohavetoletgooftheattractionalmodel—invitingpeopletocometous—and



insteadgotowheretheyliveandliveoutourfaiththere.AChineseproverbsaysweshould“Gotothepeople.Liveamongthem,learnfromthem,lovethem,startwithwhattheyknow,buildonwhattheyhave.”10Therhythmandcontentofthisproverbofferssomecluesabouttheactionswemighttake.

Tolearnfromothersrequiresthatwelisteninordertounderstand.AnotherchaptercouldbewrittenonthepositiveinfluencesilencemighthaveontheChristianfaithinpostsecularity.“Startwithwhattheyknowandbuildonwhattheyhave”—thisshiftsthegroundofdiscoursefromtheabstracttotheactual.Ourtheologicalengage-mentandconcernsoughttobedevelopedfromthequestionsandneedsoftheworldaroundus.Fortoolongwehavegoneoutintotheworldtotellpeoplewhatwethinktheyoughttoknowratherthanseekingtodiscoverwhattheyareinterestedinandwheretheyarelookingforanswers.ThisisreminiscentofPaul’sencounterinAthens,acitydevotedtoquestionsofultimatemeaning,aplacesointentonreligiousproprietythatiterectedanaltartoanunknowngod,justincase.Paulbeganwithwhattheyhadandbuiltfromthere.Hisdeclarationthat“Godisnotfarfromanyoneofus”isaprofoundmissionallessonforusall;wedon’thavetotakeGodanywhere,wejusthavetodiscoverwhereheisalreadyatwork.

God is nowhere. God is now here.Godispresent,Godisabsent.Thefutureoffaithrestsinthetensionbetweenthesewords,anditisfromthisplaceofdiscomfortandcomplexitythatnewlifeemerges.



1�

14F

LeadershIp In a FLattened worLd

Grassroots CuLture and the demIse oF the Ceo modeL

SallyMorgenthaler

Sally Morgenthaler is recognized as an innovator in Christian practices worldwide. Her prophetic role among church leaders and local congregations continues to increase in denominational scope and impact, as her work now broadens into the arena of new forms of leadership and the untapped potential of women. Known best for her book WorshipEvangelism (Zondervan, 1998), Morgenthaler became a trusted interpreter of postmodern culture and a guide to the crucial shifts the North American church must make if it is to become a transforming presence within pre-Christian communities.

Whatisleadershipinanageofunprecedentedconnectedness?WheninformationisasaccessibleastheBlackberryinyourbackpocket?


�0 an emerGent manIFesto oF hope

Whentheworldnolongerneedsdatabrokers,whenthewordauthor-ityinspiresonlysuspicionandrevolt,andwhenbusiness,political,andreligiousiconsaredeconstructedattheclickofamousebutton?Whatdoesitreallymeantobeinchargeofanything?

Nothing.Because,inthenewandincreasinglyflattenedworld,beinginchargeisanillusion.Beinginchargeworked(andmarginallyso)onlyinaworldofslowchange,inapredictableuniversewhereinformation(andthus,power)isensconcedinthehandsofafew.Butthatworldisgone.Withtheriseoftheindividual(thepowerofone)andtheriseofthetribe(thepowerofoneconnected),allbetsareoff.FromAl-Qaedatothepost-Katrinarevolttofragmentingretailmarketstothesmall-enterpriseexplosioninIndiaandChina,weseetheoldworldof“bigandpowerful”unraveling.

Still,wehangontoourillusions.Weretreatintotheoldstory:leadershipasdominationandcontrol.MargaretWheatleydescribesourdesperateattemptstohangontowhatisgone:

Eversinceuncertaintybecameourinsistenttwenty-first-centurycompanion,leadershipstrategieshavetakenagreatleapbackwardtothefamiliarterritoryofcommandandcontrol....Howisitthatwefailedtolearnthatwheneverwetrytoimposecontrolonpeopleandsituations,weonlyservetomakethemmoreuncontrollable?Allofliferesistscontrol.Alloflifereactstoanyprocessthatinhibitsitsfreedomtocreateitself.Whenwedenylife’sneedtocreate,lifepushesback.Welabelitresistanceandinventstrategiestoovercomeit.Butwewoulddofarbetterifwechangedthestoryandlearnedhowtoinvoketheresidentcreativityofthoseinourorganizations.Weneedtoworkwiththeseinsistentcreativeforcesortheywillbeprovokedtoworkagainstus.1

PerhapswhatWheatleydescribeshasalwaysbeenareality:humanbeingsaresimplywiredtopushback.Maybetherealshiftisthatnowwehaveanunprecedentedabilitytodoso.Now,eighty-year-oldUncleHaroldcanposthisveryownbookreviewonAmazon.com.AuntSarahcanfinallysellherHummelcollection,notattheneighborhoodgaragesale,butoneBay.Now,wehaveGoogleinourhippockets,andourcellphonesdoubleaspersonalcomputers,televisions,cameras,videorecorders,andstereosystems.Dowereallygetthesignificanceofthosesideways,post-terroristclipsfromthebowelsofaLondonsubwaysystem?Suddenlyitactuallymat-


�1LeadershIp In a FLattened worLd

tersthatweexist,thatweliveinacertainplaceandtime.Nomatterwhatourincomeoreducationallevel,wecanjointheposseofseveralthousandbloggersandsendCBS’sDanRatheragroupmessage.Abigandterrifyinglyaudiblemessage:“Dan,wesmellarat.Weknowtoomuch.Getthestoryrightorgetout.”

to Know and Be Known

Havingfoundourlong-lostvoices,notonlyarewefindingwaystopushback,wearemovingoutofanonymitytoafledgling,halt-ingcultureofcommunities.Yes,wemaystillcravecocoontime,buttheStarbucks“thirdplace”concept—whetherrealorvirtual—hasliterallyrevivedwhatitistohaveapubliclife.Fromvillage-conceptmallstoInternetcafés,Listserves,chatrooms,matchsites,videogamingevents,TexasHoldemparties,martinibars,andneighbor-hoodtwelve-stepgroups,we’retryingtofigureouthowtobeinconversationwitheachother.

Wemaynotbeatthelevelofmatureexchangeinallofthesevenues,butevenourattemptsatcommunitysaysomething:atourdeepestlevels,wewanttoknowandbeknown;wewanttoputastamponlife.Andnowthatwe’vetastedwhatitisliketobenoticed—tobeconnectedandtogether,tomakeadifference—ourexpectationofinfluenceisatanall-timehigh.Whetheratwork,inschool,online,onouriPods,orattheHomeDepotdo-it-yourselfdesigncenter,wewantourstories,ourpassions,preferences,andopinionstomatter.Andthemostsuccessfulcompaniesandinnovationsofthepastfifteenyears—eBay,Google,Amazon,ComcastOnDemand,Match.com,Blizzard(multiplayeronlinevideogaming),Starbucks,Netflix,MySpace.com,Apple’siPodNanoandiTunes,Blackberry,etc.—havefiguredthisout.Creatinginteractive,personalizedexperiencesfortheircustomersisprimary.Butthesecompaniesdon’tstopthere.Theirvalueforsignificance—forparticipationandpersonalengagement—permeatestheirorganiza-tionalstructuresaswell.Andthereasonisassimpleasthedollarsign:whentheircompaniesareinteractiveandself-organizingattheircore,profitsincrease.LeadershiptheoristMargaretWheatleyagrees:

Wehaveknownfornearlyahalfcenturythatself-managedteamsarefarmoreproductivethananyotherformoforganizing.There


�� an emerGent manIFesto oF hope

isaclearcorrelationbetweenparticipationandproductivity.Infact,productivitygainsintrulyself-managedworkenvironmentsareatminimum35percenthigherthanintraditionallymanagedorganizations.2

Whyareself-managedteamsmoreproductive?Ifpersonalizedparticipationissuchahighvalueinourculture,itisgoingtobeindispensableintheplacewherepeoplespendmostoftheirtime:work.Peoplewanttohavetheiropinionsheard.Theywanttopushbackoncompanypracticeswithouthavingtofearthattheirjobisatstake.Andtheywanttobelong—toknowtheircohortscarewhatisgoingonintheirlivesaswellastheirminds.Self-managedteamsmakeforabetter,moreconnectiveworkenvironment,andinturn,moreproductiveworkers.

Collective intelligence

Butthereisanothertheorysurroundingthesuccessofself-managedteamsthatgoesbeyondmeresocialdynamics:peopleseemtomakebetterdecisionstogetherthanapart.Theyarecollectively“moreintelligent.”JamesSurowiecki,inhisbook,The Wisdom of Crowds, usesGoogle’swildlysuccessfulsearchenginetechnologyasanexample.GooglepushedaheadofYahooandeveryothersearchengineintheearly2000s.AtthecoreoftheGooglesystemisacal-culatingmethodcalled“PageRank”—analgorithmthatallowsthecollectedhumanwisdomoftheWebtocullforessentialinformationandratetheresultsforrelevance.Surowiecki explains:

Inthat0.12seconds,whatGoogleisdoingisaskingtheentireWebtodecidewhichpagecontainsthemostusefulinformation,andthepagethatgetsthemostvotesgoesfirstonthelist.Andthatpage,ortheoneimmediatelybeneathit,moreoftenthannotisinfacttheonewiththemostusefulinformation.3

Collectiveintelligenceisn’tjustabouttheaggregatehumanbrainontheInternet,however.Itisincreasinglyhowthebestbusiness,scientific,andcreativeworkgetsdone.Initsinternaloperations,Googleappliesthesameprincipleofgroupthinkthatitdidtoitstechnology.Employeesareencouragedtopostideasfornewproducts


��LeadershIp In a FLattened worLd

onaninternalwebsite.Colleaguesthenvotefortheirfavoriteidea.Thoseideaswiththemostvotesgetpushedtothetopforstrategicattention.4In2005,Googlesponsoredacontestthatdrew14,500eagerprogrammers.Thecontestresultedinanentirelibraryofcompetitivenewproducts.

InThe Wisdom of Crowds, Surowieckicontraststraditional,top-downdecisionmakingwithcollectiveintelligence:

[Thewisdomofcrowds]helpsexplainwhy,forthepastfifteenyears,afewhundredamateurtradersinthemiddleofIowahavedoneabetterjobofpredictingelectionresultsthanGalluppollshave.Thewisdomofcrowdshassomethingtotellusaboutwhythestockmarketworks(andaboutwhy,everysooften,itstopsworking)....It’sessentialtogoodscience,andithasthepotentialtomakeaprofounddifferenceinthewaycompaniesdobusiness....Wefeeltheneedto“chasetheexpert.”[But]theargumentofthisbookisthatchasingtheexpertisamistake,andacostlyoneatthat.Weshouldstophuntingandaskthecrowd(which,ofcourse,includesthegeniusesaswellaseveryoneelse)instead.Chancesare,itknows.5

Surowiecki’ssummaryofthescientificcollaborationinvolvedinthediscoveryoftheSARSvirusisriveting.OnMarch17,2003,afterChinahadannouncedthespreadofanunknownanddeadlyvirus,theWorldHealthOrganizationembarkedonanunprecedentedefforttermedthe“collaborativemulti-centerresearchproject.”ByApril16,theyannouncedtheirfindings:theCoronaviruswastheonethathadcausedSARS.Byisolatingitsoquickly,theywereabletosavethelivesofpotentiallymillionsofpeople.Themostincredibleaspectofthisproject,however,wasthatnoonewasactually“incharge.”Surowieckiexplains:

AlthoughWHOorchestratedthecreationofthenetworkoflabs,therewasnooneatthetopdictatingwhatdifferentlabswoulddo,whatvirusesorsamplestheywouldworkon,orhowinformationwouldbeexchanged.Thelabsagreedthattheywouldsharealltherelevantdatatheyhad,andtheyagreedtotalkeverymorning,butotherthanthatitwasreallyuptothemtomakethecollaborationwork....Intheabsenceoftop-downdirection,thelaboratoriesdidaremarkablygoodjoboforganizingthemselves.Thecollaborative



natureoftheprojectgaveeachlabthefreedomtofocusonwhatitbelievedtobethemostpromisinglinesofinvestigation....Andtheresultwasthatthiscobbled-togethermultinationalalliancefoundananswertoitsproblemasquicklyandefficientlyasanytop-downorganizationcouldhave.6

missing the memo

Significance,influence,interaction,collectiveintelligence—allofthesevaluesdescribeanessentialshiftfrompassivitytoreflexivity.Wearenolongercontenttotravelinlockstepfashionthroughlifelikefaceless,isolatedunitsperformingouronelittlejobonanassem-blyline.Thisattitudinalshiftisnothingshortofrevolutionary.Truetoform,WesternChristendomseemsoblivioustoitsimplications.Butitistheentrepreneurialchurch(congregationsofroughlyonethousandandabove)thatseemsparticularlycluelessabouttheshiftfromthepassivetothereflexive.Andthis,despiteallitsposturingaboutculturalrelevance.

Thisdisconnectshouldn’treallysurpriseus.Large-churchleadershavebeentrainedinthemodern,command-and-controlparadigmforthirtyyears.Here,organizationsaren’tseensomuchasgather-ingsofpeoplewithacommonpurposebutasmachines.Thereisnoironyhere.Machinepartsdon’thavemindsormusclestoflex.Theydon’tcontributetoaprocessorinnovateimprovements.Machinepartssimplydotheirjob,whichis,ofcourse,tokeepthemachinefunctioning.

ThemechanicalparadigmororganizationlargelyexplainswhymodernchurchleadersaretrainedasCEOs,notshepherds.Sheephavetheirownideasofwhat,where,andwhentheywanttoeat.Theymaynotwanttoliedownbyquietwatersandgotosleepateight.Theyjustmightwanttocheckoutthewatercressdownbythestreambed.Ortheymightwanttoheadoutoverthenextridgetoseeifthereareanyotherflocksoutthere.Conveniently,machinepartsdon’tgetideas.Theyjustgettowork,andtheyworkaccordingtospecification.

Churchmemberswhodon’tcomprehendthisthree-decadeshiftinleadershipparadigmsarefrustratedthattheirCEOpastorissoself-absorbed.Theywerelookingforashepherd—albeit,onewithabignameandabigflock.Whatmanyofthemendedupwithinsteadwas



a“my-way-or-the-highway”autocrat—atop-downaficionadowhoseecclesiasticalmachinewhirsonlytothesoundofhisownvoiceandfunctionstightlywithintheparametersofhisownlimitedvision.

Onedoesn’thavetobeonthepastors’conferencecircuitlongtofigureoutthatprime-timeclergy(agesfortytofifty-five),aremari-natedinthiskindofthinking.Theyhavebeentoldrepeatedlythatthisistheonlyleadershipmodelthatwillensuresuccess.(Andmakenomistake:innewmillenniumAmerica,successequalsthegreatestnumberofseatsfilledonSundaymorning.)Theirsisamono-vocal,mono-visionworld—onethataffordsthemostuniformityandthusthemostcontrol.Itisaworldofhyperpragmaticswheretheends(churchgrowth)canjustifythemostdehumanizingofprocesses.

Pitythememberwhoquestionsthemachineanddevelopsanysignificantinfluence.Soonerorlater,thatmemberwillbedisposedof—shunned,silenced,andquietlyremovedfromanypositionofauthorityonstaff,boards,worshipteams,orwithinthemostlowlyofprograms.Unwittingly,thismemberhasrunheadlongintoanindustrialageanachronism:“thegreatmanwiththeplan”method-ology.Andheorshehaslost.

Butitisnotonlyindividualmemberswholose.ItisGod’skingdomandthewaitingworldthatisbeingsacrificed.Sacrificedonthealtarofpastoralego.Thequestionis,howlongcantheseantiquated,top-downsystemslast?Aslongaspeoplewillletthem.Inapush-backworld,hi-erarchycanfunctiononlyinthewombofpassivity,whichmaybegoodnews—atleastonthesurvivallevel—forbigreligion.Because,ifthereisanythingtheentrepreneurialchurchisgoodatcreating,itiscompliantcultures—thoseStepford-likeminicitiespopulatedwithotherwisesavvy,creativehumanbeings.YettheseotherwisesavvychildrenofGodsome-howmissedthememo:theyhaveabrain,avoice,andaJacobesquecalltowrestle,notonlywiththelivingGod,butwithwhateverinstitutionclaimstoholdalltruthinsideitstooperfectconfines.Isitanywonderthatmegachurchesproliferateinareasofthecountrywherethechurchattendancepercentagesarewellabovethenationalnorm?7Thisisnotquantumphysics.It’sthelawofsupplyanddemand.Entrepreneurialchurchesthriveinthemostchurchedareasofthecountrybecausetheyarepopulatedwiththealreadychurched,nottheunchurched.Andtheirleadersknowthis,despitetheirincessantoutreach-speak.Theyknowwhotheirrealtargetmarketis:itishothousedChristians.AndifhothousedChristiansareanything,theyarepassive.



Ifpassivityisarequirementforparticipationinbig-churchAmerica,thenitisnowonderthatmostnewworldcitizenswouldn’tputsomuchasatiremarkonourparkinglots.Maybetheygetwhatwerefusetoget:supersized ecclesia is as much about power as it is about God. Withluxuriousfacilitiesborderingontheobscene,organizationalhierarchiesdesignedtofeedpastoralego,andconstituenciesoftheroboticallyreligious(whoelsewouldtoleratelivinginamachine?),it’snothardtofigureoutthatone’sstory,creativity,andopinionsaren’twelcome.Newsflash:the“FortyDaysofHonestDialogue”campaignisnotcomingtoyourlocalsuburbanchurch-plexanytimesoon.Somuchforrelevanceinareflexiveculture,themembersofwhichwillmostlikelykeepdrivingpastourparkinglots.Noonehastotellanewworldcitizenthatpower-and-controlreligionisaboutmonologue,notdialogue.Itisaboutoneleader’svision;onetakeonwhatGodisuptointhecommunity,thenation,andtheworld;onesingle,oftenblurry,andout-of-contextframeinthisspeedingmoviewecalllife.

sameness as terminal illness

Passivesystemsaresystemsofsameness.Yetsamenessiseven-tuallyterminal.Askanybiologistandheorshewilltellyouthatdiversityandtheadaptabilitynecessarytosustainitareexactlywhatisrequiredforlivingsystemstothrive.Eliminateevenafewspeciesfromanecosystem,andthesystembeginstofail.Soitisinhumansystems.Weneeddifference,notbecauseitlooksgoodtotheoutsideworld,notbecauseitismandatedatsomedenominationallevel,butbecauseitishealthy.Wethink,work,learn,respond,andcreatebetterinthemidstofarichtapestryofthehumanfamily.RichardFlorida,inhisbook The Rise of the Creative Class,8researchesthosecitiesonthecuttingedgeofinnovation,andtheyallhaveonethingincommon:ahighdiversityofpeoplegroupsandlifestyles.Surowieckicommentsaboutourpenchantforsameness:

Groupsthataretoomuchalikefindithardertokeeplearningbe-causeeachmemberisbringinglessandlesstothetable.Homoge-neousgroupsaregreatatdoingwhattheydowell,buttheybecomeprogressivelylessabletoinvestigatealternatives....[Theyspend]toomuchtimeexploitingandnotenoughtimeexploring....But,



ifyoucanassembleadiversegroupofpeoplewhopossessvaryingdegreesofknowledgeandinsight,you’rebetteroffentrustingitwithmajordecisionsratherthanleavingtheminthehandsofoneortwopeople,nomatterhowsmartthosepeopleare.9

Diversitymaywellbeoneoftheprimarykeystoinnovation,butitishardlyalivedvaluewithinentrepreneurialchurchcircles,betheybabyboomersorshaved-hairedtwentysomethings.Inmodern,mono-vocalreligion,thelackofsubstantiveinfluencebypeopleofcolor,females,andsinglesisappalling.Forinstance,femalesmakeupwellover60percentoftheaverageentrepreneurialcongregation’sconstituency,whiletheirrepresentationasleadersoutsidetherealmofchildrenandwomen’sprogramsisusuallylessthan1percent.Thosefewwhoaregivenstafforlaypositionsinnontraditionalareasarerarelymorethanglorifiedclerksorassistants.Thefemalestaffmembermayhaveaplaqueonherdoorthatindicatessheisarespectedpartofthe“team.”Sheandherfemalevolunteercohortmayevenhavetheirnamesinthebulletinasheadsofprograms.Butbothknowwhatisreallyexpectedofthem.Itistodothemundane,lower-levelworkofgettingthingsdone.Ultimately,itistokeeptheliealive—tofeigndiversityinasystemthathasnointerestinactuallyembracingit.

the neutralized Voices of Women

Whenitcomestowomen,whatweareactuallyseeingwithinbig-boxchurchistheengineeredneutralizationofwelloverhalfofthehumanvoices.Anditisthecase,notjustinentrepreneurialcongrega-tionswithanaverageageoffortyorfifty,butsurprisingly,inchurchplantswithanaverageageoftwenty-fivetothirty.ToquoteEinstein,“Noproblemcanbesolvedfromthelevelofthinkingthatcreatedit.”Andthatstatementdescribestwenty-andthirty-somethingchurchcirclesonlytooaccurately.Inthecaseofdiversity,mostyoungchurchleadersareblithelyoblivioustotheirentrenchmentinpatriarchyandthecommand-controlsystemsinherenttoit.

ThedebilitatingDNAofpatriarchy—hierarchicalorganizationalstructuresandtheirmarginalizationofthepowerless—istenacious,andtoshakeitloose,itwilltakeanenormousamountofintentional,humblingwork.Butshakeitwemustbecausetherealityisthis:hier-archy(commandandcontrol)failstomovethereflexivesoulsofnew



worldcitizens,regardlessofgenderorrace.Itsimplyensurestheirabsence.Andincasewehaven’tnoticed,therearenowaplethoraofspiritualexperienceswaitingforthemoutsidethecloningparlorsofbigchurchdom.CaroleGilliganisright.“Hierarchyalwayscre-atesanunderground.”10Thesedays,undergroundssimplyvotewiththeirfeetandgoelsewhere—somewheretheycantalkback.Wrestle.Contribute.Makeadifference.Haveavoice.ChallengeDanRather.OrjoinaprayercircleonBelief.net.

Ifwereallycan’taccepttherealityoftheflattened,antihierar-chyworlddescribedinThomasFriedman’sTheWorld is Flat,11thenperhapsweshouldtakealookatScriptureandseewhatGodhadinmind.Jesusflattenedtheuniverseinordertoreachit.GodIncar-nate—theOmnipotent,Omniscient,andInfinite—leavestherealmsofglory,subjectinghimselftohumanexistenceandpouringhimselfoutforthesakeofallcreation.Thisishierarchyconfounded.Powerandpositionundone.AndPaul’simpassionedpleatothePhilip-piansencapsulatesthisdivinedeconstructionofdominancesoper-fectlythat,tothisday,itisconsideredtobetheGreatPrayeroftheChurch—oneoftheclearestandmostcompellingexpressionsofthegospelinanyform.Yes,accordingtoJesus,theworldisindeedflat.Heflattenedithimself.

Inyourrelationshipswithoneanother,havethesameattitudeofmindChristJesushad:Who,beinginverynatureGod,didnotconsiderequalitywithGodsomethingtobeusedtohisownad-vantage;rather,hemadehimselfnothingbytakingtheverynatureofaservant,beingmadeinhumanlikeness.Andbeingfoundinappearanceasahumanbeing,hehumbledhimselfbybecomingobedienttodeath—evendeathonacross!

Philippians2:5–8TNIV

Jesus’sflattenedworldwasnomoreclearlyevidentthaninhisrelationshiptowomen.Hedidn’tdrawthemoutjusttocomfortthemoreventoelevatethemoutoftheiroppression.Thathedid.Butfirstandforemost,hedrewthemoutforthesakeofthekingdom.Theirobviousdiscernment,strength,vision,courage,andreadyresponseoffaithmadethemthelogicalforerunnersinthespreadofthegospel.Whotheywerequalifiedthemforleadership,whichisexactlywhy



Jesustrustedthem(andtrustedthemfirst)withsomeofthegreatesttruthsofhisPersonandministry.

JesusfirstrevealedhisidentityastheSonofGodtoawoman—andanoutcastwomanatthat(John4).Sheresponded(atgreatrisk)byevangelizing.IttookawomantounderstandthatJesuswastobecrucified,eventhoughJesushadtoldhisdiscipleswhatwastohappen(Matt.26:6–13).Sheresponded(again,atgreatrisk)inprofoundgriefandworship,anointingJesus’sfeetwithaperfumethathadcosthereverything,andwithhertears.Jesusaffirmedheractasexemplary,asanactofleadershiptotherestoftheworld.“Itellyouthetruth,wher-evertheGoodNewsispreachedinalltheworld,whatthiswomanhasdonewillbetold,andpeoplewillrememberher”(v.13).

Finally,womenwerethefirsttoseetheresurrectedChrist(Luke24:1–12).Wasthatanaccident?Hardly.Again,Jesustrustedthatthesewomenwouldnotonlybelieve,butinbelieving,theywoulddothehardthing—risknotbeingheardandnotbeingbelieved.Which,ofcourse,wasthecase.Theconsequenceoftheirobedient,apostolicact—encounteringtherisenSonofGodandvoicingwhattheyhadseenandheard—wasnotmuchdifferentfromwhatwomentodayexperiencewithinthepatriarchyofbig-church.ThosewomenwhoseeandhearGodwellandspeakaboutwhattheyseeandhearcanexpect,intoomanycases,tobedismissed.

ManywomenseeandhearGodwell.Buttheyalsotendtoseepeoplewellandthesystemsofrelationshipspeoplecreate,whetherinpersonalorbusinessspheres.Businessexpertsarenowobserv-ingtheremarkablefemininetenacityinthefightforcollaborativesystems.Theirlargervisionseemstobelong-term,organizationalhealth,withmanysacrificingreputationandeasyadvancementinordertoflattentop-heavy,unresponsivestructures.PeterSenge,oneoftheworld’smostrespectedvoicesonleadershipandculture,isstruckbythedisproportionatenumberofwomenwhoare“makingthingshappen,”especiallywhenitcomestodurable,organizationalchange.Heobserves:“Womenmanagersandexecutivesareleadingmanyofthemostimportantsustainabilityinnovations....Theyseemespeciallywillingtotakeonlong-termissuesthatdealwithimbal-ancesinthesystemasawhole.”12

Womenalsoseemmorecomfortablewithambiguity,unpredict-ability,andcrisisthantheirmalecounterparts.Notsurprisingly,allthreeoftheserealitiesareinherenttothepostmoderncontext.William


�0 an emerGent manIFesto oF hope

Bergquist,inhisgroundbreakingbookThe Postmodern Organization,describedthekindofleaderthatthepostmodernworldrequires.Andheplaceswomenattheforefront:

Whatwillbethenatureofthenewlyemergingpostmodernleader?Heorshewillbeonewhocanmastertheunexpected,andoftenunwanted.Heorshe(andmoreoften,itwillbeshe)mustbeabletotolerateambiguity.Mostimportantly,thepostmodernleaderwillacknowledgeandevengenerallyanticipatetheoccurrenceandimpactofrogueevents(i.e.,thoseunforeseenincidentsthatoccurfromwithinthesystemoroutsideofit).13

Istheanticontrol,relational,intuitiveedgeBergquistdescribesherethesolehegemonyofthefemale?Onewouldbehardpressedtofindsuchaviewamongsociologistsandpsychologists.Evenpopulistworksunderpinamoreholisticperspective.MalcomGladwell,inhisbestsellingbookBlink,14proposesthatrelational/intuitivepropensi-ties—thosenecessaryforeffectivesystemsthinkingandcertainlyforhandlingirreversiblechange—areacommondenominatorofallhumans.Hecontendsthatmostofus,includingmanywomen,havesimplylearnedtomuteorsilenceright-brainedinformation,especiallyinthemodernera.

muting intuition

PsychologistCarolGilliganisfamousforherconceptofmuting—ofeditingthedeeper,intuitiveself.InherseminalbookIn a Different Voice15(seealsoherlatestwork,The Birth of Pleasure16),she tracesthesevereeditingoftherelational/intuitivevoiceinmalestoearlysocial-ization.Thissocializationculminatesataboutageeight,whenboysadoptamoredistant,objectifiedinteractionwiththeworld—onethatreplacesinterdependencewithindependence,andrelationshipswithobjects.Thissociallymandatedflightfromtherelationalinyoungboysalsoresultsinaconstrictionoftheemotionalrange,anenforcededitingofwhatareperceivedtobe“weaker”emotionalexpressions:sensing,caring,attachment,compassion,grief,andsoon.TheresultiswhatGilliganreferstoas“voicing-over”:apseudomaleorienta-tiontotheworldthatislessattunedtotheforcesofconnectionandcertainlylessattunedtowhatwehavecometoknowasright-brain


�1LeadershIp In a FLattened worLd

operations.Thestrongattractionevangelicalmenhavetoneopatri-archicalworkssuchasJohnEldredge’sWild at Heart17mayactuallyberootedinwhatGilligandescribesasthesocializedamputationofthemalerelational/intuitivebents.WhatEldredgeactuallyroman-ticizesinhisbookistheall-too-familiarmalecaricature,themalecutofffromtheexpressiveandvulnerableselfofearlyboyhood;theself-sufficient,invulnerable,impenetrablerescuer.Perhaps,whenonehaslittlememoryofacomplexself,caricatureisthebestonecanhopefor.

Editingtheauthenticselfisnotonlyamaleproblem.MuchofGilligan’sworkfocusesonhowgirlseditthemselves.Shecontendsthatgirlsbeginthevoicing-overprocesssometimearoundpuberty.Anywherefromtheageoftentotwelve,girlsstartaprocessofcon-scioussilencing.Buttheynotonlymuzzleonesphereofknowledgeasboysdo,theymuzzleboththeirrationalandintuitiveinsights.Why?Thereasonissimple.Inourpersistentlypatriarchalculture,femaleswhoknowwhattheyknowandspeakwhattheyknow—whateverthesourceoftheirknowing—areatrisk.Girlsfigureoutearlyonthatknowledgeispower.Andpower,eveninthenew-millenniumWest,isstillamalebirthright.Forafemale,toknowanythingandthentospeakwhatsheknowsisafairlycertainpathtorejection.In“greatmanwiththeplan”circles,betheyDockersbig-churchorfrayed-jeanship,itisasurepath.

Yetwhathappenswhenwomenbegintoreleasetheirvoices?Theybegintounderstandjusthowwelltheyarewiredtoleadinthenew“flattened”landscape.Ifthebestleadershipinthepostmodernsettingisconnective,intuitive,andresponsiveatitscore—ifitisaboutthenativityofGod’sworkincommunityversuscaptivitytooneperson’sandonegender’segoandagenda—thentheguttingoffemaleinflu-enceinthekingdomisnotonlybrainless,itissuicidal.

FemaleChrist-followerswhopossesstrueleadershipskillsdonotneedtoleadbecauseitispoliticallycorrect.Neitherdotheyneedtoleadinordertoassuagewhatismostoftenamillimeter-thinveneerofmaleguilt,whetheragetwenty-fiveorfifty.Womenwithleadershipabilitiesneedtoleadbecause,moreoftenthannot,theygetthisnewworldandtheygetitreallywell.Inaworldwearyofhyperindividualism,top-downsystems,pedestalpersonalities,andI-win-you-losedichotomies,thenaturalfeminineresonancewiththeflattenedworld—conversation,collaboration,participation,influence,



presence,collectiveintelligence,andempowerment—hasraisedtheculturalbarforwhattrueleadershipisanddoes.

F

Leadershipinatrulyflattenedworldhasnoprecedents.Never,inthehistoryofhumankind,haveindividualsandcommunitieshadthepowertoinfluencesomuch,soquickly.Therulesofengagementhavechanged,andtheyhavechangedinfavorofthosewholeavetheaddictiveworldofhierarchytofunctionrelationally,intuitively,systemically,andcontextually.Maleleaders—yes,eventhemaleleadersofentrepreneurialchurchdom—knowthisattheircore.Theyrealizethey’replayingadeadlyendgame,andthatthehierarchicalclockisticking.Morethanthat,however,theyhaveadeepknowledgeofanotherwayofbeing,thoughtheymayrailagainstit,retreatingforcomfortintocardboardcutoutversionsofbothleadershipandmasculinity.Butifthey’rehonest,theyknowtheyhavetastedthenewessencethatisrequiredofleadershipnow.Theyknowitintherecessesoftheirboyhoodmemoriesandintheexperienceofintimacy,art,music,story,film,hospitalprayers,andallthathumanbeingsareattheirbest,together.Thosewhoareuptothechallengeofthenewworldwilldrawuponthatdeepknowledge.Andtheywilllooktothemarginalized—includingwomen—notasnecessaryevilsinapoliticallycorrectworld,butastheirownleaders,mentors,andguides.Thebrightestwillfinallydumpthemythofthegreatman,parktheiregos,andfollowtheoneGreatManintotherelinquish-mentofpower.


Visit emersionbooks.com to pre-order An Emergent Manifesto of Hope

ALSO COMING IN SUMMER 2007 . . .

Organic Community: Creating a Place Where People Naturally Connect by Joseph R. Myers; Available May 2007.

Justice in the Burbs: Being the Hands of Jesus Wherever You Liveby Will and Lisa Samson; Available August 2007

Signs of Emergence: A Vision for Church That Is Organic/Networked/Decentralized/Bottom-Up/

Communal/Flexible/Always Evolving by Kester Brewin; Available July 2007

ISBN 978-0-8010-8654-X

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ALSO COMING IN SUMMER 2007...Emergent Village friendship are not to be considered be-all and end-all...

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