Dynamic Churches: Will The Future We Make?

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Church leaders face two kinds of futures: the future we "take" and the future we "make." The future we "take" consists of those events and conditions over which we have little or no control, such as a downturn in the local economy and its eventual impact on church stewardship patterns or demographic change in the church’s neighborhood. In this "take" situation, all we can do is try to anticipate and hedge against what is happening. But there is also the future we "make." That is, the results we will experience in the future directly will reflect the quality of the choices and commitments we make. These might relate to the ministries we develop, the staff we call, or to our budget priorities. Different churches face different proportions in …show more content…

Such churches invest time, money, and love in staff members because they understand that these are the leaders who will make the future through helping equip volunteers and molding visions for ministry. They view salary as an investment rather than as a cost. They understand that to have quality staff members, staff training and development is a necessary, ongoing process. Dynamic churches are founded on mutual trust between staff and members. Staffs are delegated a great deal of authority because they are trusted. Congregation members give the staff latitude in making changes because of this trust. Trust is the key "lubricant" in all organizations, but especially churches. It allows members to follow the staff even when they fail to understand or even disagree with where the staff team is going. Trust lubricates the day-to-day conflicts in a church by allowing us to rest firmly on a foundation of mutual respect for one another’s integrity and motives. Dynamic churches know the value of praise. They seek out opportunities to "champion" their members. They know that one never can praise people too much because all of us have an endless thirst to be told that we matter, that we make a difference, that we count for something. Many church leaders spend their time trying to stamp out errors, rather than trying to build up

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