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Number 1 Septmber 5, 1994
 Leadership Network
PETER DRUCKER ON THE CHURCH AND DENOMINATIONS...

Two weeks ago in Ontario, California, Leadership Network convened a special Summit on "The Futures of
Denominations" with Lyle Schaller and Peter Drucker as the principle resources. Over 75 denominational
leaders, senior ministers, consultants, and others interested in the topic gathered to learn not only from Schaller
and Drucker but also from each other. In this inaugural issue of NetFax, we chose to feature excerpts of
Drucker's closing reflections on the state of the church and denominations.
"The Spirit is moving... it has been an incredibly encouraging meeting. It is very clear that in perhaps not all
denominations... we haven't heard from all of them... but in the ones we have heard from here, there is a
substantial critical mass of people and churches that are already moving." He then outlined three main lessons
from the Summit.
"Let us change the way we look at the Protestant church in America as a result of the meeting." While
acknowledging that there are still many unhealthy churches, there is a justified "change in basic premises, basic
attitudes, basic mind set... on the whole, we are on the march. We are not on the retreat."
"We now know the focus and the focus is the individual church. The congregation we are dealing with is a very
different congregation than the one in which most of us began... It is a congregation that sees itself in
partnership... When we reach the congregation, we have results. This is a very exciting and important thing."
According to Drucker, the key question is "can we create enough disciples?" Commenting on his recent re-
reading of the letters of Paul, Drucker observed that "they are incredibly powerful...these epistles are clearly
written to be read by a triumphant Christian church... [Paul] created apostles in anticipation of a triumphant
church." Drucker concluded, "we have to create apostles who will carry on the work... and [Paul] clearly
understood that each of these people would work differently." Noting that there is always going to be friction
and conflict in this work because of the differences, "one does not emphasize the friction, but one says we
have in common the results, the commitment, the mission, the values, and they matter."
"The denominations will be strengthened because they themselves will get a new lease on life." There is a
normal cycle of plateau and decline and we should not focus on the decline but rather accept it as a wake-up
call. "Instead of bemoaning that fact, we are grateful for it. It is a call to action."
Complete tapes of the Drucker-Schaller Summit are available through Convention Cassettes at 1-800-776-
5454.
Number 10 January 9, 1995
TARGETING PEOPLE IN TRANSITION

Millions of Americans go through life-changing transitions each year...marriage, parenthood, divorce, graduation, a serious
illness, loss of a job, finding a new job, retirement, or the death of a loved one. We often think of these life events as happening at
a certain time and in a certain order. But that was never really true, and it is less true all the time. A linear view of the life cycle is
no longer on target. Some transitions are less common or seem less momentous to society at large, but are nonetheless critical
turning points in the lives of those who experience them. Each is an opportunity to get people through an experience that may be
joyful or sorrowful, but in any case stressful.
Why has the timing and frequency of life transitions changed? Three of the most important reasons are the impact of the baby
boom, shifts in the workplace, and advances in technology. The baby boom is the best educated generation in American history,
especially the women. Extended education sets off a lifetime of postponement. For boomers, it meant extended marriage and
parenthood and the changing social environment also meant that these two transitions were not always made in that order. Baby
boom women used their education to make headway in the labor force, further postponing marriage and parenthood. In the
workplace, formerly secure positions have become tenuous, causing individuals to re-think original career choices. Early
retirement packages mean people can opt of the labor force sooner or begin a second career. Technological advances, whether they
take place in medicine or office automation, have profound effects on the timing and frequency of life transitions. Technology can
also render whole job categories obsolete.*
EIGHT TRANSITION TRENDS

(1) Transitions previously considered one-time events now occur more than once; (2) Ages at which "transitions of youth" occur
have shifted upward; (3) markets for "transitions of youth" will temporarily decline; (4) markets for "transitions of maturity" will
increase; (5) women have been affected more than men by the changes in life transitions; (6) transitions occur over a period of
time and often have two or three different stages; (7) people are often highly stressed during periods of transition; and (8) people
often lack the time to handle transition-related tasks.*
A CHURCH TRANSITION CENTER

We know of at least one church that has intentionally addressed helping people deal with life transitions by creating a Transition
Center. A Transition Team has been trained and certified in transition technology and provides transition skill building to church
members through a series of workshops and individual assessment The church is also targeting the business and professional
community by offering similar services as an outreach tool.
For more information on transition resources, contact Leadership Network at 1-800-765-5323 and ask for Carol Childress or
Elaine Cox.
*This information is excerpted from the January-February issue of Marketing Tools, published by American Demographics
(800-828-1133), and used with their permission.
HELPING CHURCH LEADERS TRANSITION FROM THE PRESENT TO THE FUTURE
Number 100 • June 22, 1998
NetFax At 100…Learnings From the Past
NetFax first appeared as a resource to 21st century leaders in September, 1994. This 100th and
expanded NetFax is a look back at some of the ideas and issues shaping 21st century leaders,
churches and organizations from Numbers 1-99.
On Vision and Values (NetFax 4) “Vision and values are important because they focus the energy of
people on what they are really in business for…there are two parts to leadership…one is the vision
casting and the other is implementation…remember, the thinking that got you to where you are today
will not get you to where you need to go…the top person doesn’t have to be everything…you build a
team that together you can make it happen…if you can get your ego out of the way…the biggest
human detriment in any organization is ego…Edging God Out.” (Ken Blanchard, Blanchard Training)
“If there is anything I have learned over the years at Willow Creek, it is to underestimate how often I
need to re-kindle the vision…to consistently re-educate people why we are on the track we are
on…why we do things the way we do. This is why our values are so important..of all the leadership
issues, this is the toughest…what values will drive your behavior?” (Bill Hybels, Willow Creek
Community Church, S. Barrington, IL)
On Mobilizing Lay Persons (NetFax 5) “ Laypersons are called into the ministry of the church, not
just the business of the church. We have four foundational principles that shape our effort. One, we
take seriously our cultural context…we believe we live in a mission field. Two, in an anti-institutional
and Biblically illiterate culture, it is our laity who are our most effective witnesses. Three, ministry will
largely be outside the walls of the church and take a variety of forms. And four, the role of the church
and we as ministers is to prepare God’s people for life with a faith that works.” (Mike Foss, Prince of
Peace Lutheran Church, Burnsville, MN)
On the Power of Paradigms (NetFax 11) “Always begin the search for the new paradigm while the
old paradigm is still successful. It is fatal to project the future as a simple extension of the past. A new
paradigm means that everyone goes back to zero. Paradigm pliancy is the best strategy in times of
rapid and turbulent change…or put another way, when the horse is dead, dismount.
On the Critical Issue of Leadership (NetFax 50) “Effective leaders share five characteristics…they
have a strong sense of purpose, a passion, a conviction for wanting to do something important; they
are capable of developing and sustaining deep and trusting relationships; they are purveyors of hope
and have positive illusions about reality; they have a balance in their lives between work, power, and
family or outside activities; and they have a bias toward action and while not reckless, they do not
resist taking risks.” (Warren Bennis)
NetFax 100 continued on page two
© Leadership Network 1998

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Number 100 • June 22, 1998

Page Two
On The Internet and Church (NetFax 52, 89) The Internet is more about the transfer of
information, ideas and knowledge than it is about technology. “It’s not about technology; it is about
the Great Commission.” (Walt Wilson)
On Learning to Become a Lifelong Learner (NetFax 70) Be intentional and take responsibility for
your own learning. Align your learning to your mission. Have a learning plan and goal (s). Know how
you learn best. Learn from the inside and the outside. Don’t forget to learn from your mistakes. Share
what you learn with others.
On Important Lessons From Peter Drucker (NetFax 75) The mission comes first and the mission
of non-profits (including churches) is changed lives. The function of management is to make the
church more church-like, not to make the church more business-like. An organization begins to die
the day it begins to be run for the benefit of the insiders and not for the benefit of the outsiders. Know
the value of planned abandonment; you must decide what not to do. Focus on opportunities, not
problems; most organizations assign their best resources to their problems, not their opportunities.
People decisions are the ultimate control mechanism of an organization; that’s where people look to
find out what values you really hold. The three most important questions are “What is our business?”
“Who is the customer?” and “What does the customer consider value?”
On Five Windows Into the 21s t Century Church (NetFax 80, 81) 21st century churches have
effective leadership; equip and deploy the laity; understand and pro-actively engage the culture; build
authentic community; and are involved with others in Kingdom collaboration.
________________________________________________________________
Back issues of NetFax are available by calling 1-888-LEADNET. This 100th issue includes an
“Extended Learning” tool to use with future issues and your staff or network that we hope will help
make NetFax an even more valuable resource for you as a 21st century leader.
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To subscribe or for more information, call 1-888-LEADNET.
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CHANGING PATTERNS OF CHURCH STEWARDSHIP
It is a “stealth crisis,” looming in the future yet few leaders are addressing the issue. And it is an issue that affects every
congregation, regardless of size or location, and every institution supported by organized religion. The issue is the supply
st
and distribution of money to support mission and ministry in the 21 century. To quote one social observer, “the times,
they are a changing.” Central to the issue is how stewardship is addressed in local congregations. Brian Kluth, President
of the Christian Stewardship Association (414.483.1945, www.stewardship.org) has identified nineteen changing patterns
of church stewardship; we have selected the following eleven as representative shifts.
ISSUE PREVIOUS PATTERN EMERGING PATTERN

Stewardship is seen as Budget, bills, buildings A vital aspect of Christian discipleship
Focus The church needs money Christians need to receive biblical financial
teaching
Christian Education Little or no biblical financial or Stewardship teaching is integrated into curriculum
stewardship teaching for all ages (Sunday school, small groups,
seminars)
Membership orientation Financial and giving information is Financial and giving information and guidelines
basically ignored integrated into membership orientation and
materials
Preaching Ignored or once-a-year stewardship Annual stewardship series and/or stewardship and
message financial principles woven into messages
Giving Statements Sent out annually with no appreciation Mailed out quarterly with appreciation and church
expressed and no accompanying financial information included
information
Staff Stewardship is in NO ONE’s job Lay leader(s) or Associate Pastor of Stewardship.
description Oversees integration of stewardship teaching in
Sunday school, small groups and seminars.
Oversees lay counselors (in the areas of spiritual
gifts, career guidance and debt counseling).
Responsible for missions, capital campaigns and
written financial communications to the
congregations
Worship Service Announcements are made about the 2-3 minute lay testimonies about how God taught
church’s bills, budgets or financial people to give 10% or more. Use of dramas/skits.
shortfall Major financial needs are communicated in writing
Giving Patterns The assumption is that most people Churches are offering people ways to “give” to
give and give on a weekly basis. God according to the way the “receive” from God
(Note: Reality is that 30-50% of regular (Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, send in offerings by
attenders’ giving records are blank! mail, electronic funds transfer, stocks/bonds, year-
Many givers give on a monthly or end bonuses, etc.)
twice-a-month basis)
10% Giving 10% giving is ignored entirely or is Giving 10% or more is taught as the starting point
taught as the ultimate goal in giving of faithful stewardship living
Business Meetings Detailed financial reports that most Summary pie charts and major financial goals
people do not understand (detailed financial reports are made available later
to anyone who would like them).
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Number 102 • July 20, 1998
TELLING STORIES AND TODAY’S CULTURE
Max McLean is a gifted actor and communicator, but he is foremost a storyteller. His one man
production of “Genesis”, in which he tells the stories of the first 35 chapters of the Bible, has been
acclaimed by critics and audiences in New York, Chicago and most recently Dallas. Last week,
McLean met with the staff of Leadership Network and spoke about the power of story and the role of
the arts in ministry in the 21st century.
What about the significance of storytelling in the culture in which we are now living? I don‘t
think storytelling has changed in terms of its impact because stories are the basic medium of all moral
communication. Hollywood knows this, the TV industry knows this. The question is, “What is the
quality of the story you are telling? Does it have the force to stir the blood?” That’s why the Bible is
the only book that “glows in the dark” because it has those stories. The rest of it is technique…how to
tell a story, how to build a story, how to connect with the audience…how to feed them information at
the level at which they can receive it. I am amazed at communicators that have never quite
understood that a story is not a story until it has been received. It is in the receiving that there is a
combustion… it’s a circuit that comes back to you...and that is communication. People today are
saying, “Unless it touches me viscerally, existentially, experientially, I don’t care. It may be as true as
one plus one equals two but it is meaningless to me.” Now for good or ill, there are problems with
that, but it is reality. There is an expectation that information has to do something…you can’t just give
it to me flat…it‘s got to have color…something underneath it.
What advice would you give to people who are trying to communicate Truth in this age? It is
difficult in a single sentence, but I would say that if the story does not touch you, doesn’t get a rise out
of you, it’s not going to get a rise out of anyone else. Passion communicates. The key is that the
story resonates...and you are thinking about it after you leave...and the next day you are thinking
about it…that means it is permeating the culture.
What about the skill of “exegeting images?” There are techniques in doing that...choosing the
right words that have visual connections. I am real big on emphasizing verbs because they carry a
thought forward. Precision is very important. What kills images is imprecision…you are not clear on
the image. The Bible does that so well. The Word of God shows us the God of the Word.
McLean can be contacted through the Fellowship for the Performing Arts
at 973-984-3400 or visit their website at www.fpamax.org.

LEADERSHIP NETWORK
TEL: 1.800.765.5323 • FAX: 214.969.9392
HTTP://WWW.LEADNET.ORG
Number 103 • August 3, 1998
Practical Advice for Launching Ministry Teams
One of the significant shifts in church leadership today is decentralization and the move to ministry teams. Based on his
consultative work with “early adopter” churches that have shifted to effective team ministry, Dan Reeves (800-373-5077,
RASPCI@aol.com has this advice for churches contemplating the move.
Don’t prejudge people. The individuals we think are key leaders often do not turn out to be those we can count on.
Instead, others bubble up to the surface as teams continue to develop strategies. These emerging individuals are what we
pray and look for. Their ability and level of commitment constantly surprise us.
Realize that structural change is more challenging with each decade of development. Older congregations often
require a finely honed organizational structure formed around order and stability. Structuring teams in traditional churches
is among the most difficult of challenges. It takes extra time to turn around a church that is comfortable relying on the
pastoral staff and an established system of lay committees. It can be hard to let go of a committee or group that has been
institutionalized but has little reason to be continued.
Be careful not to isolate your teams from each other and the shared vision. Teams need to have contact with each
other to generate synergy and to share encouragement. Isolation slows momentum. Thus, bring the various teams
together to share what is going on. The success of others often encourages those who are finding it hard sledding. Plus
the shared vision can be reiterated and each person’s and team’s part can be tied to the whole.
Be prepared to make major adjustments in your pastoral style. The shift from being a directing pastor to being a
coaching pastor will need to be negotiated and reinforced along the way. It usually takes a minimum of 12 months to fully
make the transition. A common struggle for pastors in the initial shift is the tendency to keep a tighter rein than most
teams are comfortable with. There is widespread reluctance by clergy to share responsibility. The number one reason for
this is fear that the job won’t be done correctly.
Get out of the way of new leaders. Pastoral staff will need to resist micro-managing. Less supervision will be required.
Also, expect fewer standing committees once team momentum is underway. Committees no longer need to “stand” after
they have accomplished their task. Members of redundant or less productive committees can gradually join a team of their
choice. In time, a majority of teams might well be emphasizing short-term and highly focused activities.
Regularly check to see if your activities and strategies are linked to your vision. Congregational core values form
the foundation for your unique vision. They represent “our way” of doing ministry. Values should be sharpened as ministry
develops and matures over the years. They become more contagious and less negotiable. Values and vision represent
the best means for determining “fit” for both prospective church members and prospective teams.
This article was excerpted and used with permission from Ministry Advantage, Volume 8, Number 1, published by
Fuller Seminary. The entire issue is excellent and devoted to teams in local congregations. To subscribe to
Ministry Advantage, call 800-999-9578.
LEADERSHIP NETWORK
TEL: 1.800.765.5323 • FAX: 214.969.9392
HTTP://WWW.LEADNET.ORG © Leadership Network 1998
Large Churches, Consultants, and Global/Local Churches
Last Wednesday, the Editor’s Board of Leadership Network’s Interventionist Network met to discuss a
wide range of issues related to innovation, leadership and shifts in the church and culture. The
Editor’s Board includes consultants, regional denominational leaders and others who work with local
congregations across the nation. The following highlights were a part of their discussions.
Is there a future for the large church? Yes, according to trends in church membership. Large
churches are getting larger and there are more of them. The challenge for large churches is to stay
small while growing, and to provide the mechanisms and opportunities for people to connect
relationally despite size. The critical issue for many large churches is succession planning and the
need to prepare for the next senior pastor beyond the founding or long-term pastor. There is also
another wave of large churches coming. While the first wave centered on scale or growth in
numbers, this second wave will be focused on scope or the relational depth found within the
congregation.
What are the critical factors in the selection and use of an external church consultant? Trust in
the consultant’s abilities is the key factor in selecting a consultant. Other important factors include
their experience as a practitioner and the scope and depth of their exposure to a wide range of
church models and situations. The best times to use an external consultant include: (1) when the
church is at a crossroads in terms of strategic direction or major financial decision; (2) the final
months when a pastor is leaving or the first three months of a new pastorate; and (3) when the church
has experienced a significant period of growth. The single most important factor, from a consultant’s
perspective, is the church’s readiness for change or its sense of urgency for the future. Another
factor is working with the leadership team, not just the senior pastor. What a consultant cannot do is
implement change. That role belongs to the church’s leadership. A consultant can be a catalyst for
change, ask the right questions and help clarify issues, but the pastor and other leaders must be the
facilitators of the change.
Global/local churches and leaders. Leadership skill sets are shifting from training or growth skills to
reproductive or multiplication skills. Leadership is more relational and experiential than organized and
intellectual. The role of church leaders is to equip “the saints” for ministry rather than to get them to
help staff do ministry. Power is diffused rather than concentrated and the leader’s role is based on
influence rather than position. Proclamation comes from the demonstrated power of a changed life,
and the leader’s right to be heard is earned through service and the story of his or her life.

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The Class of 2002
The young people who are starting college this fall for the first time were born in 1980. An e-mail (author
unknown) has been surfacing on the Net that describes what the Class of 2002 knows and does not know
about history and popular culture. The following are excerpts.
They have few meaningful recollections of the Reagan era. They were pre-pubescent when the Persian Gulf
War was waged. Black Monday, 1987, is as significant to them as the Great Depression. There has only been
one Pope in their lifetime. They were 11 when the Soviet Union broke apart and do not remember the Cold
War. They have only known one Germany. They were six when the Challenger space shuttle exploded and
nine when the events of Tienanmen Square took place. The Vietnam War is as ancient history to them as WWI
or WWII.
Their lifetime has always included AIDS. They never had a polio shot and likely do not know what it is. Bottle
caps have not only always been screw off, but have always been plastic. Atari pre-dates them, as do vinyl
albums. The expression "you sound like a broken record" means nothing to them since they have never owned
a record player. They have likely never played Pac Man nor heard of Pong. They may have heard of an 8 track
tape, but chances are they probably have never actually seen or played one. The Compact Disc was
introduced when they were one year old. Chicago and Alabama are places, not musical groups.
They have always had an answering machine. Most have never seen a TV set with only 13 channels, nor a
black and white TV. They have always had cable and a VCR and cannot imagine life without a remote control.
They were born the year that the Walkman was introduced and roller-skating means in-line. They have never
seen Larry Bird play basketball, and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar they know is a football player.
Now that you feel appropriately old...
For a more insightful analysis of the population that is 20 and younger, read the book, Growing Up Digital: The
Rise of the Net Generation by Don Tapscott (published by McGraw-Hill, 1998) or visit the website by the same
name at www.growingupdigital.com
Tapscott advises people wanting to reach Net-Gens to remember five keys: (1) options are a must…choice is
one of their most deeply held values; (2) customize to meet their needs; (3) give them the option of changing
their mind...they are growing up in a world where fixing a mistake takes a click of the mouse and they believe
changing their minds should be equally as painless; (4) let them try before they buy...they are users and doers
and reject expert opinions in favor of forming their own; and (5) never forget that they will choose function over
form...they are not awed by new technology and care about what the technology will do, not the technology
itself.
LEADERSHIP NETWORK
TEL: 1.800.765.5323 • FAX: 214.969.9392
HTTP://WWW.LEADNET.ORG © Leadership Network 1998
Number 106 • September 14, 1998
The New Apostolic Reformation
For over 30 years, Peter Wagner has been studying and writing about the movements of God in the US and around the
world. His latest book chronicles the stories of 18 churches that are part of what he is calling the “New Apostolic
Reformation.” These churches share a common DNA of nine characteristics. The following are summaries of six of the
nine characteristics.
A new name…the name I have settled on is the New Apostolic Reformation, and individual churches being designated as
new apostolic churches. These new wineskins appear to be “at least as radical as those of the Protestant Reformation
almost 500 years ago.” The New Apostolic Reformation is an extraordinary work of God at the close of the twentieth
century that is, to a significant extent, changing the shape of Protestant Christianity around the world.
New authority structure…views of leadership and leadership authority constitute the most radical of the nine changes
from traditional Christianity. Here is the main difference: the amount of spiritual authority delegated by the Holy Spirit to
individuals. We are seeing a transition from bureaucratic authority to personal authority, from legal structure to relational
structure, from control to coordination, and from rational leadership to charismatic leadership.
New leadership training…although new apostolic pastors are fervently dedicated to leading their churches, they are
equally dedicated to releasing the people of their congregations to do the ministry of the church. Members of the paid
pastoral staff are usually homegrown. New apostolic coordination is primarily rooted in personal relationships, which verify
character, and in proven ministry skills. Continuing education for leaders more frequently takes place in conferences,
seminars and retreats rather than in classrooms of accredited institutions.
New ministry focus…traditional Christianity starts with the present situation and focuses on the past. New apostolic
Christianity starts with the present situation and focuses on the future. Many traditional churches are heritage driven; new
apostolic church leaders are vision driven.
New worship style…Contemporary worship is the one characteristic of the New Apostolic Reformation that has already
penetrated the most deeply into traditional and denominational churches across the board. Worship leaders have
replaced music directors and their goal is to help every person in the congregation become an active “participant” in
worship.
New outreach…aggressively reaching out to the lost and hurting of the community and the world is a part of the new
apostolic DNA. Planting new churches is usually an assumed part of what a local congregation does. The question is not
whether to do it, but when and how. The same applies to foreign missions.
To order the book, The New Apostolic Churches, published by Regal Press, call 1.800.446.7735. The price is $17.99.
LEADERSHIP NETWORK
TEL: 1.800.765.5323 • FAX: 214.969.9392
Number 107 • September 28, 1998
BOOKS TO COME…WHAT PEOPLE WILL BE READING IN THE FUTURE
The reading habits of people are one of the better indicators of coming shifts in the culture. Phyllis Tickle
tracks religious publishing trends for Publisher’s Weekly (www.publishersweekly.com), and shared her current
observations in a recent interview with the editors of NetFax.
What are some of the hot topics now in religious publishing? Prayer is very hot right now and will be for a
while. We are just beginning to see our first books on singles and spirituality because more and more
publishers are aware of singles saying “You go to a church and they say ‘we are a family church.’ Where does
that leave me as a single woman or single man?” So a topic like meditations for singles is a way almost to
take singles’ spirituality outside of the church by addressing questions like: “Where are the domestic rituals that
sacramentalize or sanctify a home for one?” or “What do I do for devotionals?” People with questions like
these are leaving the church and looking to the bookseller to aid them in their search for spirituality.
The steadiest burner is science and theology, which is distinguished from science and religion. Science is not
going to engage institutionalized theology, which is what we call religion, but instead theology is engaging
science as mysticism talking to mysticism…the mysticism of the heart talking to mysticism of the head… and
both of them investigating the mystery and the meaning of the mystery. It is why some are saying that the new
theologians are being trained in the physics labs of America. As more and more science begins to filter down
through the popularizers, it will come into the pew. The trend in books about this interface went under for a
while but now is coming back at a significant level.
The big sweeping generalization in religion and religion books is maturation…moving from the generic to the
specific…from “drive-by” religion to the more rooted and doctrinal…mixed with an interesting ecumenism that
says “Don’t tell me why being a Methodist is better than being a Presbyterian…I’m not going to listen to
that…but do tell me what it meant originally to be a Methodist. Don’t tell me all about spirituality, just tell me
what you mean when you say Christian spirituality…and then let me decide for myself what to believe.”
Where do you look for the hinge points? Right now, it is the natural sciences. There will be more books
about the theology of soul. The “whole mind” business will get much hotter…the nature of the mind itself. For
instance, when I pray, who is making the noise? We live in a post-Cartesian world.
What is happening generationally? The ones that fascinate me are the Mosaics...kids born since 1985.
There has been a real change in how they think, in how they organize and process information. They interact
with everything, they have an inability to read just a flat page, and their attention span is shorter. Their
hierarchy of information has been flattened.

LEADERSHIP NETWORK
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Number 108 • October 12, 1998
TWO FALSE ASSUMPTIONS
Peter Drucker has increasingly worked in recent years with the third sector, or nonprofits, including churches, and has
often remarked that the role of management is “to make the churches more churchlike, not to make churches more
businesslike.” In a significant essay published in the October 5, 1998 issue of Forbes, Drucker writes of the new
paradigms in management and the once-valid assumptions that today are “either wrong, out-of-date or both.” This NetFax
identifies two of the false assumptions. The copyrighted material is used with permission of Drucker and Forbes. To read
the full text of the essay online, visit the Forbes website at www.forbes.com/forbes/98/1005/6207014a.htm
THE ERASING OF TECHNOLOGICAL BOUNDARIES. In the 19th century and throughout the first half of the 20th, it
could be taken for granted that technologies outside one's own industry had minimal impact on that industry. Now the
assumption to start with is that the technologies likely to have the greatest impact on a company and its industry are
technologies outside of its own field. One implication of this is that non-customers are as important as customers, if not
more important, because they are potential customers. Very few institutions know anything about the non-customers---
very few of them even know that they exist, let alone know who they are. And even fewer know why they are not
customers. Yet it is with the non-customers that changes always start. All our experience tells us that the customer never
buys what the supplier sells. Value to the customer is always something fundamentally different from what is value or
quality to the supplier.
Consider the pastoral megachurches that have been growing so very fast in the U.S. since 1980 and are surely the most
important social phenomenon in American society in the last 30 years. There are now some 20,000 of them, and while
traditional denominations have steadily declined, the megachurches have exploded. They have done so because they
asked, "What is value?" to a non-churchgoer and came up with answers the older churches had neglected. They have
found that value to the consumer of church services is very different from what churches traditionally were supplying. The
greatest value to the thousands who now throng the megachurches---both weekdays and Sundays---is a spiritual
experience rather than a ritual.
BRINGING THE WORLD INTO THE ORGANIZATION. All the traditional assumptions I have examined rest on an even
bigger assumption - that the domain of management is within the company. That management's principal job is to run the
organization. That, too, is no longer true. It leads to an otherwise incomprehensible distinction between management and
entrepreneurship. It artificially divides the functions of managing and innovating. An enterprise, whether a business or any
other institution, that does not innovate and does not engage in entrepreneurship will not long survive.
What all this means for management is perfectly clear: The forces that most influence organizations come from outside
the organization, not from within. The new Catholic orders grew not because the organization required them but because
events in society required them. The Methodist movement in Protestantism exploded almost spontaneously in the late
18th century, not for reasons of theology but as a response to social depravity among the poorer classes in Britain and
the U.S. In short, these religions survived because they innovated in response to social change. Management and
entrepreneurship are only two different dimensions of the same task. An entrepreneur who doesn't learn how to manage
will not last long. Management that does not learn to innovate will not last long. Management does not need more
information about what is happening inside. It needs more information on what is happening outside.

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Number 109 • October 26, 1998
YOUNG LEADERS DISCUSS POSTMODERN TRANSITION
Two weeks ago, over 500 young leaders met near Santa Fe to discuss ministry in the postmodern
transition. They came from all areas of the country, representing a broad diversity of churches,
denominations and ministries. Some were church planters, others are engaged in starting churches
within existing churches that are reaching younger generations. Still others lead existing ministries to
younger generations. Over a four-day period in small groups, plenary sessions, worship and informal
conversations, they exchanged ideas and resources related to the opportunities of ministry in the
postmodern transition.
Convened by the Young Leader Network of Leadership Network, the national Re-Evaluation Forum
followed several regional forums and ongoing conversations by young leaders over the past year.
One of the journey session leaders was Jimmy Long of InterVarsity, who led a discussion of the need
for new wineskins in which to contextualize ministry in a postmodern world. He identified three
important shifts in perspective reflected in our transition from a modern to postmodern world: from the
autonomous self to tribalism or a new emphasis on community; from the assumed truth of the
Enlightenment to preferences; and from a belief in human progress to a recognition of human misery.
He outlined nine elements of these new wineskins. (1.) a welcoming environment because people are
looking for a place to belong; (2) a place of intimate community where people find God and each
other; (3) narrative evangelism that listens to their story and connects them with God’s story; (4) an
embodied apologetic that begins with preference, not proclamation; (5) self disclosing relationships
that allow people to unpack the pain and hurts of their lives; (6) Kingly worship centered on Christ that
begins with the heart and experience rather than rational proclamation; (7) interactive learning
because that is how younger populations have been taught to learn; (8) nurturing leadership focused
on mentoring and raising new leaders; and (9) a saving hope for the future that looks at life in the
present from a future perspective.

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"WHEN THE HORSE IS DEAD, DISMOUNT."

The terms, "paradigm" and "paradigm shift", popularized by Joel Barker through his books and video series, have become
important tools in understanding the dynamics of change and why it is so difficult for people and organizations to see the future.
The power of paradigms can be summarized in the following seven principles.
1. Paradigm shifters are usually found at the edge, not the center of the existing paradigm. This is why is it important to
listen to and evaluate, rather than ignore or dismiss, the voices on the edge. "We've tried that before and it didn't work," "We don't
do things like that around here," and "It's against policy" are all phrases commonly heard by the paradigm shifter.
2. Always begin the search for the new paradigm while the old paradigm is still successful. Don't wait until you have
plateaued and begun to decline before looking for the new paradigm. By that time, the investment of energy and resources required
to move to the new may be beyond your abilities.
3. We see best what we are supposed to see and often manipulate information to do just that. The effect of the old paradigm
blinds us to new realities and we re-shape old information in a different way rather than seeing the new.
4. Paradigms held too strongly can lead to paradigm paralysis and your paradigm become THE paradigm. This grows out of
a position of success and in times of rapid change, to have the answer is deadly.
5. It is fatal to project the future as a simple extension of the past. In this age, the future will be radically different. Long range
planning today is three years.
6. Paradigm pliancy is the best strategy in times of rapid and turbulent change. Flexibility and a willingness to abandon
outmoded methods and approaches is crucial. When the horse is dead, dismount.
7. A new paradigm means that everyone goes back to zero. You lose any leverage you had in the old paradigm. Anticipatory,
not reactive leadership is required.
KEY PARADIGM QUESTIONS FOR CHURCHES

What perceptions about the past keep us from seeing the present? What perceptions about the present keep us from seeing the
future?
Do our present paradigms allow us to fully minister to the diversity of our congregation and reach the unchurched population?
How do our theological paradigms shape our methodological paradigms?
Where is our church most vulnerable to be by-passed if the rules change and we go back to zero?
Number 110 • November 9, 1998
LEADERSHIP AND DIFFUSING INNOVATION
An important leadership skill in the 21st century is to recognize new opportunities that are often accompanied by
innovation. How the innovation is diffused within an organization or populace is a critical process to understand for
leaders implementing change. The “knowledge thought leader” on the diffusion of innovation is Everett Rogers and
his book, The Diffusion of Innovations (The Free Press), is the classic work on the subject. The following excerpts
are from a recent interview with Rogers in preparation for a special Leadership Network forum next year with him on
the diffusion of innovation in the church. For more information on the forum, call 1-800-765-5323.
What do leaders need to know about the diffusion of innovation? One thing is that everyone isn’t alike in regard
to innovation. In a broad sense one can segregate an audience into what I call adoptive categories, sets of
individuals that vary in their receptivity to new ideas, some of whom adopt first, some later, and some very reluctant,
and that by knowing the characteristics of these adoptive categories we can predict how different segments of a
public will react to the availability of an innovation. The rather amazing thing about the diffusion of innovations is the
regularities. No matter how common whatever the kind of innovation is, or whoever the adopters of the innovation
are…consumers in the U.S, churches, or some other kind of organization…there is an interesting curve, and the
characteristics of the first adopters and the later adopters and the last adopters are amazingly similar.
What are some principles that will help organizations to speed the diffusion? The number of adoptives of any
innovation increases slowly at first, and then at a certain point, the discovery we call the critical mass, the rate of
adoption greatly increases. That’s what makes the curve in the S. Once one is past this critical mass point, the
further rate of adoption will happen almost by itself given enough time. But getting to the critical mass requires
massive efforts and not much evidence of adoption in response to it. One of the strategies of diffusion and critical
mass is to launch an innovation among those that will be most receptive to it…to get a critical mass of those people.
So instead of trying to introduce an innovation to everyone at once, it’s much wiser to turn it to certain segments, get
past critical mass the needs of those segments, and then eventually the entire system.
What role do networks play in the diffusion of innovation? The way the diffusion actually happens is through
networks. They’re often invisible so we can’t see them. We may not know they exist unless we look for evidences
of them. In any event, we know that most people evaluate the value of the innovation, not through scientific
research, value, performance or the safety of the innovation, but through the experiences of other people like
themselves transmitted to them, of course, through universal methods. Much of the research and much of my own
thinking about the diffusion of innovation has concerned technological innovations. What interests me about our
meeting in Colorado Springs is that we will be dealing with innovations that are ideas and may not have any physical
product. So I’m intrigued at this challenge of applying a model to a set of innovations in the church.
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Number 111 • November 23, 1998
CHILDREN…THE CHURCH OF TOMORROW AND TODAY
Children represent not only the church of the future, but they are also an important part of the church of today.
For many parents, the front door of the church does not lead into the sanctuary, but rather into the nursery,
pre-school and children’s areas as parents are electing more and more to join a particular church based on its
ministry to their children. Kids today are overscheduled, highly stressed, and live with very real fears of
rejection and threats to their physical safety. Many are losing the innocence and joy of childhood. Relationship
is the most important word for children as well as adults. Public support and affirmation from the pulpit are
essential to the long-term effectiveness of a church's Children's Ministry.
These are but a few of the issues on the hearts and minds of Children’s Ministers from large churches across
the nation who gathered last week in Colorado Springs for Leadership Network’s Children’s Ministry Forum.
Children’s Ministry has changed in recent years. One reason is that children have changed. They are much
more “de-sensitized” by what they are reading, seeing and hearing. They are more troubled by fears of being
abandoned and rejected by parents as a result of a divorce and break-up of the family. Many are assuming
responsibilities for themselves and siblings at an early age as a result of living in a single-parent home. Their
days are highly scheduled and filled with athletics and activities of all sorts, leaving little time and developed
skills for unstructured play. Another reason is that parents have changed. Many have increased expectations
that the church will teach their children not only spiritual lessons but also life lessons. Some have an attitude of
“entitlement” that implies the church is expected to provide childcare and fail to recognize the deeper ministry
dimension of working with their children. Parents, especially younger parents, look to the Children’s Ministry for
help and guidance in acquiring parenting skills. A third reason for change is the significant increase in
administrative responsibilities in Children's Ministry as a result of new issues related to child safety and the
accompanying regulations.
Children’s Ministry in the future will include a greater emphasis on building relationships with children, team
ministry, and intergenerational ministries. Never has the need for developing relationships with children been
more important than in this age of high tech. Increasingly, Sunday morning is viewed less as a “school” format
and more as a time of shepherding and caregiving to children, less large group celebration and activities and
more time in small groups for the purpose of nurture and relationship-building. A shift to team ministries is
changing the recruitment of volunteers, as people once fearful of “teaching Sunday school” have discovered
other roles of meaningful service on the team according to their gifts. "Coach", "caregiver", "Bible leader", and
"creative leader" are all terms descriptive of the new roles. The challenge of intergenerational ministries has
implications for the future as churches seek to minister to the entire family and the wide range of generations
now found within a congregation.

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Number 112 • December 7, 1998
EFFECTIVE LEADERS AND MODELS OF THE 21ST CENTURY CHURCH
Over the past thirty years, themes and emphases in American church life have changed. In the 1970’s and 1980’s, a key
emphasis was church growth. In the 1990’s, leadership development and spiritual formation have been key topics. At the
edge of a new century, we are hearing the themes of church health and the missional church. Last month at the annual
meeting of the North American Society for Church Growth, Eddie Gibbs made an outstanding presentation that reviewed
the shifts in the context and present realities of mission and identified seven marks of a 21st century church. Due to the
space limitations of NetFax, the following are only the briefest of excerpts from his remarks. A tape of the full presentation
can be obtained by calling Audio Excellence at 727-360-6726 and ordering tape #X7-8.
The days ahead are likely to prove increasingly confusing and stressful for churches throughout North America. Some
churches will simply entrench and fire salvos over their protective ramparts. Other churches will become subverted by the
cultures they are seeking to engage. Still others, hopefully, in increasing numbers will demonstrate a true incarnational
ministry which entails becoming immersed within the culture as a challenging and transforming presence.
The emergence and proliferation of the information superhighway has changed for all time the way in which authority and
control are exercised. Social structures are rapidly shifting from centralized hierarchies to decentralized networks. The
nature of control changes with widespread communication and knowledge. Local decision-making, combined with
centralized information sharing, is the network-enabling hierarchy. The effective leaders in the churches of tomorrow will
not be power-seeking controllers, but relation-building equippers and mentors, and in that regard I think we have a lot to
learn from the post-denominational new apostolic networks. They will be people who know how to empower individuals
by developing their skills, discernment and faith-inspired accomplishments. The people they will mentor will recognize an
ongoing need for support and accountability. The most significant decisions are likely to be taken at the periphery or
rather the battlefront by those in the thick of the action rather than in some remote control center by committees. This new
emphasis is much closer to the leadership model provided by Jesus than by the model provided by many of the MBO-
trained executive types.
It is far from clear what the church in the 21st Century will look like. Given the degree of social fragmentation we witness
around us, it is unlikely that any one model will prevail. Rather, we will see emerging a variety of models. Some of them
may come as a great surprise, for they will contradict many things that we have assumed as we extrapolate our church
growth theories from just one impressive megachurch or promising new movement. Church leaders…often overlook the
need to critically evaluate the model which excited their imagination in relation to the context in which it has emerged in
comparison with their own distinctive ministry context. Church models cannot be franchised like fast food chains.
In the second half of his remarks, Gibbs identified and elaborated on the following seven primary marks of an evangelical
church in the 21st Century: (1) it lives out the transforming message of the gospel in its corporate life; (2) it empowers its
members to contexualize the message of the gospel in every segment of society; (3) it partners and networks with other
churches which share their missional vision; (4) it proclaims the gospel of Jesus Christ as the only hope for humankind
with urgency, boldness, compassion and sensitivity; (5) it worships God in Three Persons, encountering his
transcendence in immanence; (6) it develops communities of reconciliation and transformation; and (7) it trains a new
generation of leaders who can lead the church into the 21st century.

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Number 113 • December 21, 1998
A KEY QUESTION FOR LEADERS
Two weeks ago, Leadership Network hosted a “FAST CHANGE” Learning Adventure in Silicon Valley to learn from area
leaders about dealing with high-speed growth and change. Floyd Kvamme, a partner in the area’s leading venture capital
firm of Kleiner-Perkins (www.kpbc.com), spoke to the group about Silicon Valley culture, leadership, and transition in
growth. Kvamme has been instrumental in the launch of several technology and e-commerce companies including
Amazon, America Online, Sun and Netscape. The following are excerpts from his remarks. The full text and a special
report on the entire Learning Adventure will be posted on our website, www.leadnetinfo.org, by February 1,1999.
On building the initial leadership team, “The first thing, of course, is the CEO or the leader in the enterprise that we’re
backing. We ask every CEO before we back them a simple question, 'Is it more important for you to be CEO of this
company or for this company to succeed?' That’s always a tough question for a person who wants to be the long-term
leader of any enterprise. But we frankly will not enter into an investment situation with a person who answers the question
in a way that doesn’t lead to the success of the enterprise. Because at the end of the day, leadership is critically
important…to use one of my expressions, 'it gets into the wallpaper of the company.'"
On different leadership roles, “There are a couple of leadership roles that are unique in the Valley. For example, Steve
Jobs was never CEO at Apple in the early days. He never had that title, but he was what we call the 'keeper of the vision.'
And the other term that we have that I’m sure many of you have heard is “evangelist.” That’s basically a person whose job
it is to go sell the mission of that particular product. Those are unusual titles, but important.”
On the transitions required in fast-growth situations, “What are the tough transitions that companies come to? I have this
concept that I call 'the centurion.' I believe that a single individual can manage 100 people all by him- or herself. The
tough transition in companies and start-ups comes when that person is walking down the hall one day and sees
somebody with a badge on that they don’t know. That transition comes someplace between 100 and 200 people in a
company. Then they have to learn to manage through other people. And once you’ve learned how to manage through
one level of management, you can manage through ten levels of management. It’s the tough transition, particularly for an
entrepreneur because entrepreneurs sometimes have this thing where they just have their hands into everything. And it’s
a very, very tough transition. Then the other is the review process. The problem in many companies is that everybody is
rated above average…but that’s not possible. When you have a person who is not performing, what do you do? You can’t
slough off. That’s not fair to that person. Speaking the truth in love in reviews is a concept we try to live with.”
When asked what would be the first thing he would do, if he became a pastor, to position the church for the first quarter of
the next century, Kvamme replied “I would make sure folks understood that we live in a world that is not like America in
1830 when 80 percent of the folks showed up at church every Sunday morning. We live in a very diverse world and there
are going to be choices to make. I would spend a lot of time talking about the importance of choices.”

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Number 114 • January 4, 1999
WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE LIKE ME?
This issue of NetFax is the second and last report from Leadership Network’s recent “FAST CHANGE” Learning
Adventure held in Silicon Valley to learn about dealing with high-speed growth and change. A full report on the Learning
Adventure will be posted February 1 on our website at www.leadnetinfo.org.
One session was held at the Design Center at Apple Computer’s corporate campus and featured a panel that included
leaders from WebTV, Senior Net, Talk City, and Apple’s Quick Time group. In introducing the panel, Walt Wilson, a
member of the LN Board, observed that Apple represented two case studies, one of how to create an industry and grow a
company fast and the second of how not to run a business that loses its focus on mission and forgets the reason for its
existence. “Vision, leadership, focus and strategic importance are the critical items.” The focus is not technology, but the
processing of information, described as “the steel, iron and capital of the 21st century.”
Gary Lieber of WebTV (www.webtv.com) emphasized that WebTV is not a computer, but one example of an “information
appliance” designed to provide an equity of Internet access and a new way of delivering information to the 58% of
households who do not own a computer. Ann Wrixon is the executive director of Senior.Net (www.seniornet.org), a non
profit organization with a staff of 22 and 2,300 volunteers, the average age of whom is 68, that teaches older adults how
to use the Internet. “You can’t force people to do anything if they are volunteers. And you have to give them real, not
pretend, responsibility, and control over what they are doing.” Jennifer Woodul, a co-founder of Talk City
(www.talkcity.com), the largest community on the Web, outlined the basics in creating community online. “Create a
presence…find as many people as possible who will be there...people need to know they can count on a response.
Create a culture…the tone, the standards, dealing with 'ferment' can be bonding. Develop role models…find people who
personify the community you want to create…get commitment from people to welcome new visitors and recruit
others...when there is life and a response, people will make the connections.” What brings people back is dialogue and
the connections…e-mail, one-on-one, message boards. “The biggest question people ask here and on the Internet is
‘Where are the people like me?'"
One of the most often-repeated observations of participants about the Silicon Valley culture was the obvious passion for
their work and a belief that they were changing the world, expressed by all the presenters and resource persons. "Hey,
that's the church's line," remarked one participant. Brad Smith, Executive Director of Leadership Network, concluded the
Learning Adventure with a summary of the experience in which he contrasted the culture of Silicon Valley with that of the
Church. “In Silicon Valley, we have heard that the hope of the world is the human spirit through quality and innovative
products. We know the hope of the world is God’s Spirit through His work in individuals and the Church. In Silicon Valley,
we heard that one’s identity and significance are found through the impact of one’s work in technology that changes the
world. Yet we know that our identity and significance are found in being a creature of the Holy and unchanging Creator.
Here we heard that people are passionate about being involved in a cause beyond themselves. In the Church, people can
be involved in a cause that will truly change the world and impact the whole of eternity.”
Included in one participant’s (a senior pastor) 25 point “take away” list from the Learning Adventure were the following:
teach world-view/global perspective; develop a mindset where people “don’t know it can’t be done;” teach choice (or how
to choose) in sermons and other places; give volunteers real, not pretend, responsibility; bring in an “outsider” to help us
see the obvious; work on the issue of personal time depravation for staff; and develop SMART job goals (Specific,
Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Timely); continue to push ourselves to do creative outreach and evangelism.

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Number 116 • February 1, 1999
MAKING DISCIPLES WHO MAKE DISCIPLES
Bill Easum, author/consultant/president of 21st Century Strategies www.easum.com, spoke at the recent Leadership
Network Gathering of Champions, about churches that make disciples who make disciples. The following are excerpts of
his remarks.
If you have any eyes to see and ears to hear these days, you know that there is something going on around the world. If
you see a thriving church, you see a church that is making disciples rather than doing programs or making decisions.
I see four major shifts occurring that are affecting the making of disciples. The main shift is from mechanical, where
machines and gears and all the people who love boxes and lines ran our world, to a world much like a garden that
blossoms. I see a movement away from growing churches to growing people. Instead of managing, you nurture. Instead
of fixing things like a mechanic, you work like a gardener. The second shift is from volunteers to servants. All the
volunteer management systems of the past are failing. We’re moving away from programmatic understanding of ministry
to gift-based ministry.
The third shift is from volunteer coordinator to some form of facilitator of lay mobilizers. Not just bringing stuff together
and managing it, but actually helping individual people and teams blossom. It’s a movement from managing programs to
aligning oneself and organization around its DNA. It’s from church focus to person focus. The fourth shift is from
command and control to permission giving, from centralized to cellular, from top-down to bottom-up, from control to
uncontrolled. This is the hardest thing for pastors to get their head around. If you’re in control of your church, you’re
going to kill it over the next 25 years. It’s that simple. If you try to manage it, it’s over. Those days are gone.
How do these shifts work? First, they are causing the effective, healthy, thriving Church to discover its DNA. The DNA is
the mission, vision, values and beliefs of a church. When you put all of those together - the mission telling us why the
church exists, the vision telling us how that church is going to go about achieving the mission, the values giving us the
boundaries in which people are free to live out their spiritual gift without asking for permission, and then the belief system -
you have a church that doesn’t have to have meetings to vote on things, to make decisions. It can spend all of its time
churning out rosebuds that begin to blossom and create others who blossom. Second, a church develops a process that
takes this DNA and embeds it in every leader and every level of the organization. You can’t be a leader without exhibiting
this DNA. You can’t be a leader without embedding this DNA in someone else.
Third, a church focuses ministry on two things: gift-based individuals and teams, and a permission-giving atmosphere.
You need both in the world we’re going to. There are many things that teams will not do well. There are many things
individuals will not do well. We need them both. And we need both of them to be free about the gift God has given them
without having to go to a Church board, elders or an agency and say, “Can I live out the gift that God has already given
me in this Body of Christ? ” The Church, if it is led by the Holy Spirit, cannot be controlled. It must be allowed to be free.
To do these three shifts and embed the DNA in every leader in every cell requires leaders who are going to be clear about
their own DNA and the DNA of the church. If your church does not live to make disciples, it is not a church. That’s a pretty
Biblical stance. Our role is to make disciples of Jesus Christ who make disciples of Jesus Christ.
Audiotapes of the Gathering of Church Champions are available by calling Nationwide Recording Service at
(972) 484-8273. A full report on The Gathering will be posted on our website, www.churchchamp.org, by March 1.

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Number 117 • February 15, 1999
PREACHING IN TODAY’S CULTURE
Last week, the Beeson Institute for Advanced Church Leadership hosted its seventh training module on the theme of “Culture,
Worship and Preaching.” One of the presenters was author/pastor/professor/communicator Calvin Miller, and in an interview
with the editor of NetFax following his remarks, he commented on preaching in today’s culture. The following are excerpts from
the interview.
NetFax: How has preaching changed over the years...we are now in a visual age, a very different culture?
Miller: It is more about how people listen than how preachers preach. Preaching ought to be determined by how people listen
and so I talk about things like making the “communicator’s promise”…every night Peter Jennings tells me what he is going to tell
me in the next thirty minutes. Preachers need to be up front with people…why they are getting together, what the sermon is
gong to be about.
NetFax: What about the influence of the electronic culture and the power of story?
Miller: Yes, people are used to images but good storytellers pay less attention to the sound byte rules. Since we are a story
soaked culture, to preach in any other way is just not going to attract people.
NetFax: How does a preacher go about discerning the audience?

Miller: This is a day and age when you really need to think about and study to whom you are speaking. The hardest work I do is
always audience analysis…trying to look at those people and figure out who they are before I am in front of them. What do I
need to say? In my books, I call it the “speech before the speech”…when I am introducing myself, when we are making
friends…before I actually begin to speak.
NetFax: How is the skill set for communicating in today’s culture different than in the past ten or fifteen years?
Miller: I started pastoring in Omaha in 1966 and during those 26 years in the church I visually watched the culture change.
Boomers got older, Buster were raging and on the scene. I watched people’s favorite kind of music change during those years.
In 1991, everyone under 42 said rock was their favorite kind of music and that would not have been true in 1966. I watched the
entire world change in terms of what it listened to and how it listened. We are a “dumbed- down” society…American is now #14
in reading skills…and I try to remember that. Today, we are more visual. I try to understand the importance of metaphor,
language and story. Dialogue is really important now. People don’t come to church to hear a sermon—they come to react.
NetFax: What themes are particularly appropriate for today’s culture?

Miller: I believe the big themes are always theological…Dorothy Sayrers said “the doctrine is the dance" and Ian Watson said,
“the what of our preaching is more important than the how.” I believe doctrine is exciting…Jesus saves…He rose…these are
great themes and things people want to hear about. The question is how to make them attractive. There is what I call the
pyramid of priorities…truth, interest and inspiration.
NetFax: Where do you see preaching headed in the future?

Miller: Authentic preaching is going to be as it has always been, wrapped up in Jesus Christ and meeting needs. It’s how you
take all the individual “ones” that comprise 3,000 people and pull them into “one.” What do they need to hear that will change
and touch them, make them more like Christ? Very few people come to church to find out whatever really happened to the
Hittites. They are not interested in information but in relationship and having their needs met.
For audiotapes of the module on “Culture, Worship and Preaching” or more information on the Beeson Institute for Advanced
Church Leadership, call 888-523-3766. See also Calvin Miller’s book, Marketplace Preaching (Baker, 1995, 616-676-9185).
LEADERSHIP NETWORK
TEL: 1.800.765.5323 • FAX: 214.969.9392
WWW.LEADNET.ORG © Leadership Network 1999
Number 118 • March 1, 1999
THEMES OF THE EMERGING "CHURCH ON THE NEW EDGE"
Last fall, more than 500 young leaders spent four days listening, learning, dialoguing and praying about the church and
ministry in a radically changing world as part of the National Re-evaluation Forum hosted by Leadership Network. Six
themes emerged from the forum that represent a framework for discussing the church of the future, the church on the
New Edge. This issue of NetFax will highlight the themes of community, experiential and mystical. In two weeks,
NetFax 119 will highlight the themes of telling the story, leadership and the missional church.
COMMUNITY. Community is central to the 21st century church. Today, we are a culture of fractured families and changing
social structures. We are time-starved and isolated by distance, work, individualistic pursuits and even our neighborhoods.
Yet, we were created for community. Community in the church of the future is more than just making relationships or
being in a small group. It is an expression of the Gospel. It is both our hermeneutic and our apologetic. The church has
nothing to show other than the exhibit of how we live in community with Christ at the center. Community is not an extra or
bonus. It is the essence of what Christians have to offer.
EXPERIENTAL. People long to experience an intimate relationship with God. The relationship between knowledge and
experience has shifted. In the emerging culture, experience now precedes and validates knowledge. People experience
something first and their experience then creates the context for learning. This is changing the way churches do
everything from evangelism to discipleship, from leadership development to teaching and preaching. The role of the
leader in this setting is changing to that of a guide and interpreter of experience rather than simply the deliverer of
information. The unique role of the Christian leader is to do this in the context of church history and scripture. There are
at least four dimensions of the experiential nature of the emerging culture: (1) the personal nature of experience and the
ability to share in the experience of others, (2) a shift from representation to participation, (3) hands-on involvement, and
(4) multi-sensory, because the emerging culture engages all the senses and taste, touch and smell become as important
as hearing and seeing.
MYSTICAL. Why is mysticism re-emerging today? The emerging culture is less dependent upon a scientific and
rationalistic way of thinking and has moved to a time when people want to experience God for themselves. The mystical
nature of the emerging culture is leading many churches to focus in three areas: (1) an acknowledgment of people’s
spirituality...the issue facing many pastors today is how to lead already spiritual people to become followers of Christ. We
are entering an era when society as a whole is more spiritual in nature and yet less Christian. (2) an appreciation of
mystery and wonder…Christians are recovering a sense of the mystery and awe of God. (3) a return to the creative
arts…when Martin Luther nailed his theses to the door, it inadvertently inspired Reformers to correct the church’s ills by
destroying many statues and paintings and throughout the Reformation, Christian knowledge increased while interest in
the arts dwindled. By the nineteenth century, pious Christians abandoned the arts and deemed them “worldly.” The arts
and faith were torn apart. Today, leaders of churches in the emerging culture welcome the arts as part of their worship,
recognizing that creativity always points to and glorifies the Creator.
For a complete discussion of the six themes and a report on the forum, watch for a special edition of NEXT in the
mail this week. To be placed on the mailing list for NEXT, call 1.800.765.5323.
Audiotapes of the forum are available by calling 1.800.468.3316.
The full special report will be available online after March 10 at www.youngleader.org.

LEADERSHIP NETWORK
TEL: 1.800.765.5323 • FAX: 214.969.9392
WWW.LEADNET.ORG
THEMES OF THE EMERGING "CHURCH ON THE NEW EDGE" – PART TWO
The last three themes to emerge from the Young Leader Networks National Re-evaluation Forum that represent a
framework for discussing the church of the future —the church on the New Edge — were telling the story, leadership
and the missional church.
TELLING THE STORY. The beginning questions people are asking today are not what and why, but where and when.
Because there is a lack of universals in the emerging culture, there is little context or over-arching story for understanding
and dealing with the issues of life and history. The church has the story that is uniquely qualified to create an
understanding of the where and when of human history. Telling the story is best accomplished through the use of stories,
but they are not the same thing. An effective pastor today must be a teller of the story, the great Biblical, Genesis to
Revelations story. Pastor Brian McClaren made three observations about storytelling: (1) Stories invite participation…a
story almost always involves exploring life from the perspective of a person in a predicament, and that becomes a mirror
for all of us who spend the majority of our lives in one predicament or another. (2) Stories are sneaky… a story does
something that no abstract proposition can ever do. It stops you in your tracks and it makes you think. It catches your
attention and won’t let go. A story can’t be argued with or dismissed like a proposition. A story is just sneaky. It teaches
by abduction. It abducts your attention and it won’t let you go until you have done some thinking for yourself. (3) The story
is the point…C.S. Lewis understood this, which is why so many of us love him. Narnia can teach you more about hope
and heaven and Jesus than a boxed set of my best sermons.
LEADERSHIP. The emerging new culture demands a new way of leading based on being rather than doing and a new
set of leadership skills. It involves (1) being an extractor rather than the sole creator of the vision. The leader draws out
and articulates the people’s collective vision and then serves as its protector, (2) being an interpreter of experiences in
addition to imparting knowledge. The leader serves as a guide and interpreter of experience rather than only the deliverer
of information, and (3) being an apostle who leads the community to engage, embrace and transform the culture. The
leader helps the community to understand, make contact with and transform the surrounding culture. This new way of
leading requires a different set of leadership skills including listening and translating, extracting and synthesizing, and
being a teller of the story.
THE MISSIONAL CHURCH. The world is changing and the Church will need to be missional in order to be effective. In
addition to the two questions that many churches ask, “What do/should we do?” (program) and “Why do/should we do it?”
(purpose), the Church is needing to ask a question of identity—“Who are we?” The Church in America is often portrayed
by three images. In the traditional model, church is a place where religious things happen…worship, preaching,
sacraments. The pastor’s role is in the church and to represent the church. In the contemporary model, the church is a
supplier of religious goods and services, and the pastor serves the people by providing what they need. In the missional
model, the church is a body of people who are fulfilling the Kingdom mission of impacting and changing the world, and the
pastor’s role becomes that of apostle, poet and prophet.
A complete discussion of the six themes and report on the forum appears in a special edition of NEXT mailed to subscribers
last week. To be placed on the mailing list for NEXT, call 800.765.5323. Audiotapes of the forum are available by calling
800.468.3316. The full special report will be available online after March 15 at www.youngleader.org.

LEADERSHIP NETWORK
TEL: 800.765.5323 • FAX: 214.969.9392
WWW.LEADNET.ORG
Number 12 February 6, 1995
AMERICA AT MID-DECADE
No American is typical anymore. There is no average family, no ordinary worker, no everyday wage, and no middle-class as we
once knew it. The aging of the population has been going on for several decades, and births and birth rates in recent years have
been much higher than expected. Immigration has also been higher than predicted, and so is the backlash against it. Interstate
migration to the South and West are old trends. What is new is heavier out-migration from the Northeast than the Midwest and
rapid growth in the Mountain states. The recovery has altered the nation's income distribution and contributed to uncertain
spending patterns. America at mid-decade is a tale of growth in some places and decline in others, increased in some market
segments and shrinkage in others.
PEOPLE. Households are growing more slowly and getting older. A decreasing number are under age 35 and the largest segment,
35-44, is now at its peak size. The number of elderly households continues to increase, as it has for decades, yet the page of growth
will be relatively slow until 2010 when the eldest baby boomers retire. The All-American household continues to fade. Married
couples are a bare majority of U. S. households; only about one- third have any children under 18 present; and nearly one-fourth of
households are people who live alone. The long term trend of high growth in nontraditional types of households and lack of
growth among married couples can only mean further fragmentation and suggests that life stage and life-changing events such as
marriages, births, divorces, retirements, and deaths will in fact become the vital statistics behind any target marketing program.
Despite the fact that education levels in the U.S. have been rising for decades, most American adults still have not attended
college. A new segment is emerging...approximately one-fourth of adults have attended some college or have an associate or
technical degree. Jobs that require brawn keep losing ground in the 1990's while those that do not require physical strength keep
growing in number. About 262 million people live in the U.S., an increase of 13 million since 1990, primarily from an unforeseen
boom in births. The 20.4 million births between 1990 and 1994 were more than in any other five year period since the end of the
legendary baby boom (1960-1965). Two-thirds of the increase came from births and the remaining one-third was from 4.6 million
immigrants. This was the highest immigration total since the turn of the century. Asians are the fastest growing minority followed
by Hispanics and Blacks. Minorities have grown from one in five Americans in 1980 to one in four in 1995 and differences in age
structure and family status mean that the minority population is concentrated among children. In the total population, there are
now about as many children and teenagers (0-18) as there are mature adults (50 and over).
PLACES. More than one-half (54%) of U.S. residents live in the ten largest states and these states were responsible for more th an
one-half of the total population growth from 1990 to 1995. Three states, Texas, Florida and California, were the destination for
56% of all immigrants and accounted for 37% of the nation's total population growth.
The American mindset in 1995 can be summarized as stressed-out workers, parents and single adults. Economic pressures and the
demands of family life are fraying workers' nerves. Downsizings take their toll on the unemployed, but they also give the still-
employed survivors a very strong feeling of insecurity.
The above is condensed from the February, 1995 issue of American Demographics, "America at Mid-Decade" and used
with permission.
LEADING THE TEAM-BASED CHURCH
The first in a series of new books for twenty-first century church leaders co-published by Leadership Network and Jossey-Bass
is Leading the Team-Based Church, written by George Cladis, senior pastor of Noroton Presbyterian Church in Darien, CT. The
book offers a leadership model of team-based ministry and collaboration that mirrors the relationship of the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit and is appropriate to ministry in the changing postmodern culture. The following are excerpts from a recent interview
with Cladis about what he learned while writing the book. To order a copy of the book, call 800-956-7739 or contact your local
bookstore.
LN: What were the origins of the book? Cladis: As the church I was serving began to grow and our staff increased, I realized I
didn't have the tools I needed to capably lead the staff. That lead to a study of management in relation to Christian theology and
worship. I became interested in probing into the links between organizational reform and biblical and theological concepts. It
seemed to me that the Church could benefit from many of these reforms and understanding of postmodern culture as it relates
to what we believe about God, Jesus Christ and the nature of the Church.
LN: What did you learn in the process of adding staff? Cladis: As the church was growing, we added staff, but on the basis of
the skill and experience of the potential staff member matching the needs of the church. We didn't consider how we would build
the community of the staff or how the various personalities of the people we were hiring would fit with the basic orientation of the
church and its developing philosophy of ministry. While we hired people on the basis of credentials and experience, we made
assumptions that everyone was on the same track about what we were trying to accomplish as a church. So we were
essentially creating “tents of ministry” or separate ministry centers with very capable leaders, but we weren't all on the same
page trying to accomplish the same goals as the church.
LN: Were there any unexpected learnings for you in writing the book? Cladis: Yes. I thought theological conformity was the
most important characteristic in choosing staff, provided the individual was personally mature and emotionally healthy. What I
learned instead was that one's philosophy of ministry, or practical way of carrying out ministry, is really more important. You can
have theological diversity, to a degree, on a church staff and be in relative harmonious relationships if you have a matching
philosophy of ministry. But if you have theological conformity and divergent views on the philosophy of ministry, it can spell
disaster. A second unexpected learning was the strength of the value of trust. A team leader can do everything right and be
absolutely trustworthy, but if perceived as not being so, it is just as damaging as if he or she was not trustworthy and the team
will not pull together.
LN: You write that “the postmodern world wants to know the heart of leadership,” and then address issues like authenticity and
integrity. Say more about that. Cladis: People in the pew today want to know if this faith is real, and what are the implications
of following Jesus. Can the Spirit of God really change a life? Leaders today need to be able to model the values that we
preach, and also a sense of grace. The book presents a beautiful model of community, but a lot of what we model is not our
perfection to live it, which is impossible, but rather our ability to show grace to one another as we seek to live more like it.
LN: How does a church begin to make the transition from a structured institution to a covenant community based on gifts and in
partnership with one another? Cladis: The problem with that question is that it can vary so much from congregation to
congregation, but the first step is for the church leadership to build relationships of trust. Trust is the currency of change, and
without trust, you can't implement change. Once the leadership, whether that be pastor, staff or elders, has established trust
and credibility, then they can begin to lead the congregation in the process of change. To break down the hierarchy into a flatter
organization, there has to be a commitment to do so at the very top because we're talking about the sharing of power or, in the
words of James Collins, “the sharing of responsibility and authority.” People at the very top have to be willing to make critical
changes in the way they lead and their style of leadership has to enable others. The leadership has to begin to give away
authority and trust teams that they create and train to actually do ministry. That's really what the last chapter in the book is all
about, developing teams.
LEADERSHIP NETWORK
TEL: 800.765.5323 • FAX: 214.969.9392
WWW.LEADNET.ORG © Leadership Network 1999
Number 121 • April 12, 1999
IT’S NOT A PROGRAM OR A TOOL. IT’S ABOUT PEOPLE.
A new intentionality of mobilizing the people of God to do the work of the church is a hallmark of effective churches in the
21st Century. Equipping and deploying people for service and ministry is a significant movement of God and part of a
larger shift in the role of church leadership from doing to equipping. It is not a program nor is it “church work.” It is not
about “filling slots” or assessment tools. It is about people. It is about discovering…their gifts, talents, passions, stories
and needs. And then equipping them and releasing them to be the Body of Christ in their communities and the world.
Last week, leaders of lay mobilization from throughout the country and a wide variety of churches met for three days as
part of a Leadership Network forum to discuss critical issues and exchange ideas and resources. The following are some
of their key learnings.
Participants at the forum identified several essential elements of lay mobilization. It must be integrated as a part of the
core values of a church in both word and deed. Often this requires changing the church’s culture. There must be a buy-in
to equipping people for ministry on the part of the senior pastor, staff, the governing body, and other key leadership of the
church. There must be a point person or a designated leader who is responsible for the process.
The senior pastor is critical to the success of the initiative. The senior pastor has to cast the vision for equipping and
deploying people through preaching and teaching, but more importantly, they must model it in their own ministry. They
must also champion and empower the point person.
It takes time to lay the proper foundation for mobilizing God’s people. “So often, we want a quick fix to equipping
and releasing people, but it won’t happen overnight,” observed one leader. “This is not a program but a foundation and
value that undergirds every ministry in the life of our church and it just takes time. It’s also ‘messy’ because we are
working with people and dealing with the creative tension between the reality of where we are today and where we want
to be in the future.”
There was a wide range of responses when asked “What difference has a system of equipping and deploying people
made in the life of your church?” “It has resulted in our people talking much more openly and directly about their
relationship with Christ.” “We have new ministries developing far beyond what we could have imagined.” “Our staff is
growing and developing in new ways.” “Because it has broadened our leadership base by pulling people in from the
sidelines who were previously not involved, we have avoided leadership burnout.” “It has allowed us to take ministry out of
the offices and beyond the walls of the church.” “By giving people the freedom to say ‘no’ to responsibilities that do not fit
their gifts, they feel more valued because we care enough to try and match who they are to the opportunities for service.”
“Helping people discover their gifts and passion has made the difference between an attitude of ‘working in the church’
and joyful service in ministry.” “People beyond our church are being impacted as they see positive changes in the lives of
their friends and neighbors.”
*************************
Join hundreds of church leadership teams from across the nation for “New Church-New Century” in San Antonio, TX
September 26-29, 1999. Sponsored by Leadership Training Network, it will be a time of learning, networking and
celebrating God’s movement of mobilizing His people. In addition to workshops led by practitioners from a wide
variety of churches and models, plenary sessions will include speaker/authors Ken Blanchard and Millard Fuller;
senior pastors Mike Slaughter, Wayne Cordeiro, and Kirbyjon Caldwell; and writer/artist/speaker Joni Eareckson Tada.
Call LTN at 877-LTN-LEAD to register or for more information.
LEADERSHIP NETWORK
TEL: 800.765.5323 • FAX: 214.969.9392 © Leadership Network 1999
WWW.LEADNET.ORG
Number 122 • April 26, 1999
THE THREE L’S…LEADERSHIP, LEARNING AND LISTENING
Effective ministry in the next century will take new forms and require a new skill set built in part around the
three L’s of Leadership, Learning and Listening.
The first L is Leadership. The context of leadership has changed because the culture has changed. The
nature and shape of organizations have changed. Hierarchical, mechanical and institutional structures are
being replaced by de-centralized, more organic and fluid ways of organizing to accomplish mission. The role
of the leader is changing. Gone are the days when leadership was identified with command and control and
being “in charge.” The emerging role of future leaders has at least five dimensions: (1) to articulate and
communicate the mission, vision and values of the church; (2) to align the structure, staff and systems with the
church’s mission; (3) to implement appropriate mechanisms to accomplish the mission; (4) to identify and
develop leaders at all levels; and (5) to lead change and transition.
The “how” of leadership in the future is based on being rather than doing. It means leading by the vision and
values of the organization rather than by mere virtue of hierarchical position. It requires the leader to be
authentic in relationships and communications. It is centered in the leaders self-understanding of their personal
wiring, gifts and passion. Leadership is exercised in the context of a leadership team. Individual roles are
determined by personal calling and the gifts of others on the team.
In his recent book, Revolution in Leadership, Reggie McNeal identified several elements of a new skill set for
21st century leadership which can be grouped into three general categories. Developing the Self includes self-
understanding, interpersonal skills, intuition and communication skills. Developing Others includes team
building, mentoring/coaching and networking. Developing the Organization includes systems-thinking, vision
casting, shaping the corporate culture and leading change and transition.
The second L is Learning. 21st Century leaders are life-long learners and they learn from a variety of sources
including outside the world of the church. They learn best through their networks and in the context of a
learning community with peers and others. They have developed the 21st Century skill of unlearning in order to
learn. Additionally, they participate in learning adventures; either those that they create or ones offered by
their networks and other learning organizations.
The third L is Listening. 21st Century leaders understand the increasing importance of listening in a culture
that is in perpetual information overload. They work at developing the skill of “active listening” in conversation.
They also understand the importance of listening in order to help others discover and begin to use their gifts
and passion in ministry. Finally, they recognize that an essential skill of an effective leader is the ability to help
others interpret their own experiences and stories within the context of the overarching story of God’s
redemptive history. They are able to tell the story because they listen and are then able to make the
connection between God’s story and the stories of others.
LEADERSHIP NETWORK
WWW.LEADNET.ORG
Number 123 • May 10, 1999
RELIGIOUS BUILDING BOOM UNDERWAY

A boom in religious construction is underway across the country. Last year, $6.4 billion was spent on new religious
construction including churches, synagogues, mosques, other religious buildings and additions to existing structures.
According to the Census Bureau, this represents a 64% increase between 1994 and 1998. Early indications reveal the
boom is continuing in 1999. Two key factors in the boom include the growth and expansion of existing churches over the
past decade, especially in the southern, midwest and west coast regions; and a renewed interest in church planting and
the resulting construction of new church buildings. A third factor is the increasing religious plurality of the nation as more
and more “non-traditional” religious groups seek to secure their own worship, teaching and community facilities.
Sunset Presbyterian Church, a 3,000 member congregation in Portland, OR is typical of many churches who outgrew their
facilities and relocated to a new site. After three years of planning, design and construction, they moved into a new $16
million facility that includes educational space, offices and a multi-purpose building that serves as an interim sanctuary.
Future plans include a permanent sanctuary, chapel and additional educational space. Recently, NetFax interviewed
Bruce Feil, the church’s construction manager, to discover key learnings in the design and construction process. The
following are excerpts from the interview. The full text of the interview will be posted on the web at www.leadnetinfo.org on
May 24, 1999. For more information, contact Bruce Feil at sunset@teleport.com or call 503-292-9293.
Q: What was the most important phase of the project? A: The programming phase…figuring out what the people
wanted and at the same time, setting a level of expectation of what we needed in order to do ministry now and grow
ministry for the future. Without this phase of the project, we could have had a beautiful building but it would not have been
functional for what we needed. Our architect got involved in our congregation as an observer for probably four months in
which he basically observed the functioning of our church; the people flow of coming and going, what kind of meetings we
had; who attended meetings and what rooms they met in. At the same time, our building committee met with
everybody…people who had ADA concerns, the seniors, all the different age groups, the youth groups, kitchen
committee, every kind of small group in our body. We asked, “What do you want in this new facility that you don't have in
our current facility? What can be improved upon that you currently have?”
Q: What were the surprises in the process? A: The real surprise was how long it took for our documents to be
reviewed by the county. It was much longer than expected, almost eight months. We also had a 12 percent increase in
construction cost and we had estimated for much less. We did some value engineering and deleted several things but
some things were non-negotiables. For example, we could have saved $110,000 if we didn’t do acoustical treatment.
That was a non-negotiable because we had such horrendous acoustics in the last facility and we said we’re not going to
do that to our people again. The spoken message was too important to negotiate out of the contract.
Q: How did you plan for future expansion? A: We built in the infrastructure so when we do expand, we can knock out
walls and add new fixtures without having to re-plumb the whole building. We didn't want to have to redo all the plumbing
and electrical systems so we put in oversized pipes and underground utility work in this initial phase.
Q: What did you learn about acoustical systems and multi-media placement? A: You can't have too much. We pre-
wired our whole building for CAD-5 multimedia digital application, although we probably won't do it for a couple of years,
but the infrastructure is there to do it. We wanted to design a facility that would be so flexible so that no matter what
ministry takes place, we will be able to do it. The message is going to remain the same but the method is always going to
be different. What you have to plan for is how do you change the method of delivering the message.
LEADERSHIP NETWORK
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Building Catalytic Mechanisms

Last Wednesday at a Leadership Network forum for senior pastors, management
professor/consultant/author James Collins spoke to the group about the leader’s role in building what he
calls “catalytic mechanisms.” Collins, co-author of the award winning book Built to Last, defines catalytic
mechanisms as the practices that bring what you stand for to life and stimulate change. They force things
to happen that reinforce your company’s core purpose, converting it into action. They help to achieve
alignment between one’s core purpose, core values, strategies and operating practices. On a large scale,
the United States Constitution can be viewed as a mechanism that translated the ideas and values of the
Declaration of Independence into action.
Distinguishing between that which should never be changed in a company or organization and that which
should be open to change is a key characteristic of great company according to the research findings of
Built to Last. “The thing that really separated the great and the good was the great companies understood
the difference between what should not be open to change and what should be changed.” The core
values and purposes of the organization are to be preserved. What has to change are the cultural and
operating practices and special goals and strategies. This is where mechanisms are most useful.
Collins identified five characteristics of catalytic mechanisms: (1) they produce the desired end results but
often in highly unpredictable ways; (2) they distribute power away from the traditional power centers and
into the system; (3) they have teeth-- “big, sharp incisors;”-- there are consequences to them; (4) they
help to accelerate the ejection of “viruses” or people who do not share the core purpose and values of the
organization; and (5) they have an ongoing effect.
Collins made three final observations about catalytic mechanisms that promote purpose. Remember that
it is not always about adding mechanisms. Sometimes, one of the most powerful things to do is to take
away a mechanism that is preventing alignment. In addition, one needs to create one’s own mechanisms
rather than importing them from somewhere else. They should be uniquely designed to your situation.
Finally, realize that mechanisms change and evolve over time.
********
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Some key questions for 21 Century church leaders in applying the concept of catalytic mechanisms
include the following. What are the catalytic mechanisms now in place in your organization that are
helping achieve alignment between your core purpose and values and operating practices? Are there
mechanisms in place that are hindering, rather than helping, and should they be removed? And finally,
what were some of the catalytic mechanisms used by Christ in his ministry?
********
For more information on mechanisms, read the interview with James Collins in the October, 1997,
issue of Inc. magazine. Also useful is the book Built to Last by James Collins and Jerry Porras
(HarperBusiness, 1994).
NetFax is available on a subscription basis for $48/yr (Canada - $58 U.S.) which includes
a free subscription to the monthly publication, ACCESS. To subscribe or for more information, call 888-LEADNET.
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The Diffusion of Innovation and Effective Churches

Why do some innovations succeed and others fail? Is there a recognizable pattern as to how an innovation is
dispersed in a system or organization? What are the communication patterns associated with the adoption of an
st
innovation? What are the implications of understanding the diffusion of innovation for effective churches in the 21
Century? These and other questions were addressed by church leaders who participated in a special Leadership
Network forum on the Diffusion of Innovation held May 17-18, 1999 in Colorado Springs. Everett Rogers,
recognized world wide for his work on the diffusion of innovation and development of the innovation curve, was the
principle resource for the forum. For further reading on this topic, see his book, The Diffusion of Innovations,
published by The Free Press.
Because diffusion is “a process by which an innovation is communicated among the members of a social system,”
identifying and understanding the communication networks among a set of individuals is crucial. Two types of
personal communication networks are radial and interlocking. In radial networks, the individual is connected to
others who share different attributes; while in interlocking networks, people are connected to others who share
similar attributes to themselves. Radial networks are more open and information seeking and best used by people
who are change agents. Interlocking networks are best used for social support and consensus and are generally
not a source of innovation. One participant noted that “churches effectively diffusing innovation will need to balance
and nurture both types of networks. Either one or the other will not be enough. This can also be translated to
ministries that foster both types of networks.”
Perceptions concerning an innovation are crucial to the diffusion process. Five characteristics that influence the
adoption or rejection of an innovation include its (1) relative advantage, the degree to which it is perceived as being
better than the idea it supercedes; (2) compatibility, or the perception that it is consistent with existing values, past
experiences and the needs of potential adopters, “being able to connect it to a previous tradition or way of doing
things is important and provides an anchor to people’s meanings”; (3) complexity, or the degree to which it is
perceived as difficult to understand and use; (4) triability, or the degree to which it may be experimented with on a
limited basis, “think of the trial as a way to gradually internalize the innovation”; and (5) observability, which is the
degree to which the results of an innovation are visible to others. Church leaders seeking to diffuse a particular
innovation within a congregation would be wise to evaluate it using these five characteristics. “Perceived reality is
the basis for much of the innovation and diffusion scale. There are few firm, objective measurements. Therefore,
spiritual and skill-based insight confirmed in a faith community is probably the basis for future evaluation of what is
innovative and effective,” observed on of the participants.
Another important learning from the forum was the length of time it takes for an innovation to reach critical mass, the
point at which enough individuals have adopted it so that its further rate of adoption is self-sustaining. Several
participants noted that “reaching critical mass will usually take longer than most congregations are willing to commit.
Resistance may be strongest right before critical mass is achieved.” “Innovation, to be diffused, takes time and
resources; are we committed to do this?” Also, “the wise investment of resources requires an emphasis on the
journey to achieve critical mass. After that; less time, energy and money should be invested.” Finally, “innovators
need to think through the ramifications of arriving at critical mass, making sure the church or organization is able to
sustain the inevitable changes, some which may be unanticipated, that will result from the innovation.”
NetFax is available on a subscription basis for $48/yr (Canada - $58 U.S.) which includes a free subscription to the monthly
publication, ACCESS. To subscribe or for more information, call 888-LEADNET.
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UNDERSTANDING DISNEY’S MAGIC

The Walt Disney Company name is synonymous with creativity and innovation. For over sixty years, Disney has been a pioneer
in the crafting and production of movies, is the acknowledged founder of the “entertainment” industry and has become an
th
influential force in the shaping of American culture in the last half of the 20 Century. Through the Disney Institute, they offer
organizations an opportunity to learn some of the principles and processes related to creating an environment that fosters
st
creativity and innovation. Two weeks ago, a group of 21 Century church leaders participated in a special Leadership Network
Learning Adventure and attended the Disney Institute followed by a time of shared learning and discussion related to creativity
and innovation in congregations. Using Disney’s definitions of creativity (the production of new and useful ideas in any domain)
and innovation (the implementation of creative ideas), some key learnings from the Learning Adventure include the following.
Disney uses a four-step model for managing creativity and innovation which starts by defining a culture beginning with the
understanding of two basic beliefs: everyone is creative and you can organize to maximize creative potential. The second step is
alignment to help focus creative ideas using three questions “Who are you?” “What do you do?” and “Where are you going?” in
the context of the “service theme” or mission. Disney’s service theme, for example, is to “create happiness.” The third step is
designing the right processes to move creative ideas toward implementation. The last step is refinement of the product or
service which includes listening and learning from the cast and guests; measuring and re-measuring; recognizing and
celebrating accomplishments of teams and individuals; and sharing ideas and best practices throughout the company.
Key learnings identified by the participants include: The importance of boundaries…creativity does not flourish in a “no holds
barred” environment but operates best within given limits or boundaries. Animators use “construction lines” to help channel their
creative ideas into tangible drawings. Cast members (employees) are given a wide latitude of responsibility within a given
framework or script that provides creative freedom. Everyone knows the story…the Disney culture is transmitted and
reinforced by the shared stories that illustrate their values of innovation, creativity and commitment to quality. Every employee,
from top to bottom, knows the stories and shares them with others while helping to create new stories. Focus on the little
things…real breakthroughs come in the thousands of little things as well as the “one big idea.” The importance of
language…cultures are shaped and new ideas are introduced by the creative use of language. For example, Disney employees
are “cast members” and visitors to Disney are “guests.” From observer to participant…Disney understands that people have
shifted from being observers to participants and their attractions and shows are increasingly interactive and create experiences
that involve all of one’s senses and emotions. Employees are cast for a role; not hired for a job….employees at Disney are
selected on the basis of fit to the role they are being asked to play. Attitude is especially important. One pastor, a former Disney
employee, observed that he uses the CASH method in hiring staff influenced by what he learned as a Disney employee. “C is for
character since the church is a character- based organization. A is for attitude. S is for skills. People can acquire skills but the
right attitude is hard to find. And H is for habits, primarily any negative habits that need to be addressed.” Everyone is
responsible for the results of the whole…Disney is a team culture and every employee understands the importance of their
contribution to the total Disney “experience.” Visitors will go away but guests will come back…70% of the people at Disney
World are repeat customers. Disney understands how to make people feel welcome and to provide such a positive overall
experience that they want to come back again and again.
Key questions which may be useful in evaluating creativity and innovation in your congregation or organization are: Where are
the most creative pockets in your church and how can you tap into them?” “How do you personally model creativity for others?”
“What needs to be changed structurally to involve more people in the creative process?” “In the past five years, what creative
ideas have you had that are now aligned and which ones did you eventually have to reject?” “Where are the pockets of
‘runaway creativity’ that need more focus in order to be aligned?”
NetFax is available on a subscription basis for $48/yr (Canada - $58 U.S.) which includes a free subscription
to the monthly publication, ACCESS. To subscribe or for more information, call 888-LEADNET.
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ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING VENTURES

The convergence of three shifts in culture has combined to provide a new opportunity for effective
organizational and staff development in the 21st century. Over the past three decades, the US culture has
moved from one of observation to participation, from involvement to experience. A second shift is from training
to learning, from a one-time transfer of information based on a classroom model to a life long process of
discovery and learning that is interactive and involves a variety of venues and models. A final shift is from
individual learning to collaborative learning or shared learning in the context of a team.
As a result of these shifts, learning adventures are becoming an important approach to ensure the continuing
development of people within an organization and an effective tool for team building. Learning adventures
introduce new mental maps and paradigms of the way we seek to accomplish our mission, do ministry, and
organize our work.
Learning adventures can be scheduled on an annual basis, perhaps in conjunction with a staff retreat, or could
be done quarterly, depending on the needs of your congregation or organization. Also be open to learning
adventure opportunities that arise spontaneously. Typically, a learning adventure can take from a half day to a
full day, and in some cases, multiple days depending on the specifics of the event. Often, they can be done
locally without requiring extensive travel. Examples of venues that focus on teams, collaboration and customer
service might include newspapers, restaurants, museums, athletic teams, hospitals, grocery stores,
educational institutions, local conventions, trade shows, community non-profit organizations and a wide variety
of corporate and other business settings. Access to venues can often be obtained through existing
relationships in your networks or people within your congregation.
Over the past three years, Leadership Network has organized a number of learning adventures for 21st century
church leaders in addition to internal learning adventures for our staff. Some of the key lessons we have
learned include the following: (1) designate a point person to handle the logistics and arrangements; (2)
establish a learning goal or objective to create a framework for the adventure; (3) involve as many team
members as possible or appropriate for the event; (4) engage all the senses in the adventure…what you see,
hear, smell, taste and touch are all important; (5) de-brief the experience (as quickly as possible), preferably on
site or in an adjacent location; (6) establish mechanisms to capture new insights, share the learnings with
others and make the appropriate applications to your role or organization; and (7) find or create memorabilia
related to learning event…a T-shirt, button, poster, card, photos, etc. that can serve as a reminder and
meaning connector to the event.
*******
For insights on Leadership Network’s Disney Learning Adventure and specific applications to churches, see
Bill Easum’s remarks on our website at www.leadnetinfo.org. For further reading on the growing importance of
experience, read The Experience Economy by Joseph Pine and James Gilmore (Harvard Business School,
1999) or visit their website at www.customization.com.
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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ABOUT CHURCH CONSULTANTS

Leading churches and religious organizations has never been more challenging. The use of consultants by churches
and denominations is on the rise as the challenges of cultural shifts, structural and organizational change, strategic
direction and alignment to mission have combined to increase the complexity of leadership. NetFax recently posed a
series of questions on the use of consultants by churches and denominations to three widely experienced national
church consultants: Bill Easum (easum@easum.com), Dan Reiland (danr@injoy.com) and George Bullard
(bullard.journal@compuserve.com).
Are there some general reasons for using consultants? Most consulting will fall into one of four categories: (1)
to facilitate a particular process such as strategic planning or capital campaign; (2) to address an issue such as
relocation or staffing; (3) to address a specific problem such as conflict resolution; and (4) increasingly, to serve a
coach to the senior pastor or leadership team.
When does a church need a consultant? Consulting is most helpful at “hinge points” or critical passages in a
church’s history. Some hinge points include the initial six months of a pastor’s tenure, when the church has
experienced a substantial period of growth, prior to a building project, times of major crisis and the concluding
months of a long-tenured pastorate. “The best consulting is done when a church is doing well, not when it is in
trouble, although we usually get a call when it is the opposite,” said one consultant. Another factor is when a church
“wants to be stretched beyond an incremental or discontinuous range into the realm of true transformation.”
What qualities should a church look for in selecting a consultant? Important qualities include experience with a
variety of churches and denominations; a proven track record of leadership. A good consultant has authentic skills,
is a practitioner, not a theorist. Churches need a person with whom they can establish a high trust level and who is
comfortable working with their type and size of church. The consultant should have the ability to focus on solutions
not quick fixes. The ability to integrate thought, process, relationships and interpret circumstances, not only in terms
of what is needed but what the congregation is actually able to do is also very important. Finally, the consultant
should be someone who can empower the church and its leadership through the process, rather the remake it in
thee image of the consultant.
What does a consultant look for in a church before agreeing to work with them? All three consultants agreed
there were three common factors critical to a positive consulting relationship. First, the “readiness” of the
church…it’s openness and willingness to implement what is needed and change. Second, the responsiveness of
the church to do the necessary preparation work in advance of the consultation. Finally, the ability of the senior
pastor and other leaders to clearly articulate their need for and expectations of the consultation. Without this, “the
process is dead from the start,” said one consultant.
What else should a church know about a consultant that would make the consulting relationship more
effective? “Every consultant has biases and it helps in determining a match between the church and consultant if
the biases are known.” “The best consultants will draw out of the people a consensus of God’s movement through a
process that focuses on the congregation as an organism and therefore, most of the data gathering is soft data. The
consultant will focus on assessment and then learning and coaching.” “We genuinely want to make a difference in
the life of the congregation.”
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Strong Ties, Weak Ties and Social Networks

It has been said that “the most important single word in the any language is relationship” and relationships are
established and nurtured as a result of connections between people. One of the important theories of social
networks, pioneered by sociologist Samuel Lenhardt, has to do with strong ties and weak ties and provides a
window of understanding into why a majority of people today admit to feeling disconnected and in search of
meaningful relationships.
Relationships are defined in part by the frequency of interaction. Strong ties are frequent and developed over
a long period of interaction. Weak ties are infrequent and exercised on an as-needed, rather than regular or
ongoing basis. Strong ties are intimate; a person has a depth of knowledge about the other party and there is
an emotional involvement between the two. Weak ties are controlled according to the situation and are
emotionally neutral. Strong ties are broad in the sense that the parties may eat, play, work, and socialize
together. Weak ties are narrow and more restricted to the purpose, task, project or need of the moment.
Strong ties have stability in that there is little movement that affects the relationship. Weak ties are more
mobile and frequently stretched from coast to coast. Often, they are unable to survive the moves and
dislocation of contemporary life. Strong ties bring with them a sense of connectedness and belonging,
whereas weak ties engender a sense of loneliness and lack of emotional support.
Communities, families, personal networks, effective teams and small groups consist of strong ties. When
carried to excess, however, strong ties can become exclusionary and entry into the social unit for a new person
is difficult or even blocked because their ties to others are weak or non-existent.
Weak ties have become more dominant than strong ties in our culture over the past forty years as we have
become a disconnected people in search of identity and connections. Weak ties are superficial and can be
easily manipulated by playing a role needed for the moment or the situation and then resuming one’s normal
role. Weak ties are fed through electronic communications such as faxes, telephones, e-mail and the Internet.
Finally, the greater the number of weak ties in a group, the more difficult it is to reach consensus and take the
appropriate action.
This social network theory is also linked to the mass communication theory which states that even though a
message can be communicated to everyone, it is rarely received and acted upon unless there are strong
personal ties. This confirms the importance of establishing personal relationships for any venture to be
successful. It also helps to explain why the communication of the Gospel and the disciple-making process are
most effective when built around strong ties and personal relationships.
As a 21st century leader, can you identify and minimize the impact of weak ties in your
congregational/organizational systems? Can you recognize and exploit the strong ties?
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WHAT EXACTLY IS LAY MOBILIZATION?

The 21st Century Church will be a lay driven church as more and more lay persons seek to exercise their calling and gifts in
ministry and mission both inside and outside the church walls. But what exactly is lay mobilization?
At one level, lay mobilization is most often perceived as matching people's gifts with service opportunities in the various church
programs. Others have expanded this to include volunteer service in the community. Yet, ultimately the church is not about
mobilizing lay people for volunteer service. The church has a wider role to mobilize people to perceive daily life as ministry. Lay
mobilization helps people understand they have a calling and gifts to be used in every dimension of life...their profession or
occupation, in their neighborhood, and in their family as well as their volunteer service. The church is to prepare people for a
"whole life" of ministry, and not just church or community service. Mobilizing must start with helping a person understand their
gifts and calling, then help them see how that knowledge makes a difference in their daily life.
Why is this so important? Most people spend more time in the marketplace than they do in service for the church. If the church
defines lay mobilization as only church program related, the end result is that lay people feel what they do in 80% of their life is
"unspiritual". Because of this, many lay people may approach volunteer service as a way to compensate for the guilt of spending so
many hours spent in "unspiritual" tasks. Ultimately these type of volunteers are candidates for burn-out, periods of drivenness
followed by apathy, and turf protection as they demand significant roles to alleviate their guilt. Ultimately the church has not
really equipped them to serve out their calling.
In addressing this issue, many churches make two common mistakes:

(1) They implement what is easiest and lose track of the ultimate goal. Some churches create a volunteer management system with
excellent administrative systems, job descriptions, and clear tracks for going through the program. It is easier to be well-organized
when the scope of the program is limited to church programs. Yet, if it stops here, as the church gets more sophisticated in
volunteer recruitment, the lay person becomes more sophisticated at saying "no." The mistake is that they laid a great foundation,
but lost sight of the original goal and church members perceive that the church program is more important than their own calling.
(2) They get the ultimate goal right, but are weak in implementation. Some churches clearly understand and articulate "whole life"
lay ministry. Yet, the task of actually developing a program to carry this out is so huge that they end up with excellent teaching
and gift assessment programs, but have a poor track record of moving beyond teaching to implementation. The path may require
the church to first concentrate on recruiting for church programs well, then increasing the scope to community service. Then, after
a few more years, the foundation is laid to move into lay mobilization in the marketplace, the home, and community.
Leadership Network will offer five one-day Forums in 1995 to address these and other issues of lay mobilization: March 24,
Seattle; March 31, Orlando; May 8, Atlanta; September 8, Chicago; and October 23, Washington, D.C. Registration is $35 and
includes lunch and a copy of The Starter Kit for Lay Mobilization
To register or for more information, call 1-800-765-5323 and speak to Katrina Gault.
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STAFFING FOR THE 21st CENTURY

One of the most significant changes in congregations has been the emergence of a wide variety of new
ministries and accompanying leadership positions on a church staff. A brief historical review of the past four
decades reveals some of these shifts in ministries and staffing as congregations have responded to needs and
opportunities arising from changes in demography and the culture. 1960’s… music, christian education,
activities, pastoral care, youth. 1970’s…singles, college/career, small groups, counseling, media, recreation,
evangelism, discipleship, day care, assimilation, christian social ministries, young adults, business
administrators. 1980’s…worship leader, missions, senior adults, executive pastors, women’s ministries,
children’s ministries, teaching pastors, communications, volunteers, middle school, bookstore manager, pre-
school ministries, conference manager, drama. 1990’s…prayer, family ministries, leadership development,
technology, spiritual formation, customer service, men’s ministries, fine and/or performing arts, equipping
pastor, Gen X pastor, early childhood, team ministry leader, management information systems director, lay
ministries or lay mobilization, congregational health, finance, community ministries, life development pastor.
Four key staff questions. The following questions can be useful to church leaders in thinking about the re-
alignment of ministries and staff positions for the future.
Does this position need re-training? For example, many congregations presently have a senior adult minister
yet because of the aging of the Boomer generation, this ministry area will experience significant changes in the
future. What changes will be needed to re-train this position to minister appropriately to the emerging senior
adult population?
Does this position need re-defining? For example, the Minister of Education position is being re-defined by
churches that have recognized the shift from education to learning and the increasing emphasis on leadership
development. The new position is the Minister of Learning or Leadership Development or a combination.
Does this position need to be released? Has it outlived its purpose? Can the ministry needs of this position be
better served by another position?
Does a position need to be created and recruited? As the complexity of ministry increases and the
demography, culture, and local context of ministry change, what new positions need to be added in order to
move to the future? Increasingly, congregations are adding a Director of Lay Ministries or Pastor of Equipping
People to enlist, equip and deploy the laity in ministry and service. Another emerging position is some form of
of “Broker” as more and more congregations engage in new alliances, partnerships and other forms of
collaboration to accomplish their purpose.
*************************
NetFax is interested in knowing what innovative ministry positions have been added to your
congregational staff. Please e-mail info@leadnet.org or fax 214-969-9392 a brief description of any
new staff positions you have created in the past three years.
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“15-15…Then, Now and In the Future”

The Editor’s Board is an advisory group of Church Champions, a network that focuses on the practical application of
learnings at the local church level through consultants, regional denominational leaders and teaching churches
(www.churchchamp.org). Last week the Editor’s Board met to discuss a wide range of issues related to congregations,
leadership, the culture and the future. One of the exercises the group went through was “15-15” to identify key issues and
ask three questions, “What is different now than it was 15 years ago?” “How is it now?” and “How will it be different 15
years from now?” This is a good exercise for staff, governing boards, strategic planning and other key leadership groups.
The following are nine of the issues discussed by the Editor’s Board.
Topic Then- 15 Years Ago Now Future-15 Years Out

The Leader The single leader The leadership team Developing a community of leaders
Pastor/Leader role Primarily preaching Leadership development and Building the leadership team and
mobilizing the laity distributing leadership throughout
the organization
Teaching Churches Few in number and general in Several throughout the country Many others in the future who will
teaching both independent and be more specialized in their
denominationally affiliated expertise and teaching
Information Desire for more of information and It is “pulled” by the leader and Even more “pulled”, filtered and
it was “pushed” to the leader customized to their needs or customized to specific needs
interests “This is exactly what I want”
Outside Advice There was reluctance to ask for Leaders and churches are more Essential and will be customized for
outside counsel and it was open to outside counsel and it is specific needs
somewhat generalized specialized
Models of Ministry and Practice Single models Multiple models Increasing number of models and
an interest in matching models to
specific situations
External Consultants “Defined experts” and usually Specialized experts and more More interpretation, facilitating,
involved an intervention coaching and knowledge brokering mentoring and
experience brokering
Failures Hidden and not discussed An openness to discussing and More embracing and learning
learning from them from them
Chief Resources Money Time Knowledge, wisdom and
collaborative learning
Phyllis Tickle of Publishers Weekly was a guest participant and outlined the current trends in religion publishing. “The
biggest news is in religion fiction and the absolute hottest are the evangelical Christian books. What has changed is that
evangelical publishing is no longer dependent on the Christian bookstore for the bulk of its sales. Last year, Zondervan’s
biggest customers were Wal-Mart, K-Mart and Target. For the first time ever, Publishers Weekly had four books of this
genre on our best seller list, fueled by the “Left Behind” series, clear evidence that the general public wants these type of
books.” In religion non-fiction, five areas are especially strong: (1) science and religion; (2) the nature of the self; (3)
ethics (note: the current Life@Work journal is an outstanding issue devoted to ethics, to subscribe, call 1-877-543-9675);
(4) Jesus studies; and (5) grief and loss.
For more information on Church Champions, consultants and catalysts to congregations,
call Leadership Network Customer Service at 800-765-5323.
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Number 132 * September 13, 1999
NETFAX…Looking Back…Moving Toward the Edge
Launched in September, 1994, NetFax has delivered five years of ideas and issues related to the emerging
21st century church; the changing culture and context of mission and ministry; and the evolving nature of
leadership now and in the coming century. This special expanded edition surveys some of the key learnings of
the past five years and comes to you with our renewed commitment to keep moving toward the edge.
Vision and Values (#4) “Vision and values are important because they focus the energy of people on what
they are really in business for…there are two parts to leadership: vision casting and implementation. The
thinking that got you to where you are today will not get you to where you need to be tomorrow. The biggest
human detriment to any organization is E.G.O.…Edging God Out.” (Ken Blanchard) “If there is anything I have
learned over the years, it is to underestimate how often I need to re-kindle the vision…to consistently re-
educate people why we are on the track we are on…why we do things the way we do. Of all the leadership
issues, values are the toughest…what values drive your behavior?” (Bill Hybels)
The Critical Issue of Leadership (#50) “Effective leaders share five characteristics…they have a strong
sense of purpose, a passion, a conviction of wanting to do something important; they are capable of
developing and sustaining deep and trusting relationships; they are purveyors of hope and have positive
illusions about reality; they have a balance in their lives between work, power, and family or outside activities;
and they have a bias toward action and while not reckless, they do not resist taking risks.” (Warren Bennis)
The Internet and the Church (#52) “The Internet is more about the transfer of information, ideas and
knowledge than about technology. It is not about technology, it is about the Great Commission.” (Walt Wilson)
Important Lessons from Peter Drucker (#75) “The mission comes first and the mission of non-profits
(including churches) is to change lives. The function of management is to make the church more church-like,
not to make the church more business-like. An organization begins to die the day it begins to be run for the
benefit of the insiders and not for the benefit of the outsiders. Know the value of planned abandonment; you
must decide what not to do. Focus on opportunities, not problems; most organizations assign their best
resources to their problems, not their opportunities. People decisions are the ultimate control mechanism of an
organization; that’s where people look to see what values you really hold. The three most important questions
are "What is our business?” “Who is the customer?” and “What does the customer value?”
What’s Next for the Church (#86) “We now live in an age of discontinuity in churches… and discontinuity
brings unintended consequences. We know a lot about change in the church but don’t know much about
discontinuity. The word congregation is being replaced with the word cause, churches are being organized
around a cause instead of an institution. Pastoral allegiance is shifting from denominations to movements and
networks. We are moving from western European cultural religions to more “made in America” religions. We
have moved from an age of belief, or a universal assumption of God, to an age of unbelief.” (Lyle Schaller)
Telling Stories and Today’s Culture (#102) “I don’t think the impact of storytelling has changed because
stories are the basic medium of all moral communication. The question is ‘What is the quality of the story you
are telling? Does it have the force to stir the blood?’ That’s why the Bible is the only book that ‘glows in the
dark’, because of those stories. People today say ‘unless it touches me viscerally, existentially, experientially, I
don’t care. It may be as true as one plus one equals two, but it is meaningless to me.’ Passion communicates.
The story resonates and you are thinking about it after you leave, and the next day.” (Max McLean)
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Practical Advice for Launching Ministry Teams (#103) “Don’t prejudge people… individuals we think are the
key leaders often do not turn out to be those we can count on. Be careful not to isolate your teams from each
other and the shared vision. Be prepared to make major adjustments in your pastoral style. Get out of the way
of new leaders. Check regularly to see if your activities and strategies are linked to your vision.” (Dan Reeves)
Large Churches, Consultants and Global/Local Churches (#104) The challenges for large churches are to
stay small while growing and to provide mechanisms or opportunities for people to connect relationally despite
size. Another critical issue is succession planning… the need to prepare for the next senior pastor, to look
beyond the leadership of the founding or long-term pastor. Leadership skill sets are changing from training or
growth skills to reproductive or multiplication skills. Proclamation comes from the demonstrated power of a
changed life and the leader’s right to be heard is earned through service and their life story. (LN Church
Champions Network Editor’s Board)
Two False Assumptions (#106) “Non-customers are as important as customers, if not more important,
because they are potential customers. Very few institutions know anything about the non-customers—very few
know they even exist, let alone who they are. Even fewer know why they are not customers. Yet it is with the
non-customers that changes always start. Consider the pastoral churches that have been growing so very fast
in the US since 1980…they have done so because they asked, ‘What is value to a non-churchgoer’ and came
up with answers the older churches had neglected.” (Peter Drucker)
st
Effective Leaders and Models of the 21 Century Church (#112) “Effective leaders in the churches of
tomorrow will not be power-seeking controllers, but relation-building equippers and mentors. They will be
people who know how to empower individuals by developing their skills, discernment, and faith-based
accomplishments. The people they mentor will recognize an ongoing need for support and accountability. It is
far from clear what the church in the 21st century will look like. Given the degree of social fragmentation, it is
unlikely that any one model will prevail. Rather, we will see emerging a variety of models. Some of them may
come as a great surprise, for they will contradict many things we have assumed as we extrapolate our church
growth theories from just one impressive megachurch or promising new movement.” (Eddie Gibbs)
A Key Question for Leaders (#113) On building the initial leadership team, “The first thing, of course, is the
CEO or the leader of the enterprise that we’re backing. We ask every CEO a simple question, ‘Is it more
important for you to be the CEO of this company or for this company to succeed?’ That’s always a tough
question for a person who wants to be the long-term leader of any enterprise.” (Floyd Kvamme)
Where Are the People Like Me? (#114) “Create a presence...find as many people as possible who will be
there…people need to know they can count on a response. Create a culture..the tone, the standards. Develop
role models…find people who personify the community you want to create…get commitment from people to
welcome new visitors and recruit others…where there is life and a response, people will make the connections.
What brings people back is dialogue and the connections. The biggest question people ask here and on the
Internet is ‘Where are the people like me?” (Jennifer Woodul, co-founder of Talk City)
Making Disciples Who Make Disciples (#116) “If you have eyes to see and ears to hear, you know that
something is going on around the world. If you see a thriving church, you see a church that is making disciples
rather than doing programs or getting decisions. Four shifts are affecting the making of disciples: from growing
churches to growing people; from volunteers to servants; from a volunteer coordinator to some form of
facilitator of lay mobilizers; and from control to permission-giving. If you are in control of your church, you’re
going to kill it over the next 25 years. If you try to manage it, it’s over. Those days are gone.” (Bill Easum)
Issue 132, Page Three

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Themes of the Emerging “Church on the New Edge” (#’s 118, 119) Community. In the church of the future,
community is more than just making relationships or belonging in a small group. It is an expression of the
Gospel. The church has nothing to show other than the exhibit of how we live in community with Christ in the
center. Community is not an extra bonus; it is the essence of what Christians have to offer. Experience.
People long to experience an intimate relationship with God. Experience now precedes and validates
knowledge. People experience something first and their experience then creates the context for learning. The
role of the leader in this setting is that of a guide and interpreter of experience rather than simply the deliverer
of information. Mystical. The mystical nature of the emerging church is leading many churches to focus in three
areas: an acknowledgement of people’s spirituality; an appreciation of mystery and wonder; and a return to the
creative arts. Telling the story. Because there is a lack of universals in the emerging culture, there is little
context or over-arching story for understanding and dealing with the issues of life and history. The Church has
the story that is uniquely qualified to create an understanding of the where and when of human history. Telling
the story is best accomplished through the use of stories but they are not the same things. Leadership. The
new culture demands a new way of leading based on being rather than doing and a new set of leadership skills
that involve: (1) being an extractor rather than the sole creator of the vision; (2) an interpreter of experiences in
addition to imparting knowledge; and (3) an apostle who leads the community to engage, embrace, and
transform the culture. The Missional Church. In addition to the questions of “What should we do” (program) and
“Why should we do it?” (purpose), the Church is needing to ask a third question of identity, “Who are we?” In
the missional model, the Church is a body of people who are fulfilling the Kingdom mission of impacting and
changing the world, and the pastor’s role becomes that of apostle, poet, and prophet. (LN Young Leaders
National Re-Evaluation Forum, Glorieta, NM, October, 1998)
Leading the Team-Based Church (#120) “I thought theological conformity was the most important
characteristic in choosing staff, provided the individual was personally mature and emotionally healthy. What I
learned instead was that one’s philosophy of ministry, or practical way of carrying out ministry, is really more
important. A second unexpected learning was the strength of the value of trust. A team leader can do
everything right and be absolutely trustworthy, but if perceived as not being so, it is just as damaging as if he or
she were not trustworthy and the team will not pull together.” (George Cladis)
Building Catalytic Mechanisms (#124) “Mechanisms are the practices that brings to life what you stand for
and stimulates change, forcing things to happen to reinforce your core purpose, values, strategies and
operating practices. The ability to distinguish between that which should never be changed and what should be
open to change is a key characteristic of great organizations. Catalytic mechanisms have five characteristics:
they produce the desired end results but often in highly unpredictable ways; they distribute power away from
the traditional centers and into the system; they have consequences; they help to accelerate the ejection of
“viruses” or people who don’t share the core purpose and values of the organization; and they have an ongoing
effect. (James Collins)
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A CHANGING MENTAL GEOGRAPHY
Effective leaders "discern the times." They understand the economic, political, and social shifts of their day.
In the cover article of October's The Atlantic Monthly, Peter Drucker examines the changing mental geography
of revolutions. He poses the idea that the most significant impact of the Information Revolution may actually
have little to do with information. We thank Drucker for permission to use the following brief excerpts from his
essay and commend the entire article to NetFax readers. See www.theatlanticmonthly.com for more info.
The truly revolutionary impact of the Information Revolution is just beginning to be felt. But it is not
"information" that fuels this impact. It is something that practically no one foresaw, or indeed, even talked about
ten or fifteen years ago: e-commerce--that is, the explosive emergence of the Internet as a major, perhaps the
major, worldwide distribution channel for goods, services, and surprisingly, managerial and professional jobs.
This is profoundly changing economies, markets, and industry structures; products and services and their flow;
consumer segmentation, values and behavior; jobs and labor markets. But the impact maybe even greater on
societies and politics and, above all, on the way we see the world and ourselves in it.
The printing revolution, the first of the technological revolutions that created the modern world, swept Europe
and completely changed its economy and its psychology. Luther used the new medium of print to deliberately
restore religion to the center of individual life and society. Brand new social institutions also arose: the Jesuit
order, the Spanish Infantry, the first modern navy and finally the sovereign national state.
The Information Revolution is now at the point at which the Industrial Revolution was in the early 1820's. The
railroad was the only truly revolutionary element of the Industrial Revolution, for not only did it create a new
economic dimension but it rapidly changed what I would call the mental geography. For the first time in history
human beings had true mobility. For the first time the horizons of ordinary people expanded. In the new mental
geography created by the railroad, humanity mastered distance. In the mental geography of e-commerce,
distance has been eliminated. There is only one economy and one market. Every business must become
globally competitive, even if it manufactures or sells only within a local or regional market. The competition is
not local anymore--in fact, it knows no boundaries.
New distribution channels change who the customers are. They change not only how customers buy but also
what they buy. They change consumer behavior, savings patterns, industry structure--in short, the entire
economy. That is what is now happening, and not only in the United States but increasingly in the rest of the
developed world, and in a good many emerging countries, including Mainland China.
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ARE YOU A “DREAM RELEASING” LEADER?

Last week, more that 1,200 church leaders from across the nation gathered in San Antonio, TX to celebrate the
emergence of the “Equipping Church” at the New Century New Church conference sponsored by the Leadership
Training Network. Equipping churches focus their leadership development efforts on the equipping and releasing of
God’s people for service and ministry. Audiotapes of the conference are available through Convention Cassettes at
800-776-5454. One of the featured presenters was Wayne Cordeiro, pastor of the New Hope Christian Fellowship
in Oahu, Hawaii, who spoke on the characteristics of leadership.
A leader is a servant who takes the initiative to serve and serve well. We all have different roles but roles have
nothing to do with importance. I’ve been called to the pastorate of this church but my calling is not greater than your
calling to come and be a part of this church.
1. A Leader has a passion to keep learning and improving. They are dissatisfied with the status quo and have a
passion to improve and grow. Leaders always raise the bar of excellence otherwise they will never reach potential.
2. A leader is someone who can spot potential in others. They can look at someone and see the dreams inside of
them, of what they can become for Jesus Christ. A lot of times the dreams are locked for some reason, perhaps
character flat spots or immaturity. What they need are people who will help them unlock their dreams for Kingdom
potential. Pastors are given for the equipping of the saints. Our church has are all the gifts necessary to do what
God has called us to do.
3. A leader is someone who can dream or envision what can be accomplished. What kind of people live in your
church? The way you see them is the way they will be. Dream and envision the best the church will be. Believe the
best of people.
4. A leader is not easily defeated. Pioneer something or color outsides the lines and you will get shot at. Don’t be
easily defeated, never take the path of least resistance, take the path that Jesus is walking on.
5. A leader has the ability to act. They don’t just sit there, they celebrate and take action toward a God given goal.
6. A leader takes risks. C.T. Studds said, “The gamblers for gold are many but the gamblers for God are few.”
7. A leader has the ability to bond with people and mobilize them toward a common purpose. We forget the things
we should remember and remember what we should forget. Leaders have to learn to forget because God forgets.
8. A leader stewards their authority well. They use their authority for building people up not tearing people down.
9. A leader is resilient and has an ability to bounce back from defeat and setbacks. We will all hit speed bumps
but defeat occurs when you fail to get back up. Be resilient, and learn to leave things behind. Keep going forward.
10. A leader is compelled by a passion. If the Why behind what you are doing increases, your creativity will increase.
When we don’t have the energy, our Why isn’t strong enough. Go back to the foot of the cross. We only have a few years
to do what He is asking us to do. We will have all of eternity to talk about it.

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TELLING THE LIVING STORY

Nothing communicates as powerfully as a story and in our present day culture, narrative skills are part of a 21st
century leader’s skill set. Last week, at the annual meeting of the Organizational Development Network,
consultants Lisa Marshall and Karen Bading led a workshop on storytelling and it’s use in leading change.
For the million or so years before human beings settled onto farms and began lives of relative predictability,
they gathered at night around campfires and told stories. Through those stories they learned from one
another. They learned of the past and for the future. Thus the human brain became hardwired for holding
complex information through stories and for learning through stories. Stories are powerful because they bind
information and understanding over time.
Ultimately, every good story is a variation on what Joseph Conrad called “The Hero’s Journey.” The individual
or the group leaves the known world—their past—for a variety of reasons and on the journey, enters the “pit”
where he, she, or they encounters a monster—in actuality, a reflection of personal needs to grow and develop.
This is the pivotal point: They may stay stuck in the pit, or they may win that battle, confront the monster and
climb out, to new heights, and on to the next story.
Another way to express this concept is in terms of creative tension: that where the heroes and heroines start
out, and where they want/need to be are different. When people you care about perceive that difference and
resolve that tension by traveling the difficult path and slaying or confronting the monster, you have successful
resolution of the creative tension, and something wonderful and new has been created.
A story told effectively has four elements…(1) Completeness…the beginning, middle and end that leads to new
beginnings, middles and ends; (2) Wonder…space to think in and ideas about which to think; (3) Touch…it
speaks to our inner senses as well as our five physical senses; and (4) Silence…it gives us permission to think
and absorb.
Each of those elements has implications for how well we tell a story. Completeness allows us all to pause and
notice where we are on our journey for a moment, allows us to reflect on having completed some distance on
the path. It allows for a sense of accomplishment, along with knowing we are part of the bigger pattern. It
reminds us that while the specifics may be new, this struggle for identity and security is as old as the species.
Wonder allows us to savor the moment. It also creates the space for learning and makes us aware of the vast
array of choices that always face us when we stop to consider them. Touch is to experience and the only way
to overcome our loneliness. Silence is time. It is going slow in order to go fast. It is clearing out the clutter we
create when we do not pause to listen, absorb, to truly learn from a story. Despite our fear that silence means
failure, a room full of profoundly moved, silent people can be the highest accolade the storyteller can receive.
Often, when telling or retelling a story to effect change, the story needs to be set in another context in order for
the listener to have enough detachment to hear new possibilities. And of course, the more rapport the
storyteller has with their listeners, the more likely they will accept the lead to a new possibility for the story and
themselves. For more insight on using strategic stories to lead organizational change, see the May-June, 1998
Harvard Business Review, “Strategic Stories: How 3M Is Rewriting Business Planning.”
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TWO LEADERS IN LEARNING AND INNOVATION

Twelve days ago in Boston, Peter Senge spoke at the closing session of a conference for Chief Learning
Officers (www.linkageinc.com). One of the pioneers in the application of systems thinking to learning and
innovation (The Fifth Discipline, Fifth Discipline Fieldbook and the newly released Dance of Change ), Senge
defined learning as “a process that occurs over time and always integrates thinking and doing.” His remarks
focused on two key questions related to knowledge: “How is it generated?” and “How is it diffused?” It is
generated by teams, defined as “people who need each other to produce a result” and the core learning unit of
any organization. “An invention can result from individual effort, but innovations are intensely collaborative.”
Learning is highly contextual… “It only happens in the context of something meaningful and when the learner is
taking action.” The diffusion of knowledge cannot be separated from relationships formed through our normal
networks. “We must find ways to create environments in which these natural networks will flourish.”
Also in Boston, but not a part of the CLO conference, resides Chris Turner, former learning guru at Xerox and
author of the new book, All Hat and No Cattle, Shaking Up the System and Making a Difference at Work
(Perseus Books). While not every chapter is transferable to faith based organizations, it has some valuable
insights on performance evaluation, meetings and creating environments where real learning can take place.
“If there were an absolute need for some review system, we’d ask people to review themselves after seeking
input from colleagues. We did it at Xerox, inside a large bureaucratic system, and people performed brilliantly.
Over twenty of us agreed on group objectives and reviewed ourselves twice a year. We talked all the time, and
on any given day, I could have told you what everyone else on the team thought of me and my performance—
and the same was true for other team members. We often disagreed with each other, and for the most part,
disagreed openly. One year we did a loose version of a 360-degree survey, with everyone providing feedback
to everyone else in the group. Each of us wrote notes to our colleagues detailing three points: what stuff to
keep doing, what to stop doing, and what to start doing. It was simple, worked well, and saved an incredible
amount of time. A successful service organization has people review themselves by answering five questions:
(1) What did you accomplish last year, and how do you know? (2) What do you want to accomplish this year?
(3) What do you need to learn? (4) What is your failure pattern---how do you get in your own way? and (5)
What can others do to support you?”
Turner, whose work in creating Xerox’s Camp Lur’ning was profiled in an early issue of Fast Company, has
eleven design principles for creating meetings—large or small-- where real learning can take place: work from
big ideas; create in the moment the world you want forever..make the future happen now; remember that you
are dealing with a natural system and don’t worry about a little chaos, stay flexible; create environments where
all learners can learn; create content, space and materials that respect the participants; weave outcomes into
the design; use music---all kinds and carefully selected; use videos only is they send the right message;
engage participants in the co-design; understand that every detail sends a message; and make it fun!
Finally, two magazine stories you’ll want to check out…”The Business of the Kingdom,” an interview with Peter
Drucker in Christianity Today, November 15, 1999 and the cover story of the November 1, 1999 issue of
Business Week, “Religion in the Workplace.” If the issues are not at the newsstand, try their websites at
www.christianityonline.com and www.businessweek.com .
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REAL TIME LEADERSHIP
The magazine, Fast Company, aims to be the "handbook of the business revolution." Not only has it brought a new
perspective to chronicling the people and practices that are inventing the future and reinventing business, it is also changing
the way people gather through its Real Time conferences. Two weeks ago, the fourth Real Time conference was held in San
Diego around the theme of leadership and one of the first things participants noticed was that there were no theorists or
leadership consultants as presenters. All the main sessions and workshops featured practitioner/ leaders…men and women
who were leaders in the context of their respective professions and businesses…people who live out their leadership every
day.
Robert Swan is a world class explorer and master storyteller. The only man to have walked to both the North and South
Poles, he challenged Real Time participants to "think clearly about leading yourself…how are you leading you?" Woven into
his story were lessons of leadership drawn from his experiences in leading teams of explorers. "I chose different people for
my team…our diversity would be the strength of our survival." In an environment in which "if you make a mistake, you die,"
how do you hold a team together? One is that "you learn to have the courage to tell each other the truth and more
importantly, you have to learn to really listen to each other." You also have to "manage the risk through discipline which is a
hard word for me. And above all else on this journey we must have trust. Trust is not something that just exists…it starts with
yourself…if you don’t trust yourself, how can others trust you?" In assembling his team that went to the North Pole, "we spent
45 days at base camp taking the time to understand each other…it was the basis of our survival. On any team, if you don’t
understand what makes people tick, they won’t tick. I knew as a leader that every member on my team believed we could
reach the North Pole…it’s not about me…no individual can do this…we have to believe that WE can do this." Not all his
adventures have been successful and when he was faced with a decision 300 miles short of reaching his goal, he had to turn
back. "Maybe the best thing I ever did in my life was not always to win…there is strength in failure."
Terry Waite is recognized internationally as a humanitarian and man of faith. Perhaps best known for his negotiation skills as
a special envoy of the Archbishop of Canterbury, he was kidnapped in 1987 and held hostage for five years, four of them in
solitary confinement in a Beirut prison. When asked about surviving that situation, he replied, "All of us need to learn how to
live strongly from within. I could say to my captors 'You may have the power to break my mind and break my body but my
soul is not yours to possess.'" Later, in an interview with the editor of NetFax, when asked to comment on his observations of
matters of faith from a worldwide perspective, Waite replied, "I don’t want to be judgmental but I think there is rather too much
emphasis on feeling good...that faith will enable you to prosper…let’s hope that happens…but there are many people for
whom faith will not necessarily immediately change their situation and make them feel good. What faith can do is to enable
them to have and maintain hope…the recognition that you are a unique individual and a child of God is a very remarkable
understanding. The second thing is that while it is important for some people to be propagating the faith by word of mouth, I
find increasingly in the world that religious language carries very little content for many…most as of the theological terms that
I was brought up with don’t necessarily carry much weight for this modern generation. What carries more meaning to people
in the world is when they recognize within individuals something of the real spirit of Christianity…when they see that applied
through work and through which life is led and the actions and directions that are taken. Now I am not for one moment
suggesting that Christianity can be totally encompassed by merely doing good deeds, but true sincerity of belief inevitably will
carry forth into action and affect your everyday life and decisions. There is a capacity in all of us to say, 'my faith belongs in
this compartment and my business decisions belong to another.' There’s got to be harmony between the two."
For a recap of the Real Time conference on leadership, visit Fast Company’s website at www.fastcompany.com/homepage/
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DEVELOPING LEADERS NOW AND IN THE FUTURE
Last Wednesday-Friday, over 60 leaders from local churches, parachurch ministries, and seminaries gathered in
Dallas to address the topic of leadership development. Convened by Leadership Network, the forum focused on
the changing context of developing leaders, approaches to leadership development, characteristics of leadership
and a wide range of other issues related to churches and leadership development.
Leading off the forum was a presentation by Bill Drath of the Center for Creative Leadership (www.ccl.org) on the
“Relational Leader,” the focus of his research for the past eight years which represents the “evolution of the
leadership principle in the post industrial era.” Drath drew distinctions between three leadership models: personal
dominance, interpersonal influence, and the relational or sense-making. In the personal dominance model, the
lead: is strong and smart; provides protection and guidance; defines values, importance and reality; controls and
limits conflicts; and is what the leader does. In the interpersonal influence model, influence is more effective
than force; the leader influences followers more than followers influence the leader; influence is exercised through
reason and knowledge; the leader must understand the follower’s mind; and leadership is a social negotiation.
Changes over the last 50-60 years are revealing the limits of these two models, especially given the increasing
plurality of competing worldviews. In the relational sense-making model, leadership is the process of
constructing sense and meaning in relation to shared work and is the result of people’s interactions. “Leader” and
“follower” represent ways of participating in leadership rather than defining it. While the personal principle
prepared the leader for mastery and the interpersonal principle enhanced the leader’s self-knowledge and
interpersonal skills, the relational principle increases the capacity of the community to make meaning through
relationships.
A common theme in subsequent large and small group discussions was the dual nature of leadership
development that is both “engineered” through some type of system within the congregation and has an “organic”
approach shaped by individual needs and experience. It is also a balance between the relational dimension found
in mentoring / teams and content of the process. It is essential that a “culture of leadership” be created that has
expectations of developing leaders at all levels and of helping people develop to their highest capacity. Such a
culture allows people to experiment in discovering their gifts and talents through multiple entry points and short
term service. Several churches use a PDP or “Personal Development Plan” that is customized for individuals to
aid in their development as leaders. They agreed that an effective system of leadership development has three
phases: identification and recruitment of potential leaders; training, coaching, and affirmation; and assessment or
evaluation and celebration.
Participants also discussed a shift in perspective on local church leadership development. While many churches
continue to focus on developing leaders to serve within the church, more and more congregations are taking a
broader, Kingdom perspective on leadership development that is focused on the community and world beyond the
walls of the church. “We are focused on developing leaders who can serve in their homes, their businesses, and
out in the community,” said one pastor. “We want to transform the world through transformed leaders and to do
that, you have to develop leaders with a Kingdom mindset.”
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THE END
Not only is this is the last NetFax of the year, the century, and yes, the millennium, it is the final NetFax. Our new
e-mail publication, Explorer . . . e-notes for the emerging church, will begin January 3, 2000 and feature reports
on people, ideas, innovations, issues, culture and effective churches who are shaping the 21st century world. For
this last NetFax, we wanted to take a “helicopter view” look at this remarkable century, especially the last 50 years
in the United States.
1900-1945…a time characterized primarily by two world wars and an economic war known as “The Great
Depression.” The century began with continued industrialization (Model T and the assembly line); emerging
technology (first flight at Kitty Hawk) and a new industry called entertainment (Hollywood and later radio
celebrities). The euphoria of the 1920’s following WWI crashed along with the stock market, and the despair of the
Depression and a second world war shaped two generations who longed for safety, security and stability. Still a
rural nation, with the exception of the great urban centers, institutions such as schools, government and churches
were primarily small. The “melting pot” of the population was predominately Anglo, reflecting the past 100 years of
immigration primarily from Europe and their imported religious traditions, music, forms of worship and church
architecture.
1945-1960…fifteen years of post-war economic prosperity; a population explosion that produced the Boomer
generation; the beginning of the Cold War and the Information Age; the creation and growth of suburbia; the
emerging influence of television, a new music style called rock and roll, an advertising-driven consumer culture;
and the shift in the size of institutions from small to large. It was the Golden Age of Protestantism, especially for
mainline churches, and thousands of new churches of all types were started in cities and new suburbs across the
country. Church attendance and membership were at record levels and it was the beginning of an emphasis on
age-graded and ministry-specific programs. The evangelical wing of the church began to emerge, hundreds of
new parachurch ministries were launched and there was a renewed interest in opportunities for global outreach.
The 1960’s…marked by a period of intense social unrest and change concerning civil rights, the women’s
movement; problems of the cities, the Viet Nam war; assassinations of public leaders; the continued emergence
of new music forms and personalities; Boomer adolescence and the beginning of Generation X. While
denominationalism was strong, it was also the beginning of the decline in mainline church membership as young
adults stayed away from church and fewer new churches were started.
The 1970’s…continued social change and erosion in the trust of institutions as a result of Viet Nam and
Watergate; more Gen X babies and the beginning of the Echo Boomlet generation; shift in the work force to an
emphasis on human resources and finding meaning in work; emergence of large numbers of singles in the
population; increase in divorce rates and drug usage; change in composition of the traditional family; changes in
the immigration law shift the new immigrants to more Asians, Africans, and Hispanics who bring with them their
indigenous religions; economic recessions and oil cartels begin to re-shape the global economy. A new
postmodern world began to emerge as the modern world moved to its last decades. While mainline churches
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THE END – continued
continued to decline, there was the rise of evangelical churches and the emergence of more independent and
large congregations. The Jesus movement of the early 70’s touched a nation. The church growth movement
became popular, as did the specialization of staff by ministry area. New music, more contemporary styles of
worship, new movements such as Vineyard and Calvary Chapel, and the launch of the seeker movement with an
emphasis on reaching unchurched people were indicators of changing religious landscape.
The 1980’s…a transformational decade in terms of geopolitics, economics and technology. The Cold War ended,
the global economy became a reality, and the Information Age exploded because of the personal computer.
Consumer choices expanded; the VCR’ became a household staple and every office had a fax machine; cable
became cool and MTV and CNN forever changed music and news. It was a decade of excess and abuse…
drugs, alcohol, violence, children and the environment. It was decentralization and re-structuring. It was a decade
of discontinuities as new technologies and industries based on them emerged. Knowledge became the new
capital and the knowledge worker became the symbol of the new economy. While the average church size
remained around 200, there was a radical shift in the distribution of people who attended church as more people
attended larger congregations. The number of churches in excess of 1,000 in attendance continued to grow,
fueled by increasing options for worship services, a wide variety of ministries to meet needs, recovery ministries,
and multiple options for group life. The religious plurality of the US increased and there was a growing awareness
of global evangelization on the part of local congregations.
The 1990’s…the Internet decade. The Net is changing the nature of business, communication and entertainment.
Networks and teams are in, bureaucracies and hierarchies are headed out. Vision and values are essential. While
the stock market and a robust economy have created unprecedented affluence, many search for meaning and
significance beyond the marketplace. Disconnected people long for community. Younger generations are once
again reshaping the economy, education and culture. Over the last 25 years, there has emerged a “made in
America” church, one that has many models and expressions. There is a new movement to equip and release the
people of God for service. There is a renewed emphasis on starting new churches and a growing movement of
cooperation among churches and individuals with a Kingdom perspective to transform their communities and the
world. There is an increasing emphasis on prayer and spiritual formation, the importance of reaching people and
making disciples, and the need to develop leaders throughout the congregation.
What a century! What opportunities await us in the future! To God be the glory!
All of us at Leadership Network wish for you, your family and congregation
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a joyous Christmas and magnificent beginning to the 21 century.
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Number 14 March 6, 1995
CHURCH CHAMPIONS...REGULATORS OR RESOURCES?

A little over ten days ago, Nashville, TN was the site of two meetings, both of which addressed the future of denominations in very
different ways. In the first meeting, leaders of one of the nations' largest Protestant denominations met to adopt a new organizational
structure, eliminating some boards and agencies, re-assigning responsibility for functional areas to the remaining agencies and
creating new entities to centralize the denomination's role with its member churches. The second meeting was one of over 30 "church
champions"... regional and judicatory leaders representing ten denominations, both mainline and evangelical, who gathered to learn
from each other how to further decentralize their operations and serve as a resource to the local congregations within their respective
jurisdictions.
"Church champions," according to Leadership Network which hosted the second meeting, have the following characteristics: (1)
they are islands of health and strength within their respective denominations; (2) they are receptive and lifelong learners; and (3)
they have as their goal, enabling the local congregations with whom they work to carry out their mission. Their focus and organizing
principle is resourcing, rather than regulating, the local church.
Presentations were made by the participants on leadership development, re-engineering a regional judicatory, resourcing local
congregations, and local training models. Common to all the presentations was the importance of process over programs and events
for effectively assisting congregations. "It really is a matter of perspective," commented one participant. "What we are talking about
is the difference between giving the resources of our denomination to the local churches, rather than taking the resources of the
churches into the denomination."
If your church is affiliated with a denomination, what is the denominational organizing principle and focus? Regulation or resources?
What will it be?
For more information on the Church Champions Network, call Dave Travis at :
1. By phone at 770-972-8792. This line has a full time message center, so call anytime.
2. By e-mail at dave.travis@leadnet.org.
3. By fax at 770-979-1890.
4. By regular mail at 3350 Centerville Hwy., Ste. 107-225, Lithonia, GA 30058.
LIVING IN AN AGE OF WHITEWATER

Ten Issues for the Future
We are living in an era of unprecedented change...the "in-between" times as human history is moving from one age to another.
Futurist Alvin Toffler calls the period 1950 to roughly 2020 a "hinge of history" as the old is dying and the new is being born.
Others have referred to these times as trying to live in an age of "whitewater." Regardless of the metaphor, it is clear that these are
times of great challenge and opportunity for the church. The 21st century will be more like the first century than any of the 2,000
intervening years and the thinking that brought us to the present will not take us into the future. The following are ten critical
issues for churches wanting to navigate 21st century rapids.
LEADERSHIP...the acquisition of new skills to lead congregations by vision and values and through transition, the use of
functional teams, and a recognition of a new partnership between laity and clergy in doing the work of the church are essential for
a 21st century congregation. Know your personal and organizational core competencies.
CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS...recognize the impact of not only an aging population but one that is growing more multi-
ethnic and pluralistic each day.
STRUCTURE...the principle of "form follows function" will be used in any effort to re-structure or re-organize. Simplification ,
systems, and process will be the keys.
REACHING PEOPLE...21st century evangelism is relational and centered in the marketplace. It is also focused on the goal of
making a disciple, not getting a decision. Three key themes for people are meaning, identity, and community.
LEARNING AND MENTORING...the revolution in learning is moving the emphasis from training to learning and lifelong
learning. Life transition skills are becoming important as is mentoring , especially to a generation of people under 35.
MINISTRY...multiple ministries and lay led ministries are the future. Gift assessment and placement for service of lay persons
becomes all the more significant.
WORSHIP...will be more experiential and participative and remain the primary flashpoint for change in congregations.
Effectively communicating in a visual age and personal spirituality are both challenges and opportunities.
STEWARDSHIP...the key words are impact and options. Traditional revenue streams are changing and new generations of givers
want more options, greater accountability and to make a difference with their giving.
MISSIONS...is both local and global and short term with new networks of 21st century Christians.
DENOMINATIONAL EROSION...will continue for mainlines, evangelicals, and everyone else as less and less importance is
placed on denominational distinctives. The key role and shape of denominations will move closer to the local congregation.
Do you have a first century passion for a 21st century world?
Number 16 April 3, 1995
© Leadership Network
A BLUEPRINT FOR LAY MOBILIZATION

One of the hallmarks of the 21st century church is that it will be a lay-driven church, with new ministries generated by the concerns
and interests of members. Is your church prepared to unleash and direct the present latent energy of the laity for the 21st century?
Before you put in place a system of lay mobilization or if you are evaluating an existing system, you might find it useful to consider
the following seven elements that have been found to be present in an effective process for lay mobilization.
ASSIMILATION. "How do I understand and become a part of the church?" Assimilation involves helping new members
understand the church and existing members extend their involvement beyond Sunday morning attendance or to find more
meaningful ministry opportunities.
CONTEXT. "What is the Biblical basis for service?" Context involves helping members understand Scripture and come to trust
that God had gifted and called them to ministry. It also involves helping members grow spiritually as they use their gifts in service.
DISCOVERY. "What is my unique set of gifts and interests?" Discovery involves an interview and/or assessment process to help
members learn more about the unique gifts, talents, temperament, and life experiences God has given them and allows them to share
their needs for ministry and support from the congregation.
MATCHING. "What service opportunities best fit my gifts and interests?" Matching involves identifying ministry opportunities
where members' unique abilities are needed within the church and community. Matching also involves connecting members with
others interested in exploring new ministries.
PLACEMENT. "How do I select the best opportunity?" Placement is the connection of the member with the ministry opportunity
and involves meeting with the ministry leader and co-workers, reviewing the ministry description, obtaining preparation and
training, and initiating a pattern of regular service.
COACHING. "How do I get ongoing training and encouragement?" Coaching is the ongoing provision of training, nurturing,
support, supervision, and additional gift discovery, as well as opportunities to learn from and through the ministry.
RECOGNITION. "How do I sustain my ministry and grow spiritually?" Recognition involves the celebration of service and the
opportunity to reflect on the meaning of ministry for a Christian.
A detailed explanation of this blueprint is contained in The Starter Kit for Mobilizing Ministry released March 20. The Starter Kit is
one of the most complete resources available on mobilizing lay persons for ministry and is available from Leadership Network at a
cost of $45.
To obtain a copy of The Starter Kit for Mobilizing Ministry, call 1-800-765-5323.
EIGHT DISTINCTIVES OF FULL SERVICE CHURCHES

Peter Drucker has called the emergence of the large pastoral church "the most important event in American society today." Many
have described this new type of church as "user-friendly" or "a church for the 21st century." Others have called it a "purpose
driven" church or a "full service" church. Whatever description you use, it is clearly NOT the "business as usual" church. While
not an exhaustive list, the following are at least eight characteristics of this new type of church.
It is built on the needs of people within the local context. The ministries and programs of the church are responsive to the needs
of individuals within the local context and culture. The church is run for the benefit of the "customers," not the "insiders".
It is focused on the unchurched. Growth comes primarily from the unchurched in addition to transfers from others churches. It is
a place where people can bring their unchurched friends to church.
There are multiple entry points into the church. There is more than one worship service and a variety of opportunities for
contact and ministry involvement.
There is some system of segmentation and sequencing for spiritual development. It is not "one size fits all" but a recognition
that people are at different stages of their faith development and need appropriate skills and coaching at each level.
Leadership is the most important role of the senior pastor. Developing people who are equipped and released for service and
mission is the chief responsibility of the pastor and other ministerial staff. In addition, the senior pastor has a long tenure. The art
"of the long view" is in place and practiced by the pastor.
There are high expectations of the membership and preaching involves a call to action. One's faith commitment will result in
not only personal growth but also action ...making application of what is learned.
Leadership is developed from within. Often staff is indigenous to the church with people having market-trained skills and
requiring minimal adaptation to the church's culture.
There are many specialized ministries in addition to the basics. There are multiple opportunities for people to be involved in
ministry and often very specialized ones that are initiated by the laity.
How many of these characteristics are present in your church?

Number 18 May 1, 1995
WOMEN'S MINISTRIES IN THE 90'S...The Other Half of the Church

Among the many shifts in the U.S. culture and church of the past 25 years, few are more significant than the changing role of
women and the emergence of a new form of women's ministries in local churches, especially large congregations. Both events, as
well as other critical issues related to Women's Ministries, were the topics of discussion at the first Leadership Network Women's
Ministries Forum held April 20-22, 1995. Attending were 50 leaders of Women's Ministries in large congregations from across the
nation.
The changing role of women has impacted the culture, the marketplace, and the church. Many women in the boomer and buster
generations who opted for careers and work outside the home are dealing with issues of balance in their lives and identity. Other
women in these same generations who have chosen to remain at home are also coping with the "busyness" of life in the 90's. Both
groups are searching for meaning and significance in their lives as are women in earlier generations still present in the church.
Women's Ministries have evolved from women's groups in the church originally formed around prayer and the support of missions
and Bible study to complex and comprehensive ministries to women that encompass not only Bible study but also evangelism and
spiritual formation, leadership development, ministry and a wide range of issues related to women in the 21st century.
Increasingly, as churches recognize the importance of having a ministry targeted specifically to the needs of women, they are
being led by well trained and full time staff members. The contribution of women's ministries to the overall health and vitality of a
church is an important development of the past 25 years, both for denominational and non-denominational churches.
The essentials of an effective Women's Ministry in the 90's include (1) Bible study, either in large groups or small discussion
groups, held in the evening as well as the daytime and located at the church, in homes, and in the marketplace; (2) interaction and
fellowship with other women on a regular basis, either in a large group setting or small groups; (3) outreach and evangelism to
unchurched and non-Christian women; (4) a wide variety of support groups related to interests and lifestyle ranging from MOPS
(Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) to a women's investment club; (5) multiple opportunities for personal involvement in mission and
ministry; (6) leadership development focused on helping women understand and use their gifts, talents and skills in life and
ministry; and (7) spiritual formation and the "soul care" of women.
Discussions at the Forum focused on several core areas including: (1) relationships with others including working with
predominantly male staffs and church leadership, counseling issues, leadership development and working with volunteers; (2) the
life of the leader and dealing with balance, ministry fatigue, and personal spirituality; (3) the specifics of women's ministri es
structure and programs and the development of new ministries; and (4) critical issues such as mentoring, creating opportunities for
intergenerational interaction, dealing with the tension in large churches between the high expectation of results and ministry
needs, spiritual growth for biblically illiterate boomer and buster generations of women, and future trends in women's ministries.
A set of the complete notes from the 1995 Women's Ministries Forum is available for $10 by calling Leadership Network at 1-800-
765-5323.
ESCAPING THE PAST AND INVENTING THE FUTURE

One of the most influential business books in recent months is Competing For the Future by Gary Hamel and
C. K. Prahalad (Harvard Business School Press, 1994). In it, they identify several reasons why great companies
fail. Some of the reasons deal with an inability to escape the past and the remaining ones deal with an inability
to invent the future. What if these same reasons were applied to your church or organization? Would you be at
risk today? Will you be at risk tomorrow?
AN INABILITY TO ESCAPE THE PAST
AN UNPARALLELED TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS. Are you being blinded to the future by your past
or present success?
NO GAP BETWEEN EXPECTATIONS AND PERFORMANCE. Are your expectations exceeding current
levels of performance?
A CONTENTMENT WITH CURRENT PERFORMANCE. Are you content with “business as usual” as the
norm? “We have always done it this way...why change?”
AN ACCUMULATION OF ABUNDANT RESOURCES. Are you relying on size alone... the accumulation
of people (membership), money, and facilities?
A VIEW THAT RESOURCES WIN OUT. Are membership and budget the only indicators of health you
measure? Are you combining the records of healthy and unhealthy units which can obscure the real
situation?
AN INABILITY TO INVENT THE FUTURE
AN OPTIMIZED BUSINESS SYSTEM. Are you continually examining your structure and staff in light of
your mission and an ever changing environment?
DEEPLY ETCHED RECIPES. Are you relying on the same methods and programs that brought you to today
to work in the future?
A VULNERABILITY TO NEW RULES. When the rules change, everyone goes back to zero and you lose
any previous leverage. Where are you vulnerable if the rules change?
SUCCESS CONFIRMS STRATEGY. Are you allowing your present success to determine your future
strategy? Are you sacrificing future effectiveness at the expense of today’s apparent success?
“The thinking that got you to where you are today will not take you to the future.”
Ken Blanchard
“Re-Tooling The Church...Summit ‘95”

Summit ‘95, held May 21-25 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, was a conference for pastors and church leaders that addressed the theme
of “re-tooling the church for the 21st century.” Sponsored by Nehemiah Ministries, the conference focused on the issues of
mission, prayer, outreach, assimilation, disciple-making, worship and vision. For more information on the conference, which
was both audio and video taped, contact Nehemiah Ministries at 1-800-634-4659. The following are highlights of the sessions
on assimilation, disciple-making and vision.
Vision: “The Church at History’s Hinge”
Leith Anderson, Senior Pastor, Wooddale Church, Eden Prairie, MN
We are living in a time unprecedented for its change, a time when “the rules of yesterday have been replaced.” Three specific
shifts that are impacting the church in North America are: (1) the entry point being a relationship, not a program; (2) the quest
for experience before understanding and the desire for connection to God as expressed in the increasing interest in spirituality
and the supernatural; and (3) the rise of non-denominationalism in favor of people’s desire for essential Biblical Christianity
regardless of the denominational label. Churches that reach people in the 21st century will have four characteristics: (1)
spiritually focused; (2) “socially permeable,” that is, they must be open, rather than closed to newcomers; (3) culturally
relevant; and (4) outreach oriented.
Assimilation: “Snapping People to the Church” Leith Anderson

(1) Recognize the shared responsibility of the person as well as the church for assimilation.
(2) Recognize the variety of people and customize appropriate assimilation efforts. (3) Snap people together like “legos” which
have 1-8 attachment points. Snap newer members with newer members, not older members. (4) Connect people like “velcro.”
Have more than a single connection point. (5) Recognize that for many people today, church is a stop-over, not a
destination...you will have them for a short period of time. (6) Intentionally prepare and equip those who leave to assimilate in
their new church.
Disciple-Making: “The Church as a Spiritual Fitness Center”
Randy Frazee, Senior Pastor, Pantego Bible Church, Arlington, TX
Using a systems approach to life transformation and a segmentation model of a diamond, the idea is that at each stage the
Believer will exhibit demonstrable life transforming behavior. Stage One is Believer (establishing a relationship with God);
Stage Two is Worshipping Believer (putting God at the center of my life); Stage Three is Growing Believer (applying God’s
principles to my life); and Stage Four is Serving Believer (making an impact with my life). Appripriate goals for each stage
were also identified.
Disciple-Making: “Leading the Journey”
Michael Foss, Senior Pastor, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Burnsville, MN
“Discipleship begins on the inside of the leader...it is not an outside deal...you cannot can give what you do not already
have...the Great Commission does not say make members.” His church has been re-organized in a leadership matrix focused
on the mission of welcoming, equipping, and sending which flows out of their core values and beliefs. The end goal is ministry
teams of equipped disciples that are sent into the world. “My primary role is to replicate myself in the lives of our
leadership...leaders produce leaders...a lot of pastors have left this out of their job description...it is not to manage ministry or
the church machine. To be truly effective, we have to be developing leaders.”
Number 21 June 12, 1995
TEENAGERS TODAY...What A Difference A Decade Makes

By most accounts, the 80’s will rank as one of the most change filled decades in human history as seismic shifts occurred at
global, national, organizational, and individual levels. While the teen age years have always been times of transition and
“difficult” for teens (and parents!), the past decade was one of significant changes in teenagers. A national think tank of youth
workers identified the following 12 changes (in random order) in teenagers today as compared to a decade ago.
1. A DIMINISHED ATTENTION SPAN...there is an increasing inability for teens to focus on anything except the
immediate.
2. A DIMINISHED RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY...be it at school, home, church, or society in general.
3. A FRENETIC PACE OF LIFE...their Day-Timers are full of activities and events.
4. A SEVERITY OF CRISIS SITUATIONS...there’s been a significant increase in the number of teens who face crisis
situations...abuse (both sexual and substance), family, etc.
5. THEY ARE MORE SOPHISTICATED, YET IMMATURE...they are exposed more frequently to adult pressures and
responsibilities, yet for all of their sophistication remain emotionally immature.
6. THEY HAVE BECOME AN IMPORTANT ECONOMIC SEGMENT... from retailers to media buyers, teens today are a
multi-billion dollar market.
7. THE INFLUENCE OF GANGS AND VIOLENCE...they are at risk more than ever.
8. SEXUAL ISSUES ARE BLURRING...there is less unanimity in advice from adults on sexual issues and the cultural
acceptance of diversity on sexual identity and behavior only increases the normal tensions about sex that are present in
adolescence.
9. MORE AUTONOMY AND LESS PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT...parents seems to be spending less time with teens and
as a result, teens are more in control of their schedules and lives than ever before.
10. THERE IS A GROWING POLARIZATION AMONG STUDENTS...based on race, ideology, music...there seem to be
fewer and fewer common connecting points.
11. THEY ARE MORE AWARE OF THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS AND MORE QUICKLY CHALLENGE AUTHORITY... they
are not afraid to bring litigation against teachers and other authority figures...they use the legal system to their advantage.
12. RENT-A-RELIGION...in an age of religious plurality, the key question is “so what does your religion have to offer me?”
Few are in search of ultimate truth.
MENTORING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE EQUATION

Leaders don’t grow in comfort zones. The best leaders have faced pain. Sometimes it is imposed from without by a
crisis. More often it is imposed from within by:
• a willful choice to pursue a difficult course - “no guts, no glory”

• a driving ambition to become somebody others view as significant
• an acute awareness of a wrong that others choose to overlook
Howard Hendricks calls this “the bear in the cave” that every young leader faces often in their late 20’s or early 30’s.
The process of attempting to drive the bear out sets a course of risk or retreat for the rest of the leader’s life.
Good leaders build a way out of the crucible that formed them. But what then? How does a leader maintain an edge?
Many say the best way to stay on the cutting edge is to invest in those who live there. Those who currently live in a
crucible have a contagious hunger for change. Those who have overcome their crucible need the constant reminder of
the time when they had more to gain than to lose. The informal interchange between the two leaders is sometimes called
mentoring.
On one side of the interchange, leaders talk about a need to stay fresh. There is also a concern about succession of
leadership, especially in the large mega-churches often built around the skills of an exceptional leader.
About the other side of the interchange, Howard and William Hendricks write in As Iron Sharpens Iron, “In our
experience, there are far more men looking for mentors than there are willing to serve as mentors.” This is a society of
decreasing extended families, increasing broken homes and increasing gaps between generations as change accelerates.
We hear more than ever before that younger leaders desire mentors, both peers and older mentors.
Leadership Network is interested in helping meet that need. We are identifying an initial group of exceptional younger
leaders to design what peer networking will look like for the next generation. Over the coming year we will be holding
several forums and focus groups of younger leaders. They will design a new form of peer mentoring that may or may
not look like the loosely structured monthly forums that have been the mainstay of Leadership Network over the last ten
years. Our hope is that in future years we will find increasing ways to catalyze interaction between the two forms.
If you know of a Senior Pastor who is leading a church that has an average weekly worship attendance of 500 or
more, and who is 35 years old or younger, please fax Brad Smith at (903) 561-9361 with their name, church,
address, and telephone number. In appreciation for your recommendation, Leadership Network will send you
a copy of the new book, As Iron Sharpens Iron: Building Character in a Mentoring Relationship by Howard and
William Hendricks.
Number 23 July 10, 1995
TEN PRINCIPLES FOR EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS

The theme of the 1995 “Church in the 21st Century” conference, held June 26-29 in Phoenix and sponsored by Leadership Network,
was “Partnerships, Alliances and New Ventures.” Both the plenary sessions and classes focused on principles and models of
effective collaboration for churches, denominations, and ministries in the 21st century. In his class, Phill Butler, President of
Interdev, outlined several principles for effective partnerships based on their experience of the past 15 years.
1. Effective partnerships are built on trust, openness, and mutual concern. Partnerships are more than coordination, planning,
strategies and tactics.
2. Lasting partnerships need a facilitator or coordinator...someone who by consensus, has been given the role of bringing the
partnership to life and keeping the fires burning.
3. Effective partnerships develop in order to accomplish a specific vision or task. Successful partnerships focus on what
(objectives) rather than how (structure). Form always follows function.
4. Effective partnerships start by identifying needs among the people being reached or served. They do not start by writing a
common theological statement. From these needs, Kingdom priorities, barriers to spiritual breakthroughs, and the resources
available or needed, realistic priorities for action must be distilled and agreed upon.
5. Partnerships are a process, not an event. The start-up, exploration and formative stages of a partnership often take a long
time. Even an exploratory meeting too early will likely kill the possibility of a partnership. Ultimately, personal trust is required
and that takes time to build.
6. Effective partnerships are even more challenging to maintain than to start. Making sure the vision stays alive, the focus
clear, communications good, and outcomes fulfilling takes great concentration and long term commitment.
7. Effective partnerships are made up of partner ministries with clear identities and vision. Each partner must have their
own clear mission statement and live by it. Otherwise, they will never understand how they “fit in,” contribute to the overall picture,
or benefit from the joint effort.
8. Effective partnerships acknowledge, even celebrate, the differences in their partners’ histories, vision and services. But
ultimately, partnerships must concentrate on what they have in common, like vision and values, and ministry objectives, rather than
their differences.
9. Effective partnerships keep focused on their ultimate goals or vision and are not distracted by day to day operational
demands. It is often easy to focus on the “means” rather than the “end.”
10. Effective partnerships expect problems and plan ahead for them. Be sure a process is built into the partnership for dealing
with changes, exceptions, disappointments, unfilled commitments, and simply the unexpected.
Audio tapes of the entire 1995 “Church in the 21st Century” Conference
are available by calling Convention Cassettes Unlimited at
1-800-776-5454.
Beyond the Learning Organization: Designing Your Learning Network

Leaders are life long learners and one of the most talked about classes at the 1995 "Church in the 21st Century"
conference was “Beyond the Learning Organization: Designing Your Learning Network” led by Reggie McNeal.
Personal attributes for 21st century leadership competency include: (1) systems thinking; (2) intuition; (3) taking
appropriate risk; (4) recognizing opportunity; (5) trust; (6) adequate support; and (7) vision.
Three new learning challenges for leaders are:
1. Leaders can no longer rely on control and planning for effectiveness. The new requirement for leadership is to be
prepared to meet any challenge.
2. Success is now dependent upon our ability to create new knowledge together with our colleagues.
3. Mastery of the knowledge building process is the competitive capital for 21st century success.
Limits of the present typical learning processes include: (1) they are primarily cognitive; (2) they are linear; (3) they are
too prescriptive; (4) they are too parochial or perspective bound; (5) they are privatized; and (6) they are primarily
didactic.
The new learning paradigm for leaders is the learning community. McNeal outlined the model of “learning clusters”
which he is using with pastors in South Carolina. It focuses on four core areas of curriculum for cluster group learning.
Paradigm issues include the significance of paradigms, New Testament paradigm shifts, cultural trends forcing new
paradigms, and shifts in ministry.
Leadership issues include visioning, team building, managing change and transition, dealing with conflict,
mentoring/discipling, networking, communicating/preaching, managing corporate cultures, style assessment, and worship
planning/leading.
Personal issues include: spiritual formation, personal growth, family of origin issues, hidden addictions/compulsions,
leadership dragons, family relationships, friends, surviving success/failure, finishing well, and managing criticism.
Resource issues include: prayer, staff leadership team, lay ministry partners, money, time, facilities, and community
resources.
An audio tape of McNeal's presentation as well as tapes of the entire
1995 "Church in the 21st Century" conference can be ordered through
Convention Cassettes at 800-776-5454.
Number 25 August 7, 1995
LISTENING TO THE UNCHURCHED

“They have rejected the institution, not God, and we can learn from their concerns.”
One of the distinguishing characteristics of effective churches in the 21st century is that they place a high priority
on reaching unchurched people and frequently invest time and energy in “asking the customer.” They conduct interviews,
focus groups, and surveys that ask unchurched people in their community why they are unchurched.
Mecklenburg Community Church, near Charlotte, North Carolina, was begun in October, 1992. The church presently
holds its three Sunday services in an elementary school until permanent facilities are secured. Of the more than 700
members, 80% were formerly unchurched and 50% became members through initial faith in Jesus Christ. Prior to the
public beginning of the church, a survey of the area’s unchurched population was conducted by the Barna Research Group.
The survey posed a fundamental question: “Why don’t you go to church?” The major results of the survey are as follows
and used in NetFax with the permission of Dr. James Emery White, the church’s senior minister.
1. “There is no value in attending.” (74%) The unchurched felt like they could connect with God as easily, if not better,
on the golf course as they could in a worship service. While interested in spiritual things, the unchurched do not feel that
church has much to offer their spiritual pilgrimage. This verdict would be similar to McDonald’s discovering that people
wanted hamburgers but didn’t think that McDonald’s was a place to get one.
2. “Churches have too many problems.” (81%) The reputation of the church among the unchurched is in shambles. It is
believed that churches are inflexible, hypocritical, judgmental, and just plain mean. One man in the survey said, “I have
enough problems in my life. Why would I go to church and get more?”
3. “I don’t have the time.” (48%) Time has replaced money as the new currency in contemporary American society.
Rather than asking “how much does this cost?” people are prone to ask “how long will this take?” Sundays are, for many,
the only day to “play.”
4. “I’m simply not interested.” (42%) A rather large number of people are simply not interested, for one reason
or another, in attending church.
5. “Churches ask for money too much.”(40%) Many feel that churches seem more interested in their wallets
than in them as people.
6. and 7. “Church services are usually boring (36%) and irrelevant to the way I live.” (34%) The verdict of
the unchurched is that most services are boring and lifeless, with sermons that are irrelevant to life in the real world.
8. “I don't believe in God, or I am unsure that God exists.” (12%) Many feel that the unchurched have rejected
faith or God. In reality, they have rejected the church.
CHANGING ORGANIZATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
Organizational transition is best understood as changes in the relationships among members of the
organization. The past fifteen years have been a period of significant change in structure and style
as the modern world/organization gives way to the postmodern world/organization. The following
chart identifies some of the major differences between modern and postmodern organizations.
CHARACTERISTIC MODERN POST-MODERN
Driver Profit/Economic based Mission/Purpose based
Leadership Position based Vision and Values
Vision Held only by top officials Shared by everyone in the organization
Form Machine/mechanical Organic/living
Structure Hierarchy, rigid, pyramid Flat, flexible, networked
Perspective Specialization that results in “silos” Cross-functional teams
Emphasis Function Process
Culture Paternalistic Collaborative
Growth Grow big by getting bigger Grow big by growing small
Chief Assets Buildings, machines, capital People, information, expertise
Communication Formal-written memos and reports Informal-oral, electronic
Labor Force Expectations Wages/salary/benefits/retirement In addition, meaning and significance
A further discussion of this theme and its implications for churches was included in the
presentation “Growing, Growing, Gone” at the 1995 Church in the 21st Century conference.
To obtain an audio tape, call Convention Cassettes at 1-800-776-5454 and ask for tape Number
18. For a copy of the hand-out, please FAX your request to Elaine Cox at (903) 561-9361.
Number 27 September 4, 1995
THE NEW APOSTOLIC PARADIGM

A new paradigm of church is emerging in these early years of the 21st century. The following chart identifies
some of the characteristics of this new apostolic paradigm.
CHRISTENDOM “NEW APOSTOLIC”
APOSTOLIC PARADIGM
ISSUE PARADIGM PARADIGM
(1st - 3rd Centuries)
(4th - mid 20th Centuries) (Late 20th - 21st Centuries)
Driving Forces Mission, vision / values Tradition, loyalty, obedience Mission, core beliefs and values
Mission Focused on external - Focused on internal - Focused on external -

reach out to world mission was “far away” the unchurched, the seeker
Structure Simple, functional Complex, hierarchial Flexible, contextual

local church centered bureaucracy centered local church centered
Relationship to God Personal, gets lived out Social, corporate, institutional Individual, experiential
in community
Role of Clergy Teacher, Equipper To be the minister, Teacher, Equipper, Coach,

professional to build up the disciples
Role of Laity Active, engaged in mission Passive, obedient Active, deployed in mission
Communication Narrative stories Print and proclamation, Narrative stories

Vehicle rational argument and multi-media
Level of High, informal High, formalized, High, short term for

Collaboration denominations specific purpose, networks
Leading a new apostolic church requires a new set of skills. The 21st century leader...
♦ Leads by vision and values, not simply by virtue of position
♦ Clarifies and articulates purpose and mission
♦ Is committed to a process of developing people
♦ Acknowledges the importance of their role as teacher/equipper/coach
♦ Practices life long learning and encourages others to do the same
♦ Communicates effectively using narrative story
♦ Possesses skills in leading people and organizations through transition
♦ Understands the necessity of both internal and external information
♦ Fosters a sense of community and connectedness
♦ Recognizes new opportunities in unbounded systems and is open to
establishing new alliances, partnerships and networks
NOTE: This issue is the beginning of the second year of NetFax. We hope it continues to be a useful
resource for you and welcome your comments and suggestions.
THE ESSENCE OF STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP

“If you don’t see your organization as an architecture of systems,
you will lead change efforts that are doomed to fail.”
Strategic leaders distinguish themselves from others in that they focus on the whole organization as opposed to its parts,
they look at sustaining long-term change as opposed to short-term gains, they tend to be visionary in their perspective as
opposed to problem focused, and they are more interested in affecting the organization’s quality and condition than they
are on making decisions.
Five Elements of An Organization’s Architecture
The key to strategic leadership is the alignment of five elements that form an organization’s architecture: vision,
culture, strategic direction, strategic objectives, and structure.
Vision is the leadership’s view of the organization in the future. It includes its purpose and mission and involves
projecting the organization into the future and envisioning that future.
Culture refers to the norms, rules, values, and guidelines for behavior that are designed to support people’s work
together. Culture is a term that depicts the fact that an organization is more than boxes on an organizational chart. It
has built values, norms, and expectations that over time influence the decisions people make and the way they interact
with each other.
Strategic direction refers to the degree to which the organization has a clear sense of the environment it is in and has an
overall plan for managing in that environment. While vision tells you where to aim, the strategic direction tells you the
pathway. The strategic direction of the organization tells the organization: given x assumptions about the trends and
changes in our environment, this is the direction we need to take in order to succeed and thrive.
Strategic objectives are the specific things an organization wants to accomplish in a given period of time. Effective
strategic objectives have embedded in them clear measures. They tell the organization exactly what it wants to
accomplish, by when, and how it will be measured. They are more short term than strategic direction. Strategic
direction provides the map while strategic objectives pinpoint the milestones.
Structure refers to how the organization is organized: who reports to whom, the boundaries in the organization, and
people’s roles and responsibilities. When things go wrong, the first thing traditional leaders often think to do is change
the structure. Unfortunately, what ails most organizations is much deeper than the architecture and efforts to improve
organizations by changing their structure often fall flat.
This article was excerpted with permission from the September, 1995, issue of Executive Excellence. To
subscribe, call 1-800-304-9782. For further reading see Riding the Wave: Designing Your Organization’s
Architecture for Enduring Success by Keith Merron (Ingram Book Co., $29.95).
Number 29 October 2, 1995
TEN KEYS TO STARTING A SATURDAY NIGHT SERVICE

Many churches have discovered that beginning an alternative worship service held at a time other than Sunday morning is an
effective way to reach unchurched people. While Saturday night seems to be the most popular time for an alternative service,
we know of churches who have services on Thursday and Friday nights as well. Lake Pointe Baptist Church in Rowlett, TX.
(near Dallas) began a Saturday night service four years ago which now averages over 700 in attendance. The following ten
keys are the result of their experience and provided courtesy of Senior Pastor Steve Stroope.
1. Have at least one good reason to start the service. The need for more worship space, to reach a new niche of the
community, to provide a service for those who cannot attend Sunday morning or provide people with more choices of worship
styles and/or service times are all valid reasons. The more reasons the better but “Willowcreek wantabe” doesn’t count.
2. Connect the service to the church’s vision and mission. If a connection cannot be made, then the church should not be
starting the service.
3. Lead the service with the “first string”. This includes music as well as preaching. The quality must be as good or
better than Sunday morning for the Saturday night service to get off to a good start.
4. Secure a written commitment to attend for the first year from a critical mass of people. The “ya’ll come” approach
will work for only a couple of months. With signed commitments, a church will know something of the regular attendance
before it begins. Critical mass requirements will vary based on the size of the worship space.
5. Understand that for the most part, people move as groups not as individuals. This is especially true if a church has
an on site Sunday School or Bible study format for their small groups. Recruit some of your best classes to volunteer to move
as a group to Saturday night.
6. Communicate any style or format differences between the Saturday and Sunday services when recruiting the
critical mass. People do not like surprises.
7. Provide equal access to small groups. If all the small groups are held in homes, this is not a major issue. But if
“Sunday School” or Bible study is held on campus, a fully graded “Saturday School” must also be provided.
8. Schedule the service when it does not conflict with typical Saturday night events. Usually a 6:00 P.M. time will
allow visitors to attend and still make other commitments later the same evening.
9. Provide proper staff support. Additional personnel, full or part time, may be necessary to help cover existing
responsibilities so staff can handle the new work load.
10. Prepare a written plan that allows ample time to communicate the change to the church, secure commitments,
recruit and train new teams, and publicize the service to the community. A suggested time frame is six months
minimum.
For more information, you might want to order a copy of Lake Pointe’s video, “Starting a Successful Saturday Night
Service,” that can be used with church leaders. It includes sample highlights of an actual service as well as
communication materials and music. To order the tape, call (972) 771-2322 and ask for Leadership Tape # 17. The cost
is $24.00.
HAVE AMERICANS LOST TOUCH WITH THE SACRED IN THEIR WORKADAY

LIVES?
The September 26, 1994 issue of U.S. News & World Report, includes a review of the new book, God and
Mammon in America, (Free Press, $22.95) by Princeton sociologist Robert Wuthnow. The following are
excerpts of the review, used with permission of U.S. News & World Report.
"There is a vast chasm today between the once potent forces of religion and faith on the one hand and the day-
to-day details of work life and personal finance on the other. Wuthnow argues that this severed connection is
wreaking psychological havoc for millions of Americans struggling to lead honorable financial lives but seeing
no clear signposts to guide them in the matters of money."
"The core of Wuthnow's analysis is a survey of 2,000 working Americans, the first of its kind, on the
relationship between spiritually and such matters as career choice, workplace commitment, consumerism and
charity. What the study reveals is that Americans are spiritually adrift when it comes to making decisions in the
realm of personal economics. The once widely held idea of a vocational "calling"-not just to the clergy but to
any meaningful life's work-lost its currency and disappeared. Today, Wuthnow maintains, the complex
organizations and legal webs that dominate society and the workplace make it harder for people to apply
clear moral tests to the way they act in their careers."
"Wuthnow holds the clergy largely to blame for this condition. 'It is,' he contends, 'dangerous to afflict the
comfortable' when the church's balanced budget is on the line, and religious leaders have taken the path of least
resistance in staying silent on the delicate issues of workplace zealotry and material self-interest."
"Although Wuthnow is the first to marshall empirical evidence of America's spirit-dollar chasm, his analysis
comes during a time of burgeoning concern about the untoward consequences of materialism and the decline of
the sacred as an influence in the personal affairs of the typical American."
This book can be ordered directly from The Free Press by calling 1-800-257-5755.
CHURCH TRADITIONS: BUILDING BLOCKS OR ROADBLOCKS?

Church traditions are essential building blocks. Yet with the passage of time, building-block traditions can also
become roadblock traditions. Leaders in effective churches recognize when some of their building-block traditions
have become roadblocks and take action to move beyond them. Not all traditions are created equal. Church leaders
who want to change a tradition must recognize the category into which a tradition falls. The closer to the top of the
following list of categories of traditions, the more tenaciously churches will hang onto a tradition.
1. Belief traditions. The resurrection of Christ, the virgin birth, and biblical authority are examples of general belief
traditions. Examples of traditions specific to individual denominations include worship on the seventh day of the
week, baptism by immersion, and exclusively male clergy. Changing a belief tradition may take 50-70 years.
2. Worship traditions. Celebrating the Lord’s Supper each week, raising one’s hands to praise God, and singing
hymns without using musical instruments are crucial traditions in at least three denominations. Other worship
traditions abound in individual congregations. Often, a new pastor discovers that one of these is a “core ritual” on
which church leaders will not compromise.
3. Behavior traditions. Behavior traditions common to numerous denominations include monogamy, regular
worship attendance, and supporting the church financially.
4. Event traditions. The annual Thanksgiving dinner, the “Hanging of the Greens” service during the Christmas
season, the Seder Supper at Easter, and Homecoming are event traditions in many congregations.
5. Program traditions. A bus ministry, a particular stewardship program, and maintaining a food pantry are all
examples of program traditions.
Moving Beyond Roadblock Traditions
How can a church leader help their congregation move beyond a tradition that limits its mission and ministry
effectiveness? The following principles usually apply.
(1) Create numerous opportunities for discussing the central issue over a period of months. People need time to
reflect. (2) Maintain high levels of personal caring for individuals involved in making the decision, especially the
people who strongly resist the change. (3) Resist the inclination to wait for total consensus before making a change.
The “convoy syndrome,” which says we must all sail or no one sails, can keep all the ships anchored in the harbor. (4)
Announce changes as an experiment that will be evaluated after several months. (5) Announce changes as a way of
living out a Biblical mandate and more effectively serving God. (6) Announce changes as a way of building on
congregational traditions. Find a way to connect the future with the past.
This article was edited and used with the permission of Herb Miller, author/consultant/and publisher of Net Results.
To subscribe to Net Results, call 1-806-762-8094.
TEN CHARACTERISTICS OF A HEALTHY CHURCH ©

There is a lot of discussion these days about healthy churches. What do they look like and regardless of size, are there
common characteristics of healthy churches? The Evangelistic Association of New England (EANE) recently published
a document describing some of the values and characteristics of healthy churches. Based on the following ten
characteristics, how healthy is your church?
1. God-Exalting Worship... the healthy church gathers regularly as the local expression of the Body of Christ to
worship God in ways that engage the heart, mind, soul, and strength of the people.
2. God’s Empowering Presence...the healthy church actively seeks the Holy Spirit’s direction and empowerment for
its daily life and ministry.
3. An Outward Focus...the healthy church places high priority on communicating the truth of Jesus and demonstrating
the love of Jesus to those outside the faith.
4. Servant Leadership Development...the healthy church identifies and develops individuals whom God has called and
given the gift of leadership and challenges them to become servant-leaders.
5. A Commitment to Loving, Caring Relationships...the healthy church is intentional in its efforts to build loving,
caring relationships within families, between members and within the community they serve.
6. Learning and Growing in Community...the healthy church encourages believers to grow in their walks with God
and with one another in the context of a safe, affirming environment.
7. Personal Disciplines...the healthy church provides training, models, and resources for members of all ages to
develop their daily spiritual disciplines.
8. Stewardship and Generosity...the healthy church teaches its members that they are stewards of their God-given
resources and challenges them to sacrificial generosity in sharing with others.
9. Wise Administration and Accountability...the healthy church utilizes appropriate facilities, equipment and systems
to provide maximum support for the growth and development of its ministries.
10. Networking with other Churches...the healthy church reaches out to others in the Body of Christ for
collaboration, resource sharing, learning opportunities and united celebrations of worship.
For an elaboration of the Ten Characteristics of A Healthy Church © and

a diagnostic tool to evaluate your church, contact EANE at (617) 229-1990.
Number 32 November 13, 1995
DOES EVANGELISM HAVE A FUTURE IN AMERICA?

Ten days ago, researcher/author/marketer George Barna spoke to a group of leaders in philanthropy on the
status of evangelism in the U.S. as part of a meeting hosted by Leadership Network and others. He based his
remarks on a decade of study and surveys conducted by the Barna Research Group, with particular emphasis
on the last three years. Before identifying ten myths of evangelism, he spoke briefly about the context of the
myths in terms of the United States. Because of space, we have included only five of the ten myths of
evangelism. To hear his complete remarks, see the bottom of this NetFax.
Evangelism Myths
1. Most churches are committed to evangelism. In a survey over the past 12 months, pastors were asked
to describe their church and one of the optional descriptions was “evangelistic.” Less than one of four
pastors described their church as evangelistic. When asked to identify their church’s top three priorities for
the coming year, less than one-half of the respondents included evangelism in their top three priorities. Only
one of eight pastors said Christians in their church were effectively prepared to share their faith.
2. Churches are aggressively preparing people for evangelism. Most churches do not have any system
for preparing people in evangelism. Of those who actively share their faith, 85% said they wished they had
better training in evangelism or outreach.
3. Most people become believers through evangelistic preaching. Many think that if you can bring an
unbeliever to church, the pastor can “save” them. The reality is that they are much more likely to come to
faith in Christ through friends or family. In our survey, only one of eight people came to faith because of a
preaching presentation.
4. To find new Christians, go to the fastest growing churches. About 80% of church growth is transfer
and biological growth, not adult conversion growth.
5. The typical church is committed to individual conversions. We have confused what we call making a
decision for Christ with making a disciple. We are not mentoring and discipling believers so that life
transformation takes place.
To order a cassette tape of Barna’s complete remarks, call Convention Cassettes at 1-800-776-5454.
Ask for the 1995 Gathering Tape No. 6, “Does Evangelism Have a Future in America?” by George
Barna.
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY IN THE 90’S...CHANGES AND CHALLENGES
Perhaps no other age level ministry in the church has changed more in the past twenty years than ministry to
children. Ten days ago, 75 Children’s Ministers from throughout the nation met to discuss the issues facing
ministry to children in the 90’s, exchange ideas and resources, and network at the 1995 Children’s Ministry
Forum. From their discussions, it is clear that both children and children’s ministry are different in the 90’s.
CHILDREN ARE DIFFERENT TODAY

There are significant developmental differences in children today in that the age span is increasing for early
elementary children...they are not maturing as rapidly as in the past. Children today have far more needs than
those of previous generations. They exhibit a greater disrespect for authority, an ignorance of acceptable
social behavior, and on the part of many children, an inability to establish positive relationships. The stress
level of children is increasing as is the number who are taking medication for depression. They are dealing
with issues of divorce, sickness, disabilities, and death more frequently and at an earlier age than previous
generations. Finally, children today are increasingly without any exposure to religious education or influence
in their homes.
KEY ISSUES OF CHILDREN’S MINISTRY IN THE 90’S

More and more churches are beginning to understand the importance of children’s ministry in the total life of
the church...it is no longer understood as providing child care during worship and other church activities. It
increasingly involves ministry to parents as well as the children. Because no other age level ministry
encompasses the diversity of development issues as does children’s ministry (infant, toddler, pre-schooler, and
elementary), there is an increasing need for specialists on the staff who can deal with the special needs of each
stage. Administrative responsibilities are increasing because of the compliance with regulations concerning
child safety and health and facility security.
The biggest issue concerns staffing and the decision to use trained volunteers or paid professional staff. The
larger the church and the more expectations placed on the children’s ministry, the more frequent is the use of
professional paid staff.
A set of the complete notes from the 1995 Children’s Ministry Forum
is available for $10 by calling Leadership Network at 1-800-765-5323.
Number 34 December 11, 1995
“L ≥ C...THE LAW OF ECOLOGICAL LEARNING”
Among the many laws of ecology, none may be more important than L ≥ C which states that in order for an
organism to survive, its rate of learning must be equal to or greater than the rate of change in the
environment. In this ever changing 21st century world full of “paradigm shifts,” few are more significant than
the shift from training to learning.
Learning is fundamentally about making meaning out of our experiences and it is the most potent force for
change, both individually and collectively. Learning is also at the very heart of becoming a disciple. Jesus
never said, “come and be a trainer of me” but rather “come and learn of me.” The implications of the
revolution taking place in how we learn and the shift from a training paradigm to a learning paradigm are
significant for Christian education and the making of 21st century disciples.
TRAINING LEARNING
Goal is training Goal is to produce learning
Teacher focused Learner focused
Teacher’s role is expert Teacher’s role is coach, facilitator
Learner’s role is passive Learner’s role is active
Individual Team/Community/Collaborative
Program driven Process driven
Standardized Customized
Linear, sequential Experiential, relationship based
Periodic, as needed Continuous, life long
Long term-semester Short term-retreat, seminar
Classroom located Learning environment located
Memorize information Critical thinking, problem solving
Feedback-test for retention Feedback-test for application
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
Goal is knowledge transfer Goal is obedience/change behavior
Focus on Bible knowledge Focus on life skills/application
Content/doctrine/beliefs Felt needs/ministry/maturity
Church based Home/Community based
Sunday only Seven days a week
House curriculum only Best available/House plus other
“THE FIFTH RESOLUTION”

One of the world’s leading strategic planners is Mike Kami, former Director of Strategic Planning for IBM
and now a global consultant. The final NetFax for 1995 highlights Kami’s observations from the latest issue
of his quarterly Strategic Assumptions newsletter.
“A year ago I suggested four resolutions for the year 1995: think and act wise, human, global, and digital. I
would like to add a fifth resolution for 1996 and beyond: think and act contemporary! This is not a trivial
statement. We must thoroughly understand the tremendous changes happening in our country and abroad in
almost any field of endeavor. We also must adapt to these changes, whether we like them or not.”
“There’s little that an individual can do about such monumental changes in technology, society and politics.
But each one of us must be contemporary. We must at least fully understand, factually and without bias, the
changing world around us. It’s the only way to make sound and valid new decisions for ourselves... and our
sphere of influence.”
On the paradox of employment and education: Most of today’s job opportunities require people with
specific skills, not educational credentials. The shift is from bright generalists to knowledgeable specialists.
On key word derivative thinking: Look at a situation and reduce it to a few most important criteria that
best describe the underlying social and economic forces. Practice it in your business.
On obnoxious reality: A reminder that we never did and never can achieve complete control over external
events. Get a firm grasp of the obvious... and don’t try and micromanage the world from the top of an ivory
tower. The name of the game is flexibility, flexibility and flexibility!
On productivity: Select the most important and crucial steps in your operations and concentrate only on
improving these core processes. Don’t look for marginal gain...look for drastic and dramatic innovation.
Seek to climb a mountain, not an anthill.
************************************************************************
All of us at Leadership Network wish for you, your families, and congregations
a blessed Christmas and joyous new year in 1996!
Bob Buford Fred Smith
Gayle Carpenter Carol Childress Bruce Freeman Brad Smith Dave Travis
Elaine Cox Gerry Deese Melea Edwards B.J. Engle Katrina Gault Nancy Kiser
Kris Neill Linda Stanley Brandi Snell
BEYOND BOOMERS TO GENERATION X

According to the best accounts available, she is the first Baby Boomer. Born one second into the new
year of 1946, she was joined over the next 18 years by 76 million others who comprise the Baby Boom
generation. January 1, 1996, Kathleen Kerschling turned fifty, marking another major transition point in
the life of Boomers. Because of their numbers and the convergence of several social, economic and
cultural forces, Boomers have influenced and re-shaped much of American life the past fifty years. And
their influence will continue to be felt as they live out the second half of their lives. But in recent
months, much of the focus of generational attention has shifted to the next generation, those 41 million
young adults who follow the Boomers.
Generation X...Baby Busters...13th Gen...Twenty-Somethings...The Repair Generation...The Free

Generation...The Confused Generation. All of these labels have been attached to the generation that
abhors labels! Xers have become the focus of books, magazines, newspaper articles, marketing
seminars, movies, television shows...and yes, even churches.
There have been a number of books in recent months about Xers, but two in particular are outstanding.
Both written by Xers, one is done from a secular management perspective and the other a combination of
sociology and Christian approaches to reach Generation X. Both defuse many of the popular myths
surrounding Generation X.
Managing Generation X by Bruce Tulgan (Merritt Publishing, 1-800-638-7597, $19.95) is the result of
interviews with over 85 young adults in the marketplace. Four consistent themes emerged from their
stories: belonging, learning, entrepreneurship, and security.
Jesus for a New Generation by Kevin Ford (InterVarsity Press, 1-800-843-4587, $12.99) is the
outgrowth of a national consultation on Xers and contains not only valuable insight into their thinking
and experiences but also implications for evangelism centered around a practical faith that works and
narrative evangelism.
In order to help church leaders address Xers, Leadership Network is hosting a special forum on
“Ministering to Generation X” March 7-9, 1996 in Colorado Springs. Resources for the Forum
will be Dieter Zander of WillowCreek Community Church and George Barna of the Barna
Research Group. For more information on the Forum or to register, call Linda Stanley at 1-800-
765-5323.
FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION

One’s values, attitudes, lifestyle and world view are greatly influenced by the particular generation into which you are
born. The most critical factors in “imprinting” or the shaping of a generation are the historical, social, economic and
political events occurring in one’s adolescence and young adulthood. The following chart provides some understanding
of the key distinctives between the adult generations now present in the US population.
Booster Boomer Buster

Identity
Security Identity
Personal Growth
Safety Relationships
Meaning
Stability Community
Materialism
“We” “Me” “Us”
...the good of the whole ...self-fulfillment ...in community
“No Sweat” “No Problem” “No Fear”
Worked hard All kinds of problems Scared to death
“Boosters.” Born before 1946, the GI and Silent Generations were shaped by World Wars I, II and the “Great
Depression.” Key issues of safety, security, and stability have been reflected in their conservatism and belief in the
value of institutions. There is safety in numbers and Boosters have been joiners, from the PTA to the Rotary Club.
They have worked hard, saved their money, and sacrificed for the good of the whole.
“Boomers.” Born 1946-1964, the 76 million Boomers have been shaped by the significant social and political changes
of the 60’s and 70’s, the shift to a consumer culture, and music/media. Indulged by their parents and a culture that has
responded to each new stage of their life, these searchers and seekers have been on lifelong journeys of discovery.
Cause oriented, with the ultimate cause being themselves, their key issues have been/will be personal growth and
identity, meaning and materialism.
“Busters.” The first postmodern generation, Busters have been shaped by the emergence of a global economy, the end
of the Cold War, revolutions in information and technology, dysfunctional families, environmental pollution, and crises
of addictions, AIDS, violence, and absolutes to name just four. Key issues center around personal identity, and
establishing and maintaining relationships that result in meaningful community.
**************************************
Leadership Network is hosting a special forum, “Ministering to Generation X,”
March 7-9 in Colorado Springs, CO. Resources will include:
• Kevin Ford, author of Jesus for a New Generation and former campus minister
• Tim Celek, Senior Pastor of Calvary Church, a 700+ Gen X congregation in Southern CA
• Chris Seay, Senior Pastor of a 1,000 + Gen X congregation in TX, and the University Church Worship Team
• Dieter Zander, Teaching Pastor, WillowCreek Community Church
• George Barna, researcher/author/President, Barna Research Group.
For more information on the Forum or to register, call Linda Stanley at 1-800-765-5323.
SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS...MOVING FROM SUCCESS TO SIGNIFICANCE

In 1985, Bob Buford decided to create an organization that would address the leadership and organizational
development needs of large, complex churches and Christian organizations. He wrote a mission statement and business
plan for the idea and hired a full time staff person. To make sure the idea had sufficient resources, he committed 30%
of his time and funded the budget. The result was Leadership Network.
In 1992, Duncan Campbell, the owner of a timber investment firm, became concerned about high risk kids in Portland,
Oregon. He developed a business plan and put up the money to fund his idea. Today, Campbell commits 50% of his
time to the organization, Friends, that provides mentors for high risk kids in the Portland area.
In 1994, Tom Luce, a successful attorney, had a dream for an organization that would change the nature of public
education in the State of Texas. He wrote a mission statement and a business plan, hired a full time staff person, and
committed his own money as well as 50% of his time. The result is Just For The Kids which has a good chance of
making a critical difference in public education in Texas.
All three men are social entrepreneurs-a new term being used to describe men and women who have reached a point in
life where they want to convert the energy they used to build businesses and careers into building social initiatives that
originate from their Christian motivation to be “salt and light” in the world. A social entrepreneur has the
characteristics of a community activist, a venture capitalist, and a philanthropist. There are at least four criteria that
comprise the profile of a social entrepreneur:
1. A focused vision with clear outcomes. Not just well-intentioned and pro-active philanthropists, they have a
particular problem they want to solve in the society or an opportunity they want to exploit. Like all entrepreneurs, they
are able to spot discontinuities or changes and take advantage of them.
2. A minimum of one full time staff person. A social entrepreneur recognizes that very little gets done
without staffing for it. They also recognize the importance of creating at least a minimum of an organization through
which they can work on their social vision. Otherwise, the initiative becomes a hobby or distraction.
3. A personal monetary commitment of at least $100,000. It is important that some of their own “skin” is in
the game as well as that of others they may enlist.
4. A commitment of at least 30% of their personal time and energy. Not content to just write checks or
raise funds, they have a substantial personal engagement in the venture and often times, it becomes a “second career.”
There are men and women sitting in the pews of churches or on the boards of organizations all across
America who are potential social entrepreneurs and Leadership Network would like to identify them.
If someone who fits the above profile is a member of your congregation or associated with your
organization, Fred Smith is waiting to hear their story. Please call him at 1-800-765-5323.
LEADERSHIP FOR TURBULENT TIMES

“In recent years, the context of business in the United States has undergone a radical change. Following the
end of WW II, there was a lengthy period of relative stability. Companies assumed that they could predict the
future by extrapolating from the past. Almost all change was managed change but around 1985 this
extraordinarily benign period ended. Turbulence became the rule and it is generally recognized that this
change in context from stability to turbulence is making new demands on our leaders.”
The above words are from the introduction to Leadership for Turbulent Times, a new publication recently
released by the Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro, NC (910-545-2805, $24.00). The
publication is an outgrowth of a 1994 working conference on turbulence and the new leadership
requirements that addressed three questions: (1) What are the most critical leadership challenges today---the
ones that will really make a difference in company performance over time and which are new or different?
(2) What is difficult, demanding, or even counterintuitive (or against organizational culture) in coping with
these challenges and achieving leadership excellence? (3) What can senior management do to encourage and
aid in the development of these leadership capabilities? Discussions were organized around the following
main themes.
1. Teamwork and organizational stewardship...executives are not seen as “lone wolves” in pursuit of
personal accomplishment but as stewards of their organization working with colleagues toward mutually
beneficial goals.
2. Leading beyond the organization’s boundaries...leadership is now as much an inter- as an

intraorganizational process.
3. Senior executives as exemplars of values...leaders can be a stabilizing influence through demonstrated

personal integrity and commitment to organizational core values.
4. Maintaining strategic focus to grow the business...while not easy to do in times of turbulence, strategic
focus can provide a sense of purpose as well as clarity of direction and is closely related to the executive as a
learner.
5. Senior managers who continue to learn...change requires leaders who can truly understand the
underlying new conceptual issues and then patiently rework the organization’s culture to facilitate
organizational learning.
As a 21st century leader, do these themes characterize your leadership?

LEADING BY VISION AND VALUES

The 21st century leader does not lead by the authority of their position, but by an ability to clearly articulate a vision and core
values of their organization or congregation. On October 3, 1994, Ken Blanchard, author and international management
consultant, and Bill Hybels, founder and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, spoke to church leaders throughout
North America via a satellite telecast on the subject of leading by vision and values. The following are brief excerpts from the
three-hour telecast.
Blanchard: Vision and values are important because they focus the energy of people on what they are really in business for...all
good performance starts with good clear direction. And the vision cannot stay in the just the leader's head...to be effective,
everybody has to buy into it...and to do this is a journey...it is a process...it starts with the leaders meeting to work on it ...and
normally it takes a minimum of three or four months to develop it. There are two parts to leadership...one is the vision casting and
the other is implementation...you have to implement things that match your vision... And remember, the thinking that got you to
where you are today, will not get you to where you need to go.
Hybels: It seems to me there is a lot of "fuzzy vision" out there... many people attending church are just not clear about why they
are there. Jesus was very clear about what the church was to do in the Great Commission. The process of establishing vision and
values is a painful one...you cannot be everything to everybody anymore. It really has three parts to it: the purpose or mission and
then the values the mission is built on. The third part is creating a powerful image in your mind of what it would look like if you
accomplished the mission...we get lulled into mediocrity...we lose sight of what could be...if God's power is available to us.
Blanchard: One of the fears of leaders I work with is "if I get this vision, I don't know how to make this happen." Don't worry...if
you are clear on the vision and send it out...events will start happening. The starting point has to be the clarity of the vision and
then you will be amazed at what the Lord will do...but if you have your head down and you don't know where you are going, there
is no possibility. And the top person doesn't have to be everything...you build a team that together you can make it happen...if you
can get your ego out of the way...the biggest human detriment in any organization is ego...Edging God Out.
Hybels: The question was asked, "how can I get people to dream again after the initial vision has burned out?" If there is anything
I have learned over the years at Willow Creek, it is to underestimate how often I need to re-kindle the vision...to consistently re-
educate people why we are on the track we are on...why we do things the way we do. This is why our values are so important...of
all the leadership issues, this is the toughest...what values are you going to lift up... preach about...what values will drive your
behavior?
A videotape of the complete "Vision and Values" telecast is available through The Charles E. Fuller Institute at 1-800-999-9578.
“THE TEACHING CHURCH NETWORK...Churches Mentoring Churches”
One of the characteristics of a 21st century church is a renewed emphasis on the making of disciples, of having
in place a process unique to its context that results in growing and healthy disciples. What if that idea was
taken to another level and applied to churches? What if there was a process for healthy churches to mentor
other churches? The answer to these questions might look like the Teaching Church Network (TCN).
An outgrowth of a model developed by Wooddale Church and its pastor, Leith Anderson, the Teaching Church
Network seeks to link healthy churches who are interested in sharing what they have learned with developing
churches who are seeking to increase their effectiveness in mission and ministry. Launched in 1994, there are
now 18 Teaching Churches and 40 Developing Churches who are being mentored. The TCN hopes to have
100 Teaching Churches and 400 Developing Churches across the nation. According to church consultant Lyle
Schaller, “entering into a mentoring relationship with a church in the Teaching Church Network is the newest
and best resource for improving the ministry of a congregation.”
Teaching Churches and Developing Churches are located in every region of the country and in both urban and
suburban settings. They include mainline, evangelical and independent churches, large churches and small
churches. While diverse in location, polity, and size, Teaching Churches share an understanding of the nature
and mission of the Church; they are able to articulate how they are engaged in ministry as a result of clearly
developed and intentional strategies; they are sensitive to culture; they are committed to outreach and building
bridges to the Gospel; they see the church from a systems perspective; and they have a sense of stewardship
about sharing their knowledge base with other churches and are willing to disclose and learn from their
weakness amidst their strengths.
Recent evaluations from the Developing Churches in the TCN revealed some interesting discoveries. The
mentoring process has changed the discussion in their churches and raised it to a new level focused on a greater
understanding of basic principles related to growing a healthy church. It has also given them a practical
opportunity to see the principles applied in real life at their mentoring church and helped them see the need to
be more intentional about church health. Being linked to a church with whom they have an affinity in terms of
size and location is also important. While this approach is not a “quick fix,” it does accelerate the change
process in a congregation. According to Paul Borden, Executive Director of TCN, “A single big event might
change minds but it will not effect change. This process of a church mentoring another church will do that.”
For more information about the Teaching Church Network,

call Paul Borden at (612) 942-9866 or fax him at (612) 944-6711.
If you encounter any problem with the transmission of NetFax, please call 1-800-621-8268
“AUTHENTICITY AND CONNECTIONS FRAME GEN X FORUM”

Authenticity as the foundation for ministry and leadership...a new style of music and worship...process
evangelism...teams, not stars...narrative communication...equipping lay leaders...ministry as demonstration
of one’s faith...passion...commitment...energy. All of these words could be used to describe the people and
dialogue found at the Gen X Forum held March 7-9 in Colorado Springs. Sponsored by Leadership
Network, the Forum drew together over 200 Gen X leaders and others ministering to Gen X. The following
are key points from remarks of three of the speakers: Kevin Ford, George Barna and Chris Seay.
Kevin Ford: “Connecting to Xers, Strategies for Effective Evangelism” We (Xers) need help
connecting. One is connecting to society or social evangelism. We have seen the hypocrisy of people who
do not “walk the talk.” Demonstrate the Gospel...go beyond the intellectual...quit the evangelistic beach
trips and build houses. A second connection is to our friends. Our families were supposed to teach us how
to interact, how to connect, but many were unhealthy and some of us never learned how. The third
connection is to God. Post-modernity moves us into community, not isolated individuals. It is process
evangelism and does not happen overnight. We are not some evangelistic project but the result of a process
of evangelism and discipleship.
George Barna: “Trends: Beneath the Surface of the New Ministry Frontier” The postmodern world
involves several shifts: from purpose in life of satisfaction to survival; from product to process; from
excellence to utility; from one true religion to a plurality of religions. Most churches are undermined by bad
assumptions and there are some wrong assumptions related to Xers: worship is the core event; tithing
means 10% to the church; education is via written tradition and Boomer style contemporary worship works.
In terms of Gen X culture, we need to be aware of (1) technology (it is what levels the playing field
between Xers and other generations); (2) the church of the future that will have many different models
(including cyberchurch); and (3) leadership that will emerge from the generation itself rather than imposed
by others, especially Boomers.
Chris Seay: “Worship for the MTV Generation” One-half of the music in CD stores talks about God
now...the world and this generation are desiring a dialogue with a church that won’t listen. Be authentic...
get away from manuscripts. If you are a dork, be a dork up front. At church, I can be who I am. It is about
teamwork...there is no superstar. If you are going to use traditions, understand why you are using them to
reach this generation. The biggest contrast between Xers and Boomer styles of worship is the music. Xer
music is more guitar, less keyboard and more simple with fewer chords. Music is life to this generation.
Audiotapes of the main sessions at the Gen X Forum are available
by calling Convention Cassettes at 1-800-776-5454.
NEW WINESKINS, NOT PATCHES

For three days last week, leaders of both mainline and evangelical denominations met to share resources and
ideas, learn from each other and discuss the challenges facing regional judicatories for the 21st century. All are a
part of the Church Champions Network sponsored by Leadership Network. Two models of regional judicatory
re-engineering were shared.
The Episcopal Diocese of Texas Model...Bishop Claude Payne

We have begun the gigantic change of preparing for the 21st century by casting a vision that will move us from
maintenance to mission. Central to the vision is our outward focus on the unchurched. This is a radical departure
from the past where our churches have often been chaplancies. We have also focused on a vision of oneness,
meaning that we look at the entire diocese as being one Church, not merely a confederation of congregations. We
refer to our individual congregations as missionary outposts. We have a goal of almost tripling our membership in
a decade and that will require a miracle and reordering of how we think about ourselves. We are focusing on
disciples making disciples. The final part has to do with the words “all nations” in the Great Commission. We are
intentionally eager to become multicultural, multiracial and multiethnic. We have added a staff person who is
responsible for congregational development and begun to work with churches and leaders in clusters based on
size. We have increased our strategic planning process with local congregations, re-organized our staff around a
team concept rather than hierarchy, and are starting new congregations.
The South Carolina Baptist Convention...Carlisle Driggers, Executive Director

The church is the body of Christ in its local setting and the role of the denomination is to stand with the church, not
use the church for denominational purposes. Our organizing principle is that we exist to serve the churches. Our
measuring rod is that we measure success one church at a time. Our desired end result is the qualitative and
quantitative growth of churches. As a staff, we have six objectives: (1) create a climate for Kingdom growth; (2)
customize our assistance to churches that enables them to carry out their plan for Kingdom growth; (3) train and
develop leaders; (4) develop our staff as models of servant leadership;
(5) affirm innovation; and (6) target ministries that respond to discovered needs. Our core values are: persons,
church, growth, teamwork, learning, and integrity. In Empowering Kingdom Growth, we have discovered the
power of vision.
Audiotapes of the plenary sessions will be available after April 8 by calling Convention
Cassettes at 1-800-776-5454. For more information on the Church Champions Network,
call Dave Travis at Leadership Network at 1-800-765-5323.
“SPIRITUALITY AND REDISCOVERING MISSION”
While the calendar says it is 1996, we are living in the 21st century. The calendar simply has not kept up with
the culture. And in terms of the mission and ministry opportunities before the church, the twenty-first century is
going to be more like the first century than most of the 2,000 intervening years.
In attempting to discern the opportunities for the Gospel amidst the times in which we live, perhaps no sign is
more clear than people’s search for spirituality. It is a search that while once may have been private, is now
publicly chronicled in television specials, the headlines of magazines and newspapers, and bookstore shelves. It
is the subject of ongoing discussions from the campus to the boardroom, in small groups and large forums.
The March issue of Swing, a new magazine targeted at people in their twenties, is focused on this search and
the headline of the cover screams “SPIRITUALITY RETURNS.” In this pluralistic 21st century world, the
search for spirituality takes many forms and the articles range from the Zen based coaching and play of the
incredible 1995-96 Chicago Bulls to the hottest healers in Hollywood and from Hare Krishnas punk rockers to
wayward young Jews rediscovering the power of observance and their faith. According to the editorial, in a
recent survey of twentysomethings finding spiritual fulfillment was ranked more important than achieving
financial success.
This is also a day in which the church is seeking to rediscover and redefine its mission. It is clear to many that a
new 21st century church is emerging and among its chief characteristics are both a clarified focus on its
mission and a clear understanding of the cultural context in which it does mission.
Two March events marked one group’s effort to address the church in the 21st century. One was the release
of an excellent new book, The Church Between Gospel and Culture edited by George Hunsberger and Craig
Van Gelder (Erdmans, $26.00, 1-800-253-7521). A collection of essays, it addresses rediscovering the
missionary nature of the church for North America, the current cultural context, and the shape and leadership
of the new missionary congregations.
A second event was the first national conference of The Gospel and Our Culture Network framed around the
theme of “Confident Witness and Changing World.” For further information about tapes from the conference
or The Gospel and Our Culture Network, including their newsletter, contact Judy Bos at (616)392-8555 or
email her at judybos@hayburn.com
“SUCCESS AND DERAILMENT IN THE 90’s”
It is a fact of organizational life that some leaders who appear to be successful early in their career do not live
up to their potential and find themselves plateaued, demoted or even fired. In the 1980’s, the Center for
Creative Leadership published a landmark study on the factors of success and derailment of senior executives
in the United States. New research has been conducted on leaders in the 1990’s, including executives in Europe
as well as the U.S. The results of this new study are now available in a CCL publication, A Look At
Derailment Today. The following are highlights of the study for U.S. leaders.
Definition of Success and Derailment
Success is defined as reaching one of the top 10-20 positions in the corporation and living up to one’s full
potential as perceived by the organization. Derailment is defined as achieving a very high level, but not as high
as the organization expected. The leader may have been plateaued, demoted or fired, accepted early retirement
or had their responsibilities reduced.
Leading Success Factors Most Frequently Mentioned in the 1990’s
Eighteen success factors were identified and among the highest ranking were an ability to develop or adapt;
establishing strong collaborative relationships; consistent exceptional performance; strong communicator; an
ability to build and lead a team; strategic and visionary; non-authoritarian; and a willingness to take risks.
Derailment Factors Most Frequently Mentioned in the 1990’s
The most frequently mentioned derailment factors were poor working relations; an inability to develop or
adapt; an inability to build and lead a team; being too authoritarian; having too narrow a functional orientation;
and poor performance in the “red zone.”
Enduring Success Themes Over Time and Cultures
The following themes appeared in the 1980 and 1990 studies and for both U.S. and European leaders:
establishes strong relationships; consistently high performance; team building and leadership skills; willingness
to take risks; able to adapt; and problem solver.
Enduring Derailment Themes Over Time and Cultures
These derailment themes appeared in both studies and for U.S. and European leaders: problems with
interpersonal relationships; failure to meet business objectives; inability to build and lead a team; and inability to
develop or adapt.
To obtain a copy of the full report, contact the Center for Creative Leadership
at (910) 545-2805. The report, A Look At Derailment Today, is $25.00.
“DEVELOPING LEADERS, 99 LIVES AND FINDING BALANCE...

WOMEN’S MINISTRIES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY”
Ministry is born out of the life issues and concerns of people and changes in the culture. In many congregations,
staffing for ministry reflects these same issues and concerns. A cursory look at the evolution of church staffing
responsibilities over the past forty years reveals the connection between the creation of new staff positions and the
ministry opportunities found in the population and community. Three current examples are the needs of women,
children and families. Two weeks ago, Leadership Network held its second annual forum for leaders of women’s
ministries in large churches.
The “top ten “ issues addressed by the 48 leaders who attended included: (1) leadership development; (2) organiza-
tional structure; (3) volunteer recruitment; (4) finding balance in ministry/personal life; (5) identifying the needs of
today’s woman; (6) issues of the working woman; (7) program development; (8) outreach to the community and
uninvolved church members; (9) creative Bible study; and (10) boundary and time management issues. The
following are three of several key themes of the discussion.
Women’s Ministries are becoming more relational oriented and less program / event oriented. Programs and
events used to be the focus of many women’s ministries but now the emphasis is more relational based. “Programs
used to be an end unto themselves but now the program is a means to a relationship...to Christ... and to others.”
There is also a growing understanding of process over program and being more flexible in terms of scheduling and
approaches. “Bigger events are not necessarily better any longer...women don’t want the superficial any more...and
learning styles are changing.”
There is an increasing need for leadership development, both at the staff and lay leader level. Women’s
ministry leadership often began on a volunteer or part time basis but as the expectations of women and the
complexity of ministering to the diversity of women have increased, leaders are becoming more professionally
trained and equipped. Likewise, lay leaders in women’s ministries have higher expectations for leadership
development and being equipped with appropriate skills.
Finding balance is a critical issue for women in general and for leaders of women’s ministries. Most women
today, regardless of age, seem to have “99 lives.” Their lives are too complicated as they juggle multiple roles and
full schedules. Helping women find balance in their lives and providing “soul care” are important elements in
effective women’s ministry for the 21st century.
A set of the complete notes from the 1996 Women’s Ministries Forum
is available for $10 by calling Leadership Network at 1-800-765-5323.
MISSION AND BOUNDARIES
We are living in the midst of two major shifts in human history. Both are not limited to the United States
but are occurring world wide. One is the shift from the Industrial Age to the Information Age and the other
is the shift from the modern world to the postmodern world. Both shifts are “in process” and one reason
we are experiencing such dissonance and apparent chaos is that we are in the “in- between times.” The old
is not yet fully dead and the new is not yet fully born. One useful way of understanding the shift from the
modern to postmodern world is to view it in terms of mission and boundaries.
All systems must have two elements: mission and boundaries. Mission is defined as purpose or reason for
existence. Boundaries are defined as a common set of constraints that tell me what to do in order to belong
to a particular culture, group, or organization.
ERA MISSION BOUNDARIES

MODERN UNCLEAR CLEAR
POSTMODERN CLEAR UNCLEAR
In the modern world, mission was often unclear or inconsistent while the boundaries were clear. For some,
continued existence or perhaps profit was enough of a mission to sustain the organization. One knew the
parameters of the organization; the IBM culture, for example, was represented by men in blue suits and
white shirts. To many, the 11:00 AM service on Sunday morning demonstrated the boundaries of church,
especially within the cultural dimensions of individual denominations.
In the postmodern world, mission and boundaries are just the opposite. Because the boundaries are
unclear, it is imperative that the mission be clearly defined and focused. The mission becomes that to which
the efforts of individuals and organizations are anchored. People are held accountable not to a program or
a particular person but to the mission. Unclear boundaries can be liberating and create new opportunities.
They are also threatening to people who have to be in control of every situation. The shaping of identity
through a common vision becomes crucial and the best way of sharing the vision is through story telling.
Many modern organizations are existing in the emerging postmodern world because of the inertia of their
reputation and resources rather than a clearly defined mission.
For further reading on mission and boundaries, see The Postmodern Organization by
William Berquist (Jossey-Bass, Inc., Publishers, 1-800-956-7739, $29.95)
“LEADING TO LEARN, LEARNING TO LEAD”
Leaders are life long learners and one of the most powerful things a leader can do is to lead others within
their organization to learn. Learning is more than head knowledge; it must also help people learn and apply
new skills. Understanding how different people learn is an important skill for leaders in this new world of
teams and shared ministry. There are four primary “gateways” the mind uses to obtain information for
thinking and learning. While everyone learns through all four of these “gateways”, we have a strong
preference for one or perhaps two. Here are the four styles, in no particular order, according to the
Consulting Resource Group, (telephone 604-852-0566 or e-mail at crgi@msn.com).
Visual Learners acquire information through the eye gate. They prefer to read books, newspapers and
magazines and they like viewing information over the TV by watching live programs or pretaped videos.
They like watching others work and perform so they can see how things are done. They prefer to work
with visual aids such as photographs, computer screens, charts, graphs and handouts. They like seeing
pictures, paintings and movies and are often focused on how information is organized and presented,
preferring it to be logical and sequential.
Auditory Learners acquire information through the ear gate. They prefer to listen to others talk in person
and through the radio, TV and tapes. They like music and are good at remembering lyrics and specific
sounds. They are also good at remembering names and details because they are naturally good listeners
who focus on others when they are talking. They often prefer to hear more than one opinion before
deciding on something and learn best when they can hear key points repeated several times.
Experiential Learners acquire information through the kinesthetic or “moving, touching” gate. They
prefer to touch things as they are learning about them. They are very people-oriented and like learning with
groups of people. They want to be allowed to be active while learning. This means they especially like to
talk and move their hands and legs during the learning process. They also love to hear the leader tell stories
and jokes to illustrate their learning points.
Independent Learners acquire knowledge through any of the above gates they choose. They strongly
prefer to learn without assistance from others. They prefer to take things apart and put them back together;
to work alone rather than with others; to learn quickly rather than slowly; and to be in charge of what is
being learned or taught. They are very goal-oriented and want to know how what is being learned can help
them to reach their goals. If learning is not linked to their goals, they often “tune out.”
As a leader, what is your preferred learning style? The styles of your team members?
PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE: The Issues of Gen X Pastors
There is a lot of interest these days in Generation X on the part of advertisers, educators, the media and
increasingly churches. In short, Gen X is hot. What are the issues of Generation X as seen through the
hearts and minds of Gen X pastors? This spring, the Perkins School of Theology convened a five day
consultation of 25 Gen X United Methodist pastors from across the nation Their geographical differences
were not as defining as their common generation concerns. The consultation focused on four issues:
(1) What would churches have to know and do to minister with Generation X?
Some guiding principles would be leadership revisioning, worship as celebration, rediscovering discipleship,
and Xers as agents of change. The first priority is no longer how can we help them know us and the gospel,
but how can we know them in order to help them encounter the gospel. Ministry is not that which is done
for Generation X but that which is done with or by Generation X. It will mean that in the church, pastors
will have to let go of control.
(2) What would pastors have to know and do to minister with Generation X?
Four areas would include authenticity, authority , community and context. Spiritual formation is a key issue
in the education of pastors. It is also critical to encourage mentoring relationships. Xers are saying to
pastoral leaders “love me”, “show me”, “guide me”, and “work beside me.”
(3) What do Boards of Ordained Ministry need to know to work with Gen X candidates?
The purpose of the Boards is to provide effective spiritual leadership. This way of conceiving of the
Boards’ work is to move it from an administrative responsibility to a spiritual task requiring discernment
more than simply testing candidates. The whole process must reflect this focus on relationships and the
willingness to risk authentic encounters with one another.
(4) What do theological schools need to do to work with and prepare Gen X for ministry?
Changes are needed in curriculum dealing with the purpose of the church, worship, evangelism, visionary
leadership, world religions, social action, and apologetics. Focus on spiritual formation, be more willing to
use pastors and adjunct faculty, and consider new delivery systems using technology and alternative models
of teaching.
For a copy of the complete report,

A New Generation Prepares for the Challenges of the 21st Century,
contact Stanley J. Menking, Perkins School of Theology, (214) 768-2264
or e-mail smenking@mail.smu.edu. Single copies are $10.00.
FOUR CRITICAL QUESTIONS FOR 21st CENTURY PASTORS

“Being a pastor today is more difficult than anytime in memory.” This is the first sentence to an outstanding
new book, The 21st Century Pastor*, by David Fisher, senior pastor at Colonial Church in Edina, MN.
Published by Zondervan (1-800-727-3480, $12.99), it is a book that will be of value to pastors and other
ministerial staff, lay persons, theological educators and others concerned about leadership in ministry for the
21st century. With insights from the ministry of the apostle Paul, the book is divided into two parts. Part 1
asks four critical questions that lie at the heart of pastoral life. Part 2 paints a portrait of the pastor from a
biblical or apostolic source. The following are thoughts from Part 1.
1. WHO AM I? The Question of Pastoral Identity
The literature on contemporary pastoral ministry is remarkably diverse but tends to agree that we are at a
crisis point and that at least part of the problem is pastoral identity in our modern society. Paul’s metaphors
taken together provide a compelling and powerful portrait of a pastor. Paul and other first-century apostles
and pastors lived in circumstances similar to our own. They represented a faith on the very margin of life in
their world. More often than not, their message was despised by the larger culture. Paul’s strong pastoral
identity was rooted in God. Our identity must be filled with Christian content--that is, rooted in God,
formed by Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
2. WHAT’S MY ADDRESS? The Significance of Geography
We need to become experts at reading and understanding cultural maps. Over the years, I have come to
recognize the power and importance of cultures in the life of the church. I now realize that every church is
made up of overlapping cultures, and each culture must be understood and interpreted for effective
ministry. Our calling demands that we incarnate ourselves into our churches and their communities. The
Incarnation is the heart and soul of pastoral ministry...and Incarnational ministry always has a specific
address.
3. WHAT TIME IS IT? The Question of Date
Effective ministry depends on pastors knowing what time it is and knowing what to do about it. Most of us
are discovering that we live on a mission field. We need missionary churches and missionary leaders. Many
Christians will reject this vision for the church and its ministry. They will prefer comfort over engagement
with our world.
4. WHOSE CHURCH IS THIS? The Question of Ecclesiology
Both the church and its ministry are being rethought in terms of the mission of the church in a post-
Christian society. Somewhere along the way, ecclesiology, the doctrine of the church, got lost....was placed
on the theological back burner.
*The 21st Century Pastor, © David Fisher. Used with permission from Zondervan.
IT'S A NEW DAY FOR VOLUNTEERS IN THE CHURCH...

"Laypersons are called into the ministry of the church, not just the business of the church," declared Michael
Foss, in opening remarks to the first Leadership Network Forum on Lay Mobilization held October 27 in
Minneapolis, MN. Foss, Senior Minister at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in nearby Burnsville, spoke to
over 125 pastors and church volunteer coordinators who had gathered to share their vision and experiences in
lay mobilization. The Volunteer Start-up Kit was also introduced at the Forum.
Laypersons in the 1990's want three things related to their service. Number one, they want to help shape the
ministry out of a common vision. Number two, they want to participate in setting the goals of the ministry. And
number three, they want a personal, not a corporate sense, that what they are doing makes a difference.
Believing that the deepest need of people today is "a hunger for personal significance," Foss offered three
observations of how the church can help lay persons today find meaning in volunteer service. "One, the church
has to help people slow down their busy lives to have time for volunteer service. Two, the church has to help
them build in a sense of meaning...intentional meaning...in their service. We have to help people discover the
joy of ministry and the satisfaction of giving. Three, given a changing and younger population, the church must
offer lay persons immediate and significant recognition for their service."
Foss recalled a haunting question asked by a woman in his congregation. "My husband and I take our Christian
values into the community where we are active volunteers. Why does the church only affirm volunteer service
inside the church?"
"At Prince of Peace, we are in the business of making 'public Christians' and we have four foundational
principles that shape our effort. One, we take seriously our cultural context...we believe we live in a mission
field. Two, in an anti-institutional and Biblically illiterate culture, it is our laity who are our most effective
witnesses. Three, ministry will largely be outside the walls of the church and take a variety of forms. And four,
the role of the church and we as ministers is to prepare God's people for life with a faith that works."
Based on his experience, Foss cited four elements in an effective church volunteer program. It must be able to
identify people's gifts and passions. It must supply both the education and experience of volunteer ministry. It
must connect people with opportunities for service both inside and outside the church. And finally, it must
support people in ministry and an important part of the support is accountability for ministry.
Additional Lay Mobilization Forums will be held in Dallas, TX (November 14) and Irvine, CA (November 17).
For more information on the Forums, contact Brad Smith at 1-800-765-5323.
THE CRITICAL ISSUE IS LEADERSHIP
Warren Bennis, one of the most respected authors on the subject of leadership and founder of The Leadership Institute
at USC, wrote this month that the crisis of leadership in our institutions and governments is in many ways the most
urgent and dangerous threat facing the world today because “it is insufficiently recognized and little understood.”
Writing in the July issue of Executive Excellence (1-800-304-9782) and drawing on 40 years of studying leadership,
Bennis says that effective leaders share five characteristics.
1. They have a strong sense of purpose, a passion, a conviction, a sense of wanting to do something important to make
a difference.
2. They are capable of developing and sustaining deep and trusting relationships. They seem to be constant, caring and
authentic with other people.
3. They are purveyors of hope and have positive illusions about reality.
4. They have a balance in their lives between work, power, and family or outside activities. They do not tie up all of
their self-esteem in their position.
5. They have a bias toward action and while not reckless, they do not resist taking risks.
In speaking to a select group of doctoral students at Asbury Seminary last week, Carol Davis, a staff leader at The
Church on Brady (213-728-4850), identified critical changes of church leadership development, five of which are
summarized in the following chart.
Changing Patterns of Leadership Development
Equipping Past Contemporary Emerging

The What Knowledge Methods Principles
The Why To Minister...people To Manage...structures To Multiply...new units
The When Weekly As Scheduled As Needed
Formal Formal & Informal Formal, Informal & Nonformal
The How Formal Case Studies Hands On
Theory...removed from practice Projection...simulation Practice...relational
The Focus Personal Evangelism Discipleship Mobilization of Laity
Pastoral Care Use of Gifts Reproduction
© Carol Davis, The Church on Brady
This is the 50th issue of NetFax. We at Leadership Network hope that you continue to find the ideas and
information in NetFax useful to you in your role as a 21st century leader.
“WELCOME TO THE NEXT CHURCH”
For a year, he traveled across the country, visiting churches, interviewing pastors, and talking to church
leaders. He read books and magazine articles and spent hours on the telephone in conversation with
consultants and observers of the Church. The result is the cover article of the August issue of The Atlantic
Monthly entitled “Welcome to the Next Church.” Set amidst the changing landscape of American religious and
social life, author Charles Trueheart writes of the characteristics and emergence of the large pastoral church.
The story is a religious one and more. The Next Church “constitutes, its champions believe, a distinctly
American reformation of church life, one that transcends denominations and the bounds of traditional churchly
behavior. As such, it represents something more: a reconfiguration of secular communities, not just sacred
ones.” In its fully realized state, The Next Church “can be the clearest approximation of community, and
perhaps the most important civic structure, that a whole generation is likely to have known or likely to find
anywhere in an impersonal, transient nation.”
The Next Church is a church of options. It has multiple points of entry through an array of ongoing ministries,
groups, and opportunities afforded by its size and by being “relentlessly creative about developing forms of
worship.” It also lives with the tension of existing for both “insiders and outsiders” while seeking to be
culturally authentic, “but this does not make the Next Church ‘progressive’ or ‘liberal’ on the fundamentals.”
The mission statement of one church Trueheart visited “expressed well what the new churches are...we exist to
reach up (worship or expressing love to God), to reach out (evangelism or sharing Christ with others) and to
reach in (discipleship or becoming fully devoted followers of Christ).” While the size of many large churches
may be an initial attraction to people, it can also constitute a barrier and thus small group life becomes critical.
The Next Church also constitutes a “third force” of volunteer service in America. “What may at first go
unremarked when one beholds all the small-grouping and service being provided for people who come to
these churches is the service being provided by all those people who are already there.” Finally, there is little
mention of denominations among the Next Church. “Just as significant for the next generation of these large
churches, and for the established Protestant denominations, is that they are training their pastoral staffs
themselves. They would rather identify their own best pastors...than take whichever stranger the bishop
wanted to send their way every five years.”
The August issue of The Atlantic Monthly is now available on the newsstand.
It is also accessible via their site on America On Line and
their Internet web site at http://www.theAtlantic.com/
http://www.leadnet.org/
Just as the printing press changed the way the modern world communicated, the Internet is changing not only
the method of communication in our postmodern world but it is creating a new information community. The
Internet is more about the transfer of information, ideas and knowledge than it is about technology.
This new community is not dependent upon a particular physical location, but rather is based on common
interests and affinities. This electronic network is made possible through an interactive medium that is neither
print, nor video or audio but instead an integration of all three.
The explosive interest in the Internet in recent years is attributed to the introduction in 1992 of the World
Wide Web (WWW) which provides for the interface of graphics with text. The Web is a medium of
communication built around the goal of seamless information delivery through hypertext links or codes that
allow you to connect a topic to other related topics or documents anywhere in the world. A second factor in
its growth has been the development of software “browsers” which allow you to navigate the Web. The two
most popular browsers now are Netscape Navigator© and Microsoft Internet Explorer©.
In keeping with our commitment to provide leading edge information resources to 21st century church leaders,
Leadership Network has opened a Home Page on the World Wide Web. Located at http://www.leadnet.org/
the site can be accessed through your browser via any commercial online service such as AOL, Prodigy,
CompuServe or your local Internet Service Provider, but is best viewed using Netscape Navigator. The site
has content, connections, and community.
The content of the site includes all current and back issues of Leadership Network publications...Next, NetFax,
Into Action, ChampionsFax, ChampionsLetter, plus Foundation and Gathering newsletters. There is also a
description of the mission and staff of Leadership Network and the people we serve. The Information Central
page includes the publications, recommendations on books, tapes, special resources and links to other sites.
The connections of the site include strategic links to more than 120 other sites and new links are added with
each regular update. Categories of links are advertising/marketing; books and book publishers; business;
Christian books; Christian organizations; churches and denominations; education; Generation X; government;
leadership and training; magazines and newspapers; nonprofits; radio and tv; search engines; and think tanks.
The site is an online community for 21st century church leaders, a place to check out church innovations,
connect with other leaders, and contribute to the knowledge base of the 21st Century Church.
See you on the Internet...http://www.leadnet.org/
THE DIFFUSION OF INNOVATION
One of the hallmarks of living in a time of rapid change or a time of multiple “paradigm shifts” is the presence
of a high degree of innovation as people and organizations seek new answers to old/new problems and
resulting opportunities. The past 20 years have been a period of innovation within the church as pastors and
congregations have sought to respond to the significant changes in the American cultural and religious
landscape. Understanding the principles of innovation and how it is diffused within a culture, organization, or
congregation is an important learning for a 21st century leader.
Innovation can be defined as “an idea, practice, or object that is perceived as new by an individual or
organization.” An innovation presents an individual or organization with a new alternative or alternatives as a
new means of solving a problem or capitalizing on an opportunity.
Individuals in a social system do not adopt an innovation at the same time. Rather, they adopt in an over-time
sequence so that individuals can be classified into adopter categories on the basis of when they first begin using
a new idea, skill, or knowledge set. The adoption of an innovation is a learning process that usually follows a
normal, bell-shaped curve (see chart below) when plotted over time on a frequency basis. Ultimately, the
adoption of a new idea results from the exchange of information through interpersonal networks. The
part of the diffusion curve from about 10 percent adoption to 20 percent adoption is the heart of the diffusion
process. After that point, it is often impossible to stop the further diffusion of a new idea, even if one wished
to do so. Before seeking to introduce an innovation, the effective 21st century leader will identify the
innovators and early adopters in their congregation or organization and know their personal networks.
The definitive book on the subject of diffusing innovation is The Diffusion of Innovations (fourth
edition) by Everett Rogers. Published by The Free Press (1-800-223-2348, ISBN 0-02-926671-8),
the book is available in paperback for $29.95.
THREE KEY SHIFTS IN WORSHIP
One of the benchmarks of the 21st century church is worship. It is also one of the topics most often discussed
at Leadership Network forums. Not just a subject at the Worship Leaders forum, the changing form, style, and
role of worship are discussed by Senior Pastors, Executive Pastors, Young Leaders and other leaders of
innovation in the church who attend the forums. Brad Smith, who is responsible for the Leadership Network
forums, recently summarized three of the most often discussed shifts related to worship and key questions from
the forum participants.
1. From Presentational Worship To Participatory Worship

Are modern forms of the worship service designed to grow big churches or big people?
In what ways do worship leaders who are musically inclined or classically trained force people gifted in
other forms of expression to lay aside those gifts and worship through the style and gifts of the leader?
2. From Paid Staff as Worship Leader To Paid Staff As Worship Facilitator
Worship Leader Worship Facilitator

Talent - artist - displays personal gifts Recognizes other’s gifts - catalyst & equipper
Training in music - creates appreciation of music Creates appreciation for various means of worship
accessible to a larger percentage of the body’s gifts
Evaluated by personality & performance and its impact Evaluated by empowerment & use of other’s gifts and
upon mood, and responsiveness in a particular event its impact upon drawing people into whole-life worship
Visible, up-front presence Decreasing personal visibility
Emphasis on the worship event Emphasis on whole-life worship throughout the week
3. From a Sunday Event Called Worship To a Sunday Event Designed to Encourage Week Long Worship
How do we change the language to stop calling an event “worship” and help people understand that
worship can occur through an attitude of reverence in all aspects of their lives?
How do you evaluate public worship by its effect on whole life worship?
Leadership Network forums are by invitation only to senior pastors and staff of
large churches (1,000 + average weekly attendance). For more information on the
1996-1997 forums, contact Leadership Network at 1-800-765-5323.
SOME ABC’s OF MINISTRY IN THE 90’s

Authenticity, not Hype. People, especially younger generations, are looking for greater authenticity and less hype...in
relationships...in organizations...in advertising and communication ...in events...and in church and religious activities
and programs.
Burnout and Balance. All generations, from teen-agers to senior citizens, are feeling the pressures of a rapidly changing
world and living in a society where the “margin” is thin. One hears people, especially Boomers, talk a lot about “running
on empty” and trying to find balance in their lives while teen-agers are now a major market for Day-Timers.
Connections and Community. The U.S. is a nation of disconnected people and the result is that people of all ages
are desperate to make connections and find a place of belonging, some place where they can experience and be a part
of community.
Disciples, not Decisions. Many churches are reaping the result of decades of getting people to make simply a “decision
of faith” rather than the fruit of a life long process of making a disciple. In 21st century churches, there is a renewed
emphasis on making disciples and a recognition that people are at different stages of faith development.
Growth and Groups. Significant personal growth comes in the context of group life, not the large gathering and the
interest of people in participating in some type of small group or cell continues to increase. Likewise, the options for
participation are also increasing.
Ministry before Membership. Many people today are interested in “testing the water” before formally becoming a
member of a congregation. They want to participate in church activities and ministries such as singing in the choir or
working in the food pantry before making a formal commitment to church membership.
Relationship, not Religion. People in the 90’s are seeking a relationship to Christ, not membership in a religious
organization.
Soul Care and Spirituality. The search for spirituality is one of the deepest issues in present day U.S. culture. Many
people are simply empty at the core. Soul care means paying attention to what is happening in people’s lives “below
the water line” where they really live.
Times of Transition. Generations, families, organizations and institutions, governments and economies, and churches
and denominations are all in some stage of transition. People are looking for help and acquiring skills that will assist
them in coping with personal, family, work and societal transition.
<http://www.leadnet.org/>
AN ADULTHOOD SURVIVAL KIT
“Life is a journey, not a destination” says the poster. For the past twenty-five years, large segments of the US
population have been on a journey to and through adulthood. What is it that allows some to fare better on the
journey than others? What are the essential tools one might find in an “adulthood survival kit?” Here are at
least six courtesy of Scott Walker and The Baptist Standard.
1. Faith in God. At some point in his or her life, an individual will decide whether or not there is a God. This
is the pivotal and primary decision for all of life. If there is a God, then there is a higher authority for our
living other than ourselves. But if we decide that there is not a God, then inevitably we make ourselves
god, directing our lives solely toward our own satisfaction. The decision of whether or not we will have
faith and obedience toward God sets the direction and priorities for the rest of our life.
2. Values. Flowing from our decision concerning God is the value system by which we live. Our values shape
our actions and attitudes; whether we succeed or fail.
3. Developmental Knowledge. In recent years, the study of adult development has produced a large body of
knowledge concerning predictable challenges, transitions, crises and adjustments of the adult years. Adults
who have knowledge of the developmental challenges before them have a much better chance of surviving
the adult years.
4. Dreams and Visions. Adult development theorists tell us that one of the most important issues of
adulthood is whether or not we have a dream or a vision for our life. People who have a dream in life--a
shining star they can reach for; a principle for which they struggle; a cause that has captivated their mind
and heart--are people who will find the most satisfaction and fulfillment in life. When your dream is allowed
to die, you die with it. But when the dream is nourished and supported--no matter how much it is altered
over the years--then life has meaning, joy and purpose.
5. Work. Work is a gift from God, not a necessary evil of life. It is through work that we are enabled to co-
create with God. One of the major tasks of surviving adulthood is to find a form of work that is compatible
with our God, our values and our dream.
6. Relationships. Without quality relationships, all the dreams and hard work of our life become meaningless.
Human beings are made to live in relationship with each other. When we do not put intentional energy and
time in developing and nurturing family and friends, we will have difficulty surviving the adult years.
CHURCH ARCHITECTURE IN THE 21st CENTURY

“Architects have a key role in shaping the new reformation that is reflected in the 21st century church” said
Leonard Sweet to a national conference of church architects held in Dallas two weeks ago. Sweet wove the
threads of historical shifts in culture, church, and architecture as background to outlining his “Ten
Commandments of Post Modern Soulistic Health Architecture” (below). Other speakers addressed critical
issues facing churches and architects including building design and costs, zoning issues, code revisions and
cultural changes that will impact churches in the future. Audio tapes of the complete “Church Architecture
in the 21st Century” conference are available for $25. To order a set, call (214) 828-5125.
10. Thou shalt not make any graven images. “You are building sacred space...design for multiple use and
re-cycling of the facilities. This new world is one of change and complexity, not stability and order.”
9. Thou shalt not commit an ugly. “Your job is to put people in places of beauty, not indulgence.
Aesthetics has everything to do with soulmaking.”
8. Thou shalt not design for one sense alone, but all five. “You must design space that engages all five
senses...consider them as a whole, not in isolation from one another. Smell will be the most important
sense in the 21st century.”
7. Thou shalt have a sense of place. “People today more than ever need roots, a place of belonging. Design
for the culture that God has given us and increasingly, ours is an electronic culture and that means screens,
especially in the learning space of a church.”
6. Thou shalt get real. “The post modern church is reality based, not performance based, and uncovers
hypocrisy. Design for interactivity and accentuate people’s relationships.”
5. Thou shalt build an organic, living church. “The emphasis in the future will be on arches, domes, and
atriums, not glass, steel, and sealed windows.”
4. Thou shalt take the church out of doors. “Christianity is an out of door religion. Pay attention to
gardens outside and “sky gardens” inside.”
3. Thou shalt love the land on which you stand. “Be environmentally responsible.”
2. Thou shalt not build dumb buildings. “Build smart churches that can glorify God.”
1. Thou shalt build spaces in which people can experience God. “Point people to something larger than
themselves. Build the sky in which souls may soar.”
Look for the coming Church Architecture section available December 1
on Leadership Network’s web site located at http://www.leadnet.org
TEN OBSERVATIONS ON CONTEMPORARY LEADERSHIP

Much is being written about leadership and how the role of the leader is changing in a society where change is
constant and rapid, making the environment turbulent and unpredictable; there is a knowledge and information
explosion; there is distrust of institutions and the leaders of those institutions; and institutions are undergoing radical
transformations or else they are dying. What does this mean for congregations, lay leaders, and pastors who are
called to be leaders of congregations?
1. A leader is someone who has followers. Leadership is less a matter of official position and more a matter of
personal capacity to motivate and lead others in accomplishing what needs to be done.
2. Leadership begins with self-leadership. Leadership begins with clarifying one’s own heart, soul, and mind,
not with focusing on the followers.
3. Leaders ask, “What needs to be done?” and “How can I make a difference?” They do not allow their
personal agendas to get in the way.
4. Leaders are not afraid of having strong associates. Andrew Carnegie wanted his epitaph to read: “Here lies a
man who attracted better people into his service than he was himself.”
5. Leaders understand that Jesus was right, namely, that the leader is at the bottom of the organization not
the top! If you work for your people, your purpose as a leader is to help them accomplish their goals.
6. Leaders create more leaders. By listening to their followers, leaders will not be primarily players or even
coaches, but designers of the game who bring out the best in others. And when they do their job of indirect
leadership well, the people will say, “We did it ourselves.”
7. Leaders must also be followers. Leaders can exercise followership by asking questions instead of giving
answers; providing opportunities for others to lead them; doing real work in support of others; becoming
matchmakers instead of central switches; and seeking common understanding instead of consensus.
8. Leaders must encourage experimentation and innovation which means risk and the likelihood of
mistakes which in turn can produce learning. The old pyramid organization wanted no mistakes and
therefore discouraged innovation and experimentation .
9. Leaders opt for authority more than for power. Power means being in control. Authority means being taken
seriously. Leader preoccupation with power tends to breed an organization that is either passive or rebellious.
10. Leaders pay attention to their own growth. Leaders must manage their stress; set priorities and control their
calendar; live a balanced life; have time to reflect on the big picture; build a support system including mentors
and teachers; engage in continuous learning; and pay attention to their spiritual journey.
Used with permission from Lay Communiqué, published by the Alban Institute, Inc.,
Suite 433 North, 4550 Montgomery Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814. Copyright 1996. All rights reserved.
“CHILDREN...TODAY’S CHURCH, AS WELL AS TOMORROW’S”

Perhaps it is because they are largely unseen in most sanctuaries... or they are small in voice and stature...or they are viewed
only through the lens of the church of tomorrow. Whatever the reason, few realize that children constitute one-half or more of
a church’s attendance on a given Sunday in today’s growing congregations. In many large churches, it is not uncommon for
there to be multiple hundreds, and in some cases an excess of a thousand or more infants, toddlers, and children who gather
for Christian learning and nurture. In congregations that are reaching young adults with families, an effective children’s
ministry is often the “front door” to the church and the single most important reason parents choose to join a particular
church. Yet the growing significance of ministry to children and their parents is often not reflected in a church’s budget
priorities, staffing and facilities. Ten days ago, more than ninety Children’s Ministers from large congregations across the
country met in a Leadership Network forum to discuss issues, resources, changes and opportunities facing children’s ministry
in the 21st century church. The following are some of the highlights of their discussion.
Changes in Children’s Ministry in the Last Five Years

Family issues include the changing family structure, parents taking less responsibility for their children and even less for their
spiritual formation, the inconsistency of ministering to children of divorce every other Sunday at best or often one Sunday a
month, and an increasing ministry to parents as well as children. The number of children with emotional and physical special
needs is skyrocketing due to fetal drug and alcohol abuse. Cultural changes include the reality of church being in
“competition” with other community activities such as sports (leisure as religion) for the time and participation of children
and parents and the consumer mentality of church attendance which encourages “church hopping” and the resulting difficulty
of establishing relationships with children and parents.
A major change is related to the increasing legal implications of children’s ministry...the screening of workers, both paid and
volunteer, safety issues, and compliance with local, state, and federal laws. There has also been a shift to more interactive and
participatory learning for children and an increasing sensitivity and awareness to the different learning styles of children. In
large congregations with multiple children’s staff, both paid and volunteer, the role of the Children’s Minister is becoming
more administrative and less directly connected to children, much to the regret of many Children’s Ministers.
Hot Issues in Contemporary Children’s Ministry

Security and litigation are increasingly important and consuming more time on the part of the Children’s Minister. Parents
want a Children’s Ministry that is safe, child friendly, and biblical. Neighborhoods are changing and raising new issues of
ministry to children and families outside the church walls and into the community. New training methods for teachers and
volunteers are needed that allow for the time pressures of today. Many are using audio and video tapes that can be taken
home. The team approach to ministry and small groups for children that allow greater relationship building and mentoring are
important new developments. Finally, most curriculum is not written for churches with large numbers of children so more and
more Children’s Ministers are writing their own or forming volunteer teams to write new material.
Copies of the complete Children’s Ministry Forum Notes will be available December 15th
for $10 a set by contacting Leadership Network at 1-800-765-5323.
CHRISTIAN PHILANTHROPY, AMERICA, AND THE WORLD

For the past several years, a group of principals and administrators of Christian foundations have met to discuss
common issues and concerns related to the funding of Christian ministries, both domestic and foreign. Known
as The Gathering, the 1994 meeting was held November 3-5, in Seattle. Two of the plenary speakers were
George Barna, President of the Barna Research Group, and David Aikman, a journalist and former senior
correspondent for Time magazine. The following are excerpts of their remarks.
"When Philanthropy Reaches the Road Less Traveled"
Barna identified seven issues of significance in terms of church and culture in America: (1) the rejection of
absolute truth vs. the ascendancy of moral relativism; (2) the demise of Christian orthodoxy vs. the rise of
synthetic spirituality; (3) ineffective confrontational evangelism vs. Socratic evangelism; (4) academic
education for clergy vs. practical training for church leaders; (5) donors as productive, hopeful citizens vs.
donors as alienated and disillusioned individuals; (6) cultural transmission by written tradition vs. cultural
transmission by audio-visual tradition; and (7) effective leadership in family, church, business, government, etc.
vs. the repulsion of strong leaders.
"What in the World is Going On?"
After reviewing the current economic and political status of the major regions of the world including the
Middle East, Russia, the Far East, and Europe, Aikman observed that following the Cold War, there is now a
missing "sense of purpose of American leadership in the world...it grows out of the collapse of the Cold War
but far more important, it grows out of what is happening in the grass roots in this country." "We are living in a
time of a great culture war. Many Christians think the way to respond to this is to win at the political level...in
my view, that is only a small part...the destiny of nations is decided not by political parties but by what goes
on in the culture.What has to be done in this country, not only for international leadership but frankly for the
viability of the American constitutional system is a reformation of culture...a re-creation of culture." "I don't
think the country can be changed through politics...it can be changed by the kind of awakening or revival that
has such a dramatic effect that the politics is merely an outflow of it...the kind of awakening spiritually that this
country has seen on at least two previous occasions...and the place to start is among Christians...their lives
must reflect a serious cultural difference from the rest of a pagan society."
Complete tapes of the 1995 The Gathering are available through Convention Cassettes at 1-800-776-5454.
MULTIPLE WORSHIP SERVICES AND CHURCH GROWTH

Of all the characteristics of the emerging 21st century church, the most public is worship. The past 25 years have seen the
introduction of new forms of worship and in many congregations the worship service is the most visible and tangible sign of a
changing church. Discussions about styles of music, the use of drama, new approaches to preaching, and adding new services
also make worship the “flash point” of change in many churches.
Two weeks ago, the American Society of Church Growth (ASCG) held its annual meeting on the theme of “Worship and
Church Growth” and among the presentations was one by Charles Arn on the results of a five year study on the dynamics of
adding a new worship service and its subsequent affect on church growth. The study (1) researched churches that successfully
and unsuccessfully attempted to add a new style service; (2) identified “common denominators” of the successful models; and
(3) worked with several hundred churches of different sizes, locations, and denominations to test the process of adding a new
service. For more information on the study, contact Charles Arn at Church Growth, Inc. (818) 305-1280. The following
are highlights of Arn’s presentation.
Seven reasons to begin a new service include: (1) it will reach the unchurched; (2) it will minister to more Christians; (3) it
will reach new kinds of people; (4) it will help a church break out of the normal life cycle of growth, plateau and decline; (5)
it allows for change while retaining the familiar of the existing service; (6) it will help activate inactive members; and (7) a
by-product is improved denominational growth.
The greatest obstacle to beginning a new service is fear. According to one study, the most common fears of pastors in
beginning a new service include fear of the following: lack of cooperation from people; small crowd; losing the dynamics of
one large service; physical demands required; psychological letdown of going from a crowded sanctuary to one half-full;
separate congregations; low morale; and conflict with people resisting change.
The same survey found that fear was not limited to clergy and staff but church boards as well. Uppermost on their list of fears
were: (1) physical toll on the pastor; (2) loss of unity; (3) having two separate congregations, and not knowing everyone; (4)
the effect of lower attendance in the existing service; (5) the new and unknown; and (6) a drop in attendance.
Pastor’s risk of success and failure. It is likely that attendance in the new service may not only grow, but surpass that of the
established service. In churches that have had only one service or style for ten years or more, the success of the new service
may cause greater consternation among many members than would its failure. If the service is successful, the pastor’s risk is
the reaction from those who have sanctified the status quo. The concern over a new service does not subside after it has a
critical mass and is building momentum. Should attendance at the new service eventually surpass that of the established
service, the risk, in fact, does not fully subside until eight to twelve months later.
Audio tapes of the entire ASCG 1996 annual meeting, “Worship and Church Growth,”
are available by calling Christy Burns at (219) 281-2541.
******************************************************************
Beginning in January, 1997, NetFax will be available via e-mail. Please write
elaine.cox@leadnet.org if you want to change to the e-mail version.
FOUR CRIES OF TODAY’S YOUTH

Few would argue that growing up in today’s world is both different and more difficult for the youth of today than for past
generations. The world is more complex, the issues faced by teens and their families more serious, and ministry to young
people is more challenging as we approach the beginning of a new year, a new century and even a new millennium. Last
month, thousands of youth leaders from throughout the country gathered in St. Louis to learn from resources and each
other about ministering to 21st century youth. Walt Mueller, founder of the Center for Parent and Youth
Understanding (717-361-8429, cpyu@aol.com), in his workshop on “Understanding Today’s Youth Culture”
identified four cries of today’s youth.
1. The cry of the changing family. The family has traditionally been the strongest cultural force and greatest influence
on a teen-ager but the family of today is changing. Divorce (3,000 kids a day see their parents divorce), fatherlessness
(40% of kids will go to bed tonight in a home where their father is not present), workaholic parents, sexual abuse in the
home, latch key children, alcoholism and drugs all contribute to changing families. The response to the cry of the
changing family is to build relationships with youth that are accepting, loving, and model for them healthy families.
2. The cry of media influence. By the 90’s media has become the major influencing institution, surpassing family,
schools, friends and church. MTV has been successful in its goal to create a world wide youth culture. The average teen
today listens to four hours a day of music and will see 23,000 hours of TV by the time they leave high school. For those
youth who are asking questions and seeking to understand their world (as most teens do), the media provides teens with
“maps of reality.” They make it their business to understand the world in which youth live and their issues and concerns.
A response to the cry of media influence is to provide for youth understanding and a sense of direction.
3. The cry of moral relativism. Today’s youth live in a world in which more and more people believe that absolute
truth cannot be known (60% of people in the USA according to Barna’s study). It is no longer possible to just say “the
Bible says” and have youth accept that as a moral authority. A response to the cry for moral relativism is truth, explained
clearly, but firmly, and in a language and cultural context youth can understand.
4. The cry for hopelessness. This is a generation of youth without hope... between ten and twenty percent will attempt
suicide. Their lives are out of control and they know it. When kids get hopeless, we have a door of opportunity. The
response to the cry of hopelessness is to offer them hope. Know and live the Word of God, use their culture to
communicate with them, build relationships, and become more intentional in family ministry.
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Text only NetFax is now available via e-mail beginning January 6, 1997.
Please write elainecox@leadnet.org to receive NetFax via e-mail.
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All of us at Leadership Network wish for you, your families, and congregations a joyous Christmas and great 1997!
Bob Buford Gayle Carpenter Carol Childress Elaine Cox Gerry Deese Melea Edwards B J Engle Bruce Freeman
Katrina Gault Kathie Jamieson Nancy Kiser Kris Neill Brad Smith Linda Stanley Dave Travis Cindy White
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE FUTURE

The beginning of a new year normally focuses our attention on the future and this first NetFax of 1997 is focused on a new
book that will be useful to 21st century leaders. The Organization of the Future, published by Jossey-Bass (1-800-956-7739,
$25), is the second book in the Drucker Foundation Future Series and follows last year’s best seller, The Leader of the
Future. A collection of 46 articles written by some of the best management and leadership consultants and practitioners, it is
divided into six sections including: Shaping Tomorrow’s Organization; New Models for Working Together; Organizing for
Strategic Advantage; Working and Organizing in a Wired World; Leading People in the Organization of the Future; and New
Definitions of Organizational Health.
Chapter 7, “New Competencies for a New World,” speaks to specific areas of new competence that are emerging and found
within organizations of the future. “Organizational competence will not be based on past principles of ownership, stability
and control but rather on the emerging principles of interdependence, flexibility and partnership.”
1. Commit to a Higher Purpose. Organizations...need to be purposeful in ways that resonate with the people they touch and
to access levels of performance that go beyond the ordinary. This purpose is not so much a mission or a goal as a
commitment made visible in the day-to-day behavior of people throughout the organization. Perhaps more important than the
words is the process of instilling purpose, which demands openness and the involvement of people throughout the organization
so that they will choose to link their personal sense of purpose to the corporate purpose. Corporate higher purpose can bring
a point of stability and a motivational framework so that employees can bring their hearts as well as their minds to work.
2. Instill Responsible Leadership. For people to take on leadership responsibility, they need support and encouragement,
not controls and certainly not punishment. It is the responsibility of top executives to create the climate for responsible
leadership. Although making decisions and taking action continue to be important, their focus should shift to coaching,
mentoring and being a role model of responsibility and accountability.
3. Encourage Multidisciplinary Teaming. Organizations of the 21st century must find a way to make the spontaneous
forming and re-forming of high performing multidisciplinary teams a natural way of working. The power of teams lies in the
extraordinary breadth of perspective they bring.
4. Forge Organic Partnerships. Partners need to learn how to partner in a mutually supportive, value-creating mode,
bringing together their complementary competencies to create more value together than they could apart. The heart of value
creation is trust, not ownership, the kind of mutual respect and synergistic behavior that occurs when all parties are pursuing
a genuine win-win relationship.
5. Promote Knowledge Networking. In this increasingly knowledge-intensive world, the systematic acquisition, synthesis
and sharing of insight and experience is critical to the success of almost all organizations.
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How Do You Use NetFax?

Many of you have commented on the usefulness of NetFax. Please share with us ways you use NetFax with
your staff or leadership. Fax us at 903-561-9361 or email to74473.1676@compuserve.com with your response.
A CHECKLIST FOR CHANGE AGENTS

An increasing role for pastors in the 21st century is that of change agent. Wayne Schmidt, pastor of the Kentwood Community
Wesleyan Church has developed a “top ten” checklist of questions that help him discern if he is staying in his comfort zone or being a
courageous change agent. The following is used with permission from the latest issue of Strategies for Today’s Leaders, Box 145,
Corunna, IN 46730, (800) 626-8515.
“I have come to realize that you can neither create a movement of God’s spirit nor control it. But you can build an atmosphere
conducive to spiritual momentum, thereby serving as a human catalyst for what God has decided to do. Change can be intimidating,
but it can also create new openness in the hearts and minds of people. It has a potentially destructive streak and can cripple a church.
However a victim mentality is not the mind-set of spiritual leaders God is using in His church today.”
1. Am I building God’s Word into my heart? A leader’s ability to change and lead others through the change process comes from
having a “changeless core.” That core is nurtured through values and principles that remain consistent even when the winds of change
are blowing. As a Christian leader, that changeless core comes through mediating on God’s Word and incorporating God’s will into
my life.
2. Am I becoming protective of my ministry “turf?” One of the primary tasks of spiritual leaders is to raise up new leaders. If I am
becoming indispensable or irreplaceable, it’s a sign I am more interested in my future security than in empowering others for ministry.
3. Am I evaluating my ministry effectiveness? Personal evaluation of my ministry along with the criticism of others is necessary to
refine any endeavor for God. When I start avoiding an honest critique of my programs or accountability for my actions, I’m choosing
comfort over courage.
4. Am I “emotionally exciting” in my ministry? Difficulties can wear us down to the point where “we just don’t care anymore.”
While we all need emotional “rest stops,” a prolonged pattern of ministry without passion is a warning signal.
5. Am I opting for the familiar over the new? Am I trying new things, stretching my mind with new thoughts, and building my
skills by learning new approaches? Growth comes by seeking outside resources and continual, lifelong learning. Doing what has
always been done is comfortable, yet that erodes the impact of my ministry.
6. Am I willing to risk failure? It’s most comfortable to attempt only that which will be a sure success. However, flourishing
ministries have many “failures” in the pursuit of excellence. I must guard against a false humility that is really nothing more than a
mask for insecurity. True change is not risk free.
7. Am I associating only with people whose leadership skills are less developed? We grow by learning from people who are where
we need to be in the future--people who are at the point we’d like to be at someday. I’m choosing the comfortable when I must always
be the “big fish in a little pond,” surrounding myself with people who learn from me rather than stretching me.
8. Am I fulfilling the role the church needs, or simply the role I like? Leaders recognize roles that must be filled in order for an
organization to remain healthy and not develop blind spots. A leader must ensure that those roles are in place. A leader seeks to
determine what role is needed, and either fills that role personally or encourages another to fill it.
9. Am I giving away ministry responsibilities? Regularly, I should seek to give away some of what I am currently doing and pick up
new responsibilities.
10. Am I leading with true courage or with a cheap substitute? I’ve fought with discouragement those times when my emotional
and spiritual batteries desperately need to be charged, but I’ve also fought dys-couragement, or dysfunctional courage. This sinful
counterfeit of courage emerges when I inflate my ego or become insensitive in order to rise above the circumstances of life or the
criticism of people.
Generation X...Three Myths and Realities

One of the richest sources of new learning about Generation X is emerging Gen X leaders who can describe major shifts in
thinking within their own generation. Cassidy Dale, 25, (cassidydale@juno.com) has identified three common myths and
corresponding realties of Generation X as part of a larger presentation on Gen X.
Myth: Gen Xers are disloyal and uncommitted.
Reality: Xers are cautious investors.
Xers are not disloyal and uncommitted as so many people claim, but rather they are cautious investors in a world which has
taught them to expect little from institutional relationships.
Myth: Gen Xers have short attention spans.
Reality: Xers are voracious learners who can quickly process information
It is a misperception that Xers have short attention spans. Xers want so many answers to so many questions from so many
sources in such a hurry because their learning and communication skills were shaped by the forces of the information
revolution. Xers are voracious learners who love to sort through and digest massive quantities of information at a very fast
pace.
Myth: Gen Xers are independent, selfish and arrogant.
Reality: Xers’ values are expressed quietly and differ from Boomers.
The intense attitude expressed by so many Xers is not arrogance, but rather a powerful independence which grows out of a
life experience in which they have always felt they had only themselves on whom to depend at a very dangerous and unstable
time in history. Xers grew up with a powerful sense of personal danger. From the arms race, violent crime, drugs, and AIDS
to the expanding national debt, they have been exposed to a sense of constant jeopardy, as well as many patently false
reassurances from figures of authority.
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GEN X FORUM, Version 2
Boomers concentrated on creating bridges of relevancy to a generation that thought religion was irrelevant. They did it well
and it worked. But what about Gen X? They are not “junior boomers” who one day are going to “grow up.” Scholars say
Generation X is the first generation to exhibit a whole new way of thinking called “postmodernism.” How do you reach a
generation whose art forms and music are full of spiritual themes? What happens when you design events to answer the
question “is it relevant?” when the actual question is “is it real?” What does it look like to create authentic expressions of
Generation X’s heart, community, and God?
Leadership Network is hosting its second Gen X forum April 29-May 2 at the Mt. Hermon Conference Center in northern
California. General sessions will feature Mark Driscoll, Tim Celek, Dieter Zander, Chris Seay, and the UBC band while
dialogue sessions will focus on three tracks: church planting, Gen X churches within churches, and supporters of Gen X
ministries (like senior pastors). Attendance is by invitation only.
For more information or an invitation to the Gen X forum, contact Leadership Network
at 1-800-765-5323 or visit our web site at http://www.leadnet.org/genx.html
DEVELOPING THE SOUL FOR LEADERSHIP

Ten days ago, several thousand Christians in New England came together in Boston for Congress ‘97, an annual gathering
whose focus is evangelism, discipleship, prayer, and leadership development sponsored by the Evangelistic Association of
New England (EANE, http://www.eane.org). Among the many workshops was one on developing the soul for leadership led
by Judson Carlberg, President of Gordon College in nearby Wenham, MA. Carlberg identified fifteen key principles of soul
leadership. What follows are eight from his list.
Christian leaders care for their own souls. Often this is an add-on at the end of any list of leadership characteristics but I
put it number one. We all have so much to do that often we forget the restoration and reflection process for our own souls.
Christian leaders acknowledge Christ’s influence over the leadership process itself and submit all to God. Think
Christianly about the task of leadership. Leaders carry out their responsibilities with humility, submitting all their actions to
the review of a holy God.
Christian leaders ask the right questions. It all boils down to “why do I get up in the morning?” What are my goals?
My mission? Often we live bifurcated lives...we can learn from the Old Testament teachings that everything we do is an
act of worship.
Christian leaders value diversity. They do not look for carbon copies of themselves. It is so important for us to
recognize that people who are different from us will strengthen the leadership team. I have purposely sought people who
have strengths that I do not have...my task is to get them all going in the right direction.
Christian leaders submit to the “mirror” test. We have to make sure that the person we see in the mirror in the morning
is the kind of person we want to see all through the day. Good leaders must be fortified against the greatest temptation and
that is to do the things that are popular though not necessarily right. The quickest way to erode the core of our souls is to
not have consistency in our lives...the word of God poured in our lives through our disciplines.
Christian leaders look far to the future. Leaders need to be thinking about themselves and where their organizations are
going at least ten years out. I am not talking about a detailed ten year plan but where will the vision, the mission be in ten
years? It is not so much planning as anticipation. If the only kind of leadership you provide is the reactive kind, not the
anticipatory, not the creative kind, then your organization is going nowhere.
Christian leaders recognize the importance of modeling. People can be moved in a superficial way by your words but
they will be truly moved by watching your deeds.
Christian leaders understand that servanthood is a form of power. Jesus exercised his power through service...and he
often served before he led.
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For information on obtaining a tape of this workshop
or the entire Congress ‘97, contact EANE at 1-617-229-1990
KEY PRINCIPLES OF 21st CENTURY NETWORKS

The network is emerging as the signature form of organization in the Information Age. In a 21st century world,
networks are increasingly becoming an organizational form replacing the bureaucracy of the Industrial Age. Now,
there are networks or groups of people working across all kinds of boundaries as knowledge replaces resources as
the new source of wealth. Additionally, most of us have personal networks that cross professional and social lines.
Remember the old adage, “it’s who you know?” In today’s environment, that has been expanded to include
“it’s who you know...who knows who.”
In their book, The Age of the Network, authors Jessica Lipnack and Jeffrey Stamps identify five key organizing
principles of 21st century networks that offer insight for both organizations and individuals. The book can be ordered
by calling 1-800-225-5945 (be prepared for a long voice mail trail); the price is $16.95.
1. 21st century networks have a unifying purpose or mission. Purpose is the glue or driver of the network.
Common views, values, and goals hold a network together. A shared focus on desired results keeps a network in
sync and on track. A network is not driven by a single person or leader, but rather the mission. The accountability
of the network is then to the purpose or mission, not to a single person or bureaucracy.
2. 21st century networks have independent members. Independence is the prerequisite for interdependence.
While each member of the network whether a person or an organization can stand alone, they grow and benefit from
being a part of the whole. There is a synergy produced by the network that cannot be duplicated by the individual.
3. 21st century networks have voluntary connections. The distinguishing feature of networks is their links or
connections. These connections are found in all directions...inside and outside, up and down. They cross all kinds of
boundaries and the building block of the connection is a relationship built on mutual trust. Communication is essential
and takes multiple forms...face to face, correspondence, telephone, fax, e-mail.
4. 21st century networks have multiple leaders. Networks are leaderful, not leaderless. Each person or
organization has something unique to contribute at the appropriate time. With more than one leader, the network also
has more resilience.
5. 21st century networks have multiple levels. They are not flat. They are instead very flexible and have several
levels and shapes. Within an organization, there may be teams, work groups, and task forces. Individually, some
relationships have a higher priority than others, depending on the purpose and usefulness of the network.
As a 21st century leader, how intentional are you about building and maintaining your networks?
In what ways does your organization resemble a network?
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A significant network of leaders ministering to Generation X has emerged in the past
year and many of them will be at the Gen X Forum, April 29-May 2. For more
information or an invitation to attend, send an e-mail to LNGenX@aol.com
THE MOVIES, T-REX AND VIBRATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Last week a group of senior ministers assembled by Leadership Network spent two days in Hollywood learning
about the art of telling stories and communicating to a 21st century world. Tuesday afternoon was spent at a
studio where the group learned about the movie production process. In the evening, Leonard Sweet lead the
group to process what they had seen, heard and experienced and to understand its implications for leading 21st
century churches. What follows is a summary of Sweet’s remarks. A future NetFax will focus on the pastors’
reflections of the experience and practical applications they discovered for their churches.
Len Sweet...“What We Experienced”
I want us to do a semiotic analysis of the day...semiotics being the discipline of reading signs and symbols
according to their function. We had an experience today of one of the greatest spiritual awakenings in
America...there is a massive soul search going on...people are seeking experiences, not meaning and purpose so
much but experiences of transcendence, of soul. This is the first spiritual awakening that is not being led by the
church. This one is being led by forces within the culture. God is hot everywhere...not Jesus but God. Listen
for the double ring...we live in a deeply secular society and a spiritual culture. We heard and saw illustrations of
several shifts occurring in our world.
On the shift from representation to participation: The pop culture expression is moving from soap opera to talk
shows...in the modern world, we hired people to do ministry; in this 21st century world, it is participation. This
one will shake us (the church) the most, especially in terms of learning and worship. Remember that the
generations born after 1965 are the first not to need authority figures in order to get information.
On the shift from illustration to animation: Another thing we saw was a shift in preaching from illustrating a
point to animating a text so that it becomes an experience. We are now in an “experience economy.” I don’t
write sermons but I create space where people can experience the sermon. Storytelling will be one of the hottest
professions in the future.
On the shift from vision to vibration: While the church has been fixated on vision, movie makers have
maintained an alternative. Remember the T-Rex in Jurassic Park? The T-Rex appears first when you hear
him...the vibration...the rattling of the cup. You hear him, then feel him. If you wait until you can see him, it’s
too late. In a biblical sense, you do not see a vision, you hear a vision...faith comes by hearing. Movies today
are “hearing” the vision into speech and music. God created the world by speaking...this is a ‘sound’ theology.
We need vibrational leadership first, then visionary leadership for this 21st century world.
HOLLYWOOD, THE SEQUEL

The previous NetFax described the experience of a group of senior ministers assembled by Leadership Network who
recently spent two days in Hollywood learning about the art of storytelling and communicating to a 21st century
world. An afternoon at a movie studio was followed by an evening of discussion lead by Leonard Sweet and
interaction with each other. This issue of NetFax identifies three of the more important participant learnings from the
Hollywood experience.
The importance of knowing “the big picture” and keeping it visible at all times. The hallways of the studio
production area were covered by storyboards on which unfolded the story of the movie in terms of sequence,
character development, costuming, lighting, staging, color, and music. The storyboards were a constant reminder to
everyone working on the movie of why they were there and helped to daily reinforce the “big picture.”
Bill Easum, of 21st Century Strategies, asked “What if, as going into worship each week, people in your church had
to pass by a storyboard that told the big picture of what you are about?” Larry Osborne, of North Coast Church,
said, “We need to make sure we get back to the big picture...we grow and get so complex...keeping the big picture in
front of people is a constant challenge.” Mike Foss, of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, found himself thinking
about how to transform the barren walls of his church into space that “tells our story.” He also posed the questions,
“How many Christians play their life against the storyboard of God?” and “What does it mean for me to understand
on a daily or weekly basis how my story connects with God’s story?”
The importance of a team that is engaged in an adventure. To produce the movie will require over 400 people
working as a team for four years. In hiring the production staff, the studio looked primarily for people who shared a
sense of the adventure for the journey. Tim Celek, of Calvary Church Newport Mesa, noted “We have to continue as
a church to heighten the sense that this is an incredible adventure. With God’s adventure, it does not stop after a
movie.” Bill Easum said, “What I had confirmed was a team process in which people are called together to pursue a
journey and an adventure with other people full of imagination and passion. This is what makes the difference
between an average church and a great church. I would encourage pastors to never recruit a staff member that did
not have a passion for the adventure.”
The importance of understanding the power of emotional experiences. Another board in the hallway was the
emotional “beat board” where the intended emotional experiences of the movie were outlined segment by segment
according to the designated and appropriate music, lighting, and staging. This created an intentionality to every
moment of the movie. George Cladis, of Covenant Presbyterian Church asked, “Do we plan worship with that kind
of intentionality? Do we think about how the music, the stories, the things we say, even the color in the sanctuary, fit
into the whole of people’s experience?”
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Note: Several NetFax readers have inquired about obtaining Len Sweet’s full remarks
on semiotics and vibrational leadership. A copy can be downloaded after April 7
from the Leadership Network web site at http://www.leadnet.org
IN SEARCH OF A LEADER
For the past year, we at Leadership Network have been “feasting on our own words” about change,
transition, re-framing, re-engineering and all those other buzz words and phrases used to describe the
fact that things are different in this 21st century world. We have clarified our vision, values and
mission and redesigned our organizational form to be in alignment with our mission. We are
relocating our offices to Dallas in June and are ready to move to another level of ministry. The only
missing piece of our redesign is a new executive director and we are asking you, the readers of
NetFax, to help us in our search.
LEADERSHIP NETWORK
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PROFILE
The individual selected as Executive Director must have a unique combination of leadership,
relational and operational skills and abilities.
The desired qualities and characteristics include: (1) a sense of call to the position and personal
alignment with the vision and mission of Leadership Network; (2) a passion for the local church and
leadership development; (3) a Kingdom perspective in terms of yield of effort (“our fruit appears on
someone else’s tree”); (4) a servant perspective in terms of serving the mission, organization, staff and
customers; (5) spiritually mature and growing in their personal faith relationship; (6) emotionally
mature; (7) exhibits integrity in practice and relationships; (8) committed to the concept and
operational context of a self-directed team; and (9) a life long learner comfortable in a world of ideas
and complexity yet able to focus on results.
The desired skills and abilities include: (1) active and effective listening skills; (2) strong relational
skills; (3) good communication skills, both written and oral; (4) technologically literate (as in basic
e-mail); (5) an ability and commitment to develop and empower people; (6) an ability to think
strategically and provide direction; (7) a demonstrated ability to lead and manage extraordinary
growth; and (8) an understanding of networks as the primary 21st century form of organization.
If there is someone whom you believe aligns with our profile, please mail or fax
(no telephone calls) your recommendation to Carol Childress at Leadership Network.
A final word...
We would deeply appreciate your prayers for our search.
CHILDREN'S MINISTRY...IT'S NOT CHURCH "BABY SITTING"

Children's Ministry in the 1990's is not what it used to be. As churches have responded to the changing demography and shifts in
American culture, one of the most profound arenas of change has been that of Children's Ministry. The care and nurture of
children is being seen more and more as a strategic church ministry rather than child care on Sunday morning while the parents
are in the worship service.
The growth in the number of children attending church and the increasing professionalism of those working with children have
combined to establish a new model of Children's Ministry, one that recognizes the importance of a comprehensive ministry of care
that includes education and support for parents as well as care and nurture for children.
For many churches, the most strategic point of entry for new members is the Children's Ministry. It is well documented that a
major reason for the return of Baby Boomers to the church has been a desire to obtain religious education for their children.
Churches that are effectively reaching Boomers and the relatively small population of Busters that are having children recognize
the necessity of having adequate facilities and a trained staff of both professionals and volunteers to minister to children.
The range of issues addressed by Children's Ministries today is diverse. The age range of participants, from birth through normally
fifth or sixth grade, includes the most crucial developmental years of one's life. Teaching and nurturing must be provided for
infants, toddlers, pre-schoolers, elementary children, and pre-teens. Providing parenting skills is a vital part of contemporary
Children's Ministry. Legal issues related to child abuse and church liability have become important concerns for congregations.
Changes in learning styles and new learning technologies have combined to make earlier teaching methods obsolete to a high tech,
visual oriented generation of children. Effective Children's Ministry today is complex and requires skilled and committed
leadership.
Some 60 Children's Ministers from large congregations throughout the United States met November 17-19 at the Glen Eyrie
Conference Center in Colorado Springs for the 1994 Children's Ministry Forum hosted by Leadership Network. Meeting in three
smaller groups, they discussed the cutting edge issues of Children's Ministry in the 90's, shared new ideas, exchanged information
concerning resources for ministry, and networked for future contact.
Children's Ministry is one of ten church staff forums that Leadership Network will host in 1995. Other forums include Mission
Pastors, Executive Pastors, Christian Education Directors, Women's Ministry, Senior Ministers, Business Administrators, Small
Groups, Worship Leaders, and Senior Adults. Attendance at all forums is by invitation only and limited to churches with week-end
attendance of 1,000 or more.
If you would like to receive an invitation or recommend someone to be invited to a forum, please call Nancy Kiser at 1-800-
765-5323.
LEARNING TO BECOME A LIFELONG LEARNER

21st century leaders are lifelong learners. The following are some guidelines to make your learning more effective for you
and for your team or network.
Be intentional and take responsibility for your own learning. Understand that your learning is up to you. No one else
has the responsibility for your learning.
Align your learning to your mission. Determine the reason for your learning and align it with your life mission or
mission of your organization. Learning can be directed at least three levels: (1) to enhance skills in ministry; (2) personal
growth; and (3) to obtain perspective on important issues for the future.
Have a learning plan and learning goal(s). Distinguish between what do I need to know and what do I want to know.
You need both.
Know how you best learn. Do you learn better by yourself in private study or in a group where you can “talk through”
your learnings? Do you begin with the details and move to the big picture of a subject or do you begin with the big picture
and then details?
Learn from the inside and the outside. Go outside your normal boundaries to learn. Have one or two “outsiders” in your
learning network. Sometimes, you may need to acquire a new skill such as Internet access to enhance your learning.
Don’t forget to learn from your mistakes. Turn mistakes into learning opportunities. Why did something not work?
What failed?
Share what you learn with others. Information has no value unless it is shared. Diffuse your learnings through your team
and network.
Some How To’s of Learning
Practice active listening. Listen for recurring themes, issues, and problems.
Use your powers of observation. Watch people at events, airports, malls, etc.
Learn how to ask the right questions. Ask process questions...how and why.
Build in reflective time. Think about what you have learned and its applications.
Ask others to help you learn. Create a learning network or study group. Spend an afternoon with some one from whom
you want to learn. Recruit readers who will read for you and give you summaries or a digest of material. This can be an
important ministry.
Learn how to “unlearn.” In order to learn the new, you may have to unlearn the old. Develop new mental models. This is
a key skill for leading in the 21st century.
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If you are looking on our web site for the complete text of Len Sweet’s remarks, they are tagged at the end of NetFax 67.
Our web site is at http://www.leadnet.org
A CHURCH WITHIN A CHURCH
Ten days ago, over 400 Gen X leaders from across the nation gathered in the hills of northern California as part of
Leadership Network’s Gen X Forum, Version 2.0 to network and learn from each other as well as forum resources.
NetFax 71 and 72 will focus on key discussions and learnings from the forum.
One of the key issues was starting a Gen X church within an existing church and one of the better models of this
approach to reaching Gen Xers is McLean Bible Church in Falls Church, VA, near Washington, DC
(http://www.mbcva.org) The church’s senior pastor, Lon Solomon, and Ken Baugh, Pastor of Frontline Ministries,
together told McLean’s “church within a church” story.
Lon Solomon...We don’t have all the answers and we have made mistakes...the most important thing in ministry to
this generation is not a program but leadership...and the relationship between the senior pastor and the Gen X pastor
is everything. Two items were important up front...process, that is, the time it took to develop an awareness on the
part of our people that this was a cross cultural missions endeavor and acknowledging that we would have to let a
radical new paradigm for ministry evolve within our church. This experience has taught me some key lessons as a
senior pastor: I had to be willing to give up control over the ministry and learn how to share the spotlight without
being threatened. I had to be teachable. Ken has taught me so much about this generation. There is not a 40+ leader
in America who can lead a Gen X ministry and make it what it ought to be. Finally, I had to take the risk and the hits
that came with it in order to reach this generation. We believe there is a great strength for a Gen X ministry to be
inside a larger church. There is a symbiotic relationship and we benefit from the Xer model.
Ken Baugh...One of the keys is the relationship and trust that has to be there between Lon and me...the door of trust
swings both ways and it takes time for that kind of relationship to develop. I learned how different Xers are...it took
me longer than I expected to understand the various characteristics of Xers in Washington. They are different than
Xers in California or Seattle for example. I felt a lot of pressure because of the commitment of money and other
resources the church had made to the ministry. That’s where the senior pastor’s willingness to risk is important.
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Audio tapes of the 1997 Gen X Forum’s five plenary sessions are available by calling the Mount Hermon
Conference Center at (408) 335-4466 and asking for the Central Lodge Tape Ministry between the hours of noon
and 4:00 pm PST, Monday through Friday. The cost is $5.00 per tape or $20 for the entire set.
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Space is still available at the Gen X worship conference, “The True & the Beautiful: A New Generation at
Worship” to be held June 20-22 in San Francisco sponsored by Re:generation Quarterly and Leadership Network.
For more information and conference details, contact Linda Stanley at (800) 765-5323 by Thursday, May 15.
A GENERATION ON THE FAULT LINE

One of the plenary sessions at the recent Gen X forum, version 2.0, focused on the challenge of ministering as an
uncompromised Christian in a postmodern world, the world of the Xer. Mark Driscoll, (marshill2@aol.com), pastor of
Mars Hill Fellowship in Seattle, centered his remarks around major shifts between the two worlds and their impact on
Xers and the church. What follows are brief excerpts. See the note at the end of NetFax to obtain a copy of the full text.
The mind of the Gen Xer has been rewired to process truth and reality in a new way that we have not experienced for
200 years and you have to address the issue of postmodernity. We live in the biggest cultural transition in 200 years and
the church does not know it. My generation sits on the fault line between two worlds. Some live in yesterday, some live
in today. Your church will need to determine which segment it is going for and where it will stake its claim.
Information is driving the postmodern flight. If you think that once a year you can go to a conference, take a year to
ramp up your ministry and then keep doing the same thing for 15 years, forget it. Information is moving so
quickly...people are having a hard time grasping the truth...people have gone back to narrative...stories are making a big
comeback...our teaching needs to become narrative...we must engage the mind and the heart.
Another thing that is collapsing is logic..my generation does not believe in the law of noncontradiction..reason, science,
technology and thought. Now, people can hold mutually contradictory positions and it does not bother them at all. You
try and go for the intellect and you will find that people are not reasonable any more. We have gone from a western,
linear, Greek world to an eastern, Hebraic, wholistic mind. Christianity is not reasonable...it is not rational...we need to
recover the mystery of God. People don't process information based on reason but it is based on relationship and
experience. You will need to incarnate into their context and give them experiences in which they can know
God...silence... solitude...repentance...conviction...those are legitimate experiences within a community. They need to
see us pray, confess our sin, repent...see brokenness and humility and the power of God demonstrated experientially in
an authentic community before they are ever going to believe the facts.
Another shift is the doctrine of man...anthropology is shifting...the modern world believed that man is good, and with
time man will get better. Postmodern Xers will believe in sin...the Gospel begins with our depravity...embrace the
doctrine of the fallenness of man. It is not self-help any more...people know they are sinners. The modern world view
had an anthropology that said man is a rugged individual. Postmodern context flips that and says man is a relational
being. We have lost the concept of the trinity...the model of community.
Nationalism to globalism is another shift. Is Jesus Christ apple pie and baseball? The gospel is bigger than any single
nation...this is not a theocracy...we live in a global community. God does not show favorites...we must get beyond
nationalistic interests to see the world from God’s perspective.
**************************************************
Audio tapes of the 1997 Gen X Forum’s five plenary sessions, including the full text of Driscoll’s remarks, are available by
calling the Mount Hermon Conference Center at (408) 335-4466 and asking for the Central Lodge Tape Ministry between
the hours of noon and 4:00 pm PST, Monday through Friday. The cost is $5.00 per tape or $20 for the entire set.
HIRE FOR ATTITUDE, TRAIN FOR SKILL

No regular reading list of a 21st century leader would be complete without the magazine, FAST COMPANY (1-800-688-1545,
six issues for $14.95). Between the print edition and their web site (http://www.fastcompany.com), FAST COMPANY chronicles
the revolution now underway in business and business leadership. To celebrate their first year, a special collector’s edition of the
best articles, “New Rules of Business,” is now on sale in book stores and at newsstands. The following excerpts are from an
article that addresses the new rules for smarter hiring and are reprinted with permission.
You can’t build a great company without great people. There’s just one problem: how do you know great people when you see
them? Over the last few years, a number of companies have asked themselves that question. They have analyzed what separates
the winners from the losers, good hires from bad hires. These companies compete in a wide range of industries but all arrived at
the same answer: What people know is less important than who they are. Hiring, they believe, is not about finding people with
the right experience. It’s about finding people with the right mind-set. These companies hire for attitude and train for skill. Four
principles define the new model for smart hiring.
1. What you know changes, who you are doesn’t.
The most common--and fatal--hiring mistake is to find someone with the right skills but the wrong mind-set and hire them on
the theory, “We can change ‘em.” Alan Davidson, an industrial psychologist and hiring consultant, says “Forget it. The
single best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Your personality is going to be essentially the same throughout your
life.” Companies that ignore this principle do so at their peril.
2. You can’t find what you are not looking for.
One of the most successful hiring technologies goes by many names but revolves around a simple idea: the best way to select
people who will thrive in your company is to identify the personal characteristics of people who are already thriving and hire
people just like them. In this model, companies work to understand their star performers, identify their target behaviors and
attitudes, and then develop interview questions to find people with those attitudes.
3. The best way to evaluate people is to watch them work.
Some companies apply this principle literally, but most cannot. Instead, they opt for the next best alternative--simulation.
They find ways to construct real life work situations and watch the response of the prospective employee as he/she deals with
people and problems.
4. You can’t hire people who don’t apply.
Companies that take hiring seriously also take recruiting seriously. The goal is to have the right job candidates, not the most.
All hiring principles ultimately result in an interview and most executive interviewers come to the task unequipped, unprepared,
and unenthusiastic. Productive interview questions, one leading consultant says, “are narrowly defined and well crafted. They
are designed to elicit actual experiences rather than hopes and dreams---not what people say they would do in the future but
what they have done in the past. This would do/have done distinction is crucial and all too often ignored by interviewers. Others
argue that listening to people’s stories and finding the patterns that reveal their character is the best approach.
Reprinted with permission from the “New Rules of Business” special issue of
FAST COMPANY magazine. ©1997 by FAST COMPANY. All rights reserved.
ADVERTISING JOINS THE JOURNEY OF THE SOUL
In the final years of the twentieth century among the people of the US, no hunger is deeper than that of
spirituality and the signs of people’s search for spirituality are everywhere. An article in the current
issue of American Demographics (1-800-350-3060, www.marketingtools.com) describes the advertising
world’s awareness of this hunger and the following excerpts are used with permission from the magazine.
“Spirituality is in,” says Sam Keen, author of Hymns to an Unknown God. Is it any wonder that
advertising reflects this cultural reality? More and more ads are drawing on the rich possibilities of
religious and spiritual schemes. From cars to beverages, and health care to sports teams, we see signs
and portents that Madison Avenue has jumped on the spiritual bandwagon.
Religious pundits tell us we are experiencing a “great awakening”---a prolonged period of religious
interest that occurs periodically in American history. But this awakening is different. In the past, great
awakenings were largely spurred by religious revivals. The current one reflects an increasing separation
of spiritual values from the constraints of dogma and denomination. “We are experiencing a rise of
spiritual individualism and uncorseted spiritual experimentation,” says Keen. The institutions of religion
are becoming less important, while the spiritual values, disciplines, and ethics they represent have grown
in significance.
The share of Americans who believe in some sort of divine power has remained constant for decades.
Likewise, churchgoing rates haven’t done anything noticeable in recent years. So how do we know a
spiritual renaissance is underway? In a word, it’s books. Booksellers have reported big gains in the sale
of religious and spiritual titles in the 1990’s. “Religion books are the fastest growing adult tradebook
category,” says Lynn Garett, religion editor of Publisher’s Weekly. One Spirit, one of nine specialty
clubs of the Book of the Month Club, is the fastest growing club in the company’s history. Ingram
Books, the nation’s largest book wholesaler, saw a 249 percent growth in this genre in mid-1994.
Books are good cultural soothsayers because “human beings are slow to change their public and social
ways,” says Phyllis Tickle, author of Rediscovering the Sacred: Spirituality in America. “We are
especially slow to express aloud religious beliefs or visibly pursue religious patterns that are too
divergent from those of our community. Books don't tell, especially in the matters of the Spirit. What
books currently are establishing about our landscape is a burgeoning and generalized absorption with
spirituality and religion in America today,” says Tickle.
IMPORTANT LESSONS FROM PETER DRUCKER
Peter Drucker and management are synonymous. Long recognized as the “father of modern management,” a recent
Forbes cover story called him “the most perceptive observer of the American scene since Alexis de Tocqueville.”
From our beginning, Leadership Network has been fortunate to have the ongoing benefit of Drucker’s wisdom and
counsel in determining our mission and strategy. Participants at Leadership Network forums and conferences have
been recipients of his insight through his presence and presentations. Recently, Bob Buford, the Chairman of the
Board of Leadership Network, reflected on the most important lessons he and Leadership Network have learned
from Drucker. While the list is long, we have excerpted ten for this 75th issue of NetFax.
1. The mission comes first. The mission of nonprofits (including churches) is changed lives.
2. The function of management is to make the church more church-like, not to make the church more business-like.
3. An organization begins to die the day it begins to be run for the benefit of the insiders and not for the benefit of
the outsiders.
4. Know the value of planned abandonment...you must decide what not to do.
5. Know the value of foresight...you can’t predict the future, but you must assess the futurity of present events.
6. Focus on opportunities, not on problems. Most organizations assign their best resources to their problems, not
their opportunities.
7. Management is a social function and has mostly to do with people, not techniques and procedures.
8. People decisions are the ultimate control mechanism of an organization. That’s where people look to find out
what values you really hold.
9. All work is work for a team. No individual has the temperament and the skills to do every job. The purpose of a
team is to make strengths productive and weaknesses irrelevant.
10. The three most important questions are “What is our business?”, “Who is the customer?”, and “What does the
customer consider value?”
For more information on Drucker, visit the Drucker page at http://www.leadnet.org
Mobilizing the Laity...Seven Trends and Implications

A core characteristic of the 21st century church is the mobilization of the laity. In 21st century churches, there is a high value placed on
mobilization with each person seen as having a gift, role, and place to serve. There is a systemic approach to the process of identifying
gifts and talents, equipping/coaching, and placement for service and mobilization is implemented by a leadership team with a
designated point person for lay mobilization. The perspective is one of “whole life ministry” with people using their gifts to serve
others not only in the church, but with family, work, community, and the world. There are at least seven major societal trends and
related implications for lay mobilization.
1. The secularization of society. Christianity is no longer the dominant belief in the United States. The church, once the center of
family and community life, now competes for attention in a secular world filled with work, athletics, school, and other events.
Implication...More of the work of the church will take place outside the walls and formal programs of the church. This requires fewer
“come to the church and do it” programs and more of an emphasis on lifestyle “we’ll train you to go be with them.”
2. New styles of ordained leadership. The current lay mobilization movement is not about wresting power from the clergy, but rather
is being championed by church leaders who recognize the task of leading the modern church requires a broader leadership base.
Implication...After being inspired and motivated by preaching and study, lay involvement provides a way to take “the next step” in
their spiritual growth and development.
3. The lay person of the 90’s. Church members are busier than ever and also face more crises as a result of the societal, family and
work changes of the 90’s.
Implication...Members want to have a ministry that both makes a difference and fits their needs and gifts. The key to providing this is
a well developed mentoring system. Members need ongoing support and nurturing as they test the waters of Christian ministry.
4. New patterns of giving. In the midst of materialistic lifestyles, increased numbers of direct mail and telephone appeals, and
fundraising scandals, there is increasing skepticism and a tendency to give less to causes in which a person has no direct interest.
Implication...Increased involvement through lay mobilization earns both the member’s ownership and excitement about giving to a
cause they can also serve.
5. An urgency to simplify. Public and private sectors, both profit and non-profit, including many churches, are seeking to clarify their
focus and simplify their structure.
Implication...An effective lay mobilization system, when combined with a church wide commitment to simplify, frees members to
focus on fewer activities and concentrate on areas of service and ministry that best suit their particular talents and gifts.
6. A quest for community. In our transient society, people are looking for places where they can establish community with others who
share similar values and interests.
Implication...A lay ministry system provides opportunities for friendships and community.
7. New patterns of learning and growth. Experiential learning and life application are now dominant. Members look to the church to
help them set personal and spiritual growth goals and career objectives.
Implication...Lay ministry provides a laboratory for Christian living where faith becomes active.
******************
A useful tool in implementing a lay mobilization system is the newly revised “Starter Kit for Mobilizing Ministry” available
through the Leadership Training Network. LTN also offers forums and training institutes for leaders of lay mobilization.
Call 1-800-765-5323 to order a Starter Kit or obtain more information on the Fall ‘97 schedule of forums and institutes.
URBAN WHEN URBAN WASN’T COOL

21st century church leaders are anticipatory, rather than reactionary leaders. Each generation of pioneering
church leaders must learn to anticipate the shifts of culture and respond to them with the timeless, un-
diluted truths of Christianity. Anticipatory leaders are able to anticipate cultural shifts and thus lead the
culture rather than react to it. Often, pioneering leadership models emerge from the most intense crucibles
in a culture.
Where are today’s crucibles found most often? In urban centers. Urban trends dominate fashion, music,
television sitcoms, language and politics. Urban attitudes are mimicked by suburbanites everywhere. Why
should this matter to suburban churches? Because the leadership approaches needed in the next decade will
likely emerge in the hardest edges, the urban centers, of this decade. To be proactive leaders in the
suburban setting of tomorrow, church leaders of today must begin to understand an urban ministry mindset.
Culture’s Objection to Church Response of the Pioneering/ General Characteristics

Evangelistic Church
80’s - “It’s not relevant” “It’s Seekers Services Excellence •Drama & Multi-media •
boring” Presentational worship • Planned
“It’s hokey” Model: Theater variety • Program emphasis •
“It’s preachy” Proclamation sermon styles •
Structured small groups that emphasize
shepherding
90’s - “It’s not real” “GenX” Style Communities Authenticity • Edgy attitude • Humor •
“It’s hypocritical” Participatory worship • Spontaneous
“It’s too slick” Model: Coffee House variety • People emphasis•
Conversational/Interactive sermon style
• Free-form small groups that create
environments for relational growth
Next - “It’s for wimps, dorks & Urban Style Ministries Commitment to the group • Time-
rejects” proven relationships • In your face
“It’s all talk and empty Model: Gang straight out sermon style • Organized
promises” small groups that emphasize service for
a cause
In partnership with young urban leaders around the US, Leadership Network is co-hosting a forum
September 25-27, 1997, in Washington DC for Emerging Urban Leaders currently involved in
urban ministry. The cost of the forum is $105 plus lodging. Call Leadership Network at 800-765-5323 to
register or for more information.
Customizing Lay Mobilization

An earlier NetFax (#16, April 3, 1995) identified and described the seven components found in an effective lay ministry system.
They include: assimilation or helping visitors become members; context or providing the Biblical basis for gift based service;
discovery or understanding individual gifts; matching or identifying places to serve in the church, community and work place;
placement or assisting people to get started in the right area of service; coaching and recognition or ongoing training, support and
re-placement in gift based service roles. The particular emphasis and culture of a church as expressed by your mission statement,
values, preaching, teaching and allocation of resources will affect which system components receive the greatest emphasis.
Addressing the concerns most important to your church will help to customize whatever system of lay mobilization you are using. The
following guidelines for mission and strategy implications are from the newly revised Starter Kit for Mobilized Ministry Section One,
Part 4 (1-800-765-5323, $45).
If the emphasis is EVANGELISM, the mission is “we are known to be a safe place for non-Christians to hear and respond to the
Gospel” and the implication is to emphasize assimilation to those casual attendees who no longer want to remain anonymous and can
be quickly integrated into the community.
If the emphasis is OUTREACH, the mission is “we are known for sending our members out into the community with the gospel to
help the needy” and the implication is to emphasize cataloguing and placement so that members are aware of community service
opportunities throughout the city.
If the emphasis is DISCIPLESHIP and BIBLE STUDY, the mission is “we are known for providing good Bible teaching and
opportunities for believers to grow and mature” and the implication is to emphasize matching and placement so that members can
apply their knowledge to ministry.
If the emphasis is DISCIPLESHIP and SERVICE, the mission is “we are a church that helps people grow in the midst of adverse
circumstances or through ongoing service” and the implication is to emphasize coaching to assist members as they make faith based
decisions in life and service.
If the emphasis is COMMUNITY, the mission is “we are a church where people find Christian family through small groups and
various fellowship experiences” and the implication is to emphasize discovery and placement so that people grow to learn about
themselves through a group experience and find a place to serve as a group focused on a common objective.
If the emphasis is RECOVERY, the mission is “we are known for being a safe place where those who are hurting can recover and
grow” and the implication is to emphasize individualized applications and matching so that members have both a place to recover
and systems to help them move beyond their pain.
If the emphasis is TRANSITIONS, the mission is “we are a church faced with a large number of people in the midst of life
transitions, such as marriage, mid-life, retirement” and the implication is to emphasize discovery since many members are making
decisions that require greater self knowledge and increased mentoring. Many will have to deal with personal transitions before they
are ready to serve others.
***************************************
If you are interested in learning more about how to customize a lay mobilization program in your church, Leadership Training
Network will send you a free copy of Section One, Part 4 from the Starter Kit for Mobilizing Ministry. In addition, you might
want to join with leadership teams from across the nation who will be attending LTN’s fall Institute for Lay Mobilization
October 5-10. To register or for more information on the Institute or to request your free copy of Section One, Part 4, please
call 1-800-765-5323.
THE SECRET OF GREAT GROUPS
One of the shifts occurring in 21st century leadership is from the single leader to a leadership team and all great
teams and organizations are built around a shared dream or motivating purpose. In an article* based on his recent
book, Organizing Genius, The Secret of Great Groups, (Addison-Wesley, 1-800-822-6339, $24) Warren Bennis
writes that “Great Groups teach us something about effective leadership, meaningful missions, and inspired
recruiting.” The following are four of the common principles of Great Groups and four behavioral characteristics
of leaders of Great Groups.
At the heart of every Great Group is a shared dream. All Great Groups believe they are on a mission from God,
that they can change the world, make a dent in the universe. They are obsessed with their work. It does not
become a job but a fervent quest. That belief is what brings the necessary cohesion and energy to work.
They manage conflict by abandoning individual egos to the pursuit of the dream. Conflict, even with these
diverse people, is resolved by reminding people of the mission.
Great Groups make strong leaders. On the one hand, they’re all nonhierarchial, open and very egalitarian. Yet
they all have strong leaders. That’s the paradox of group leadership. You cannot have a great leader without a
Great Group and vice versa.
Great Groups are the product of meticulous recruiting. Cherry-picking the right talent for a group means
knowing what you need and being able to spot it in others. It also means understanding the chemistry of a group.
Despite differences in style, leaders of Great Groups share four behavioral traits. Without exception, the leaders
of Great Groups: (1) Provide direction and meaning. They remind people of what’s important and why their
work makes a difference; (2) Generate and sustain trust. The group’s trust in itself--and its leadership--allows
members to accept dissent and ride through the turbulence of the group process; (3) Display a bias toward action,
risk taking and curiosity. A sense of urgency---and a willingness to risk failure to achieve results--is at the heart
of every Great Group; and (4) Are purveyors of hope. Effective team leaders find both tangible and symbolic
ways to demonstrate that the group can overcome the odds.
*Used with permission from the Winter, 1997 issue of Leader to Leader, published by Jossey-Bass and the
Drucker Foundation. To subscribe, call 1-800-956-7739.
*************************************
This issue begins the fourth year of NetFax.
We hope it continues to be a useful tool for you as a 21st century leader.
JUMPING THE SIGMOID CURVE

One of the most useful tools in understanding the natural life cycle of a product, an organization, a church or
even a relationship is the sigmoid or S curve. The secret to constant growth is to start a new S curve before the
first one ends and the right place to start the second curve is at point A when there is the time, energy and
resources to get the new curve through its initial stages before the first curve plateaus and declines.
Why do we not recognize the obvious principle of beginning the new curve at point A? At point A all the
messages received by the individual or organization indicate that everything is fine...there is no need to change.
Why tinker with success?
The second curve, whether it is a new product, a new strategy, or new program, is going to be different from
the old. It has to be and so are the people leading the new curve. Those who lead the second curve are often
not the people who led the first curve. For a time, new ideas and new people have to co-exist with the old until
the second curve is established and the first begins to wane. The shaded area thus becomes a time of great
confusion. Two, or more, groups of people and two sets of ideas are competing for the future.
In the 1990's, the first curve is now peaking for thousands of institutions and organizations...and yes, churches
and denominations. Where is your church or organization on the S curve? And where are you personally on the
S curve of your career or ministry?
FIVE WINDOWS INTO THE 21st CENTURY CHURCH

Part 1
The signs are ubiquitous. A new American church is emerging for the next century led by a new type of clergy and
lay leader. During the past year, Leadership Network has been listening to and learning from this new church and its
leaders. In trying to describe this emerging church, we believe 21st century churches can be identified by five core
characteristics. Each of the five characteristics is a window into the mission, values, structure and culture of a 21st
century church and will be present or in process within an individual congregation. The five windows are
(1) effective leadership; (2) lay mobilization; (3) cultural connectedness; (4) authentic community; and
(5) Kingdom collaboration. Within each of these windows are a number of individual innovations. NetFax 80 and
81 will highlight these five windows.
Window One...Effective Leadership
The role of the pastor has changed from one focused on preaching/pastoral care to one focused on being proactive
in leadership, vision casting, and centered on mission. Leadership has shifted from a single leader to a leadership
team that is a gift based partnership between the pastor, staff, and lay people. Leadership has also de-centralized and
shifted from the pastor and staff as doers of ministry to being equippers of others in ministry. There is now a body of
knowledge related to leadership and management developed in other disciplines that is accepted and used by the
leadership team. The source of pastoral and staff leadership is shifting from academic and credential based to more
of an emphasis on character, gifts, and demonstrated competence and the source of the leader’s abilities flows from
an authentic relationship with God, their inner character, and willingness to be transparent with others.
Window Two...Lay Mobilization
There is a high value placed on lay mobilization with each person seen as having a gift, role and place to serve.
There is a systemic approach to the process of identifying gifts and talents, equipping/coaching, and placement for
service. Mobilization is implemented by a leadership team with a specific point person and the perspective is one
of “whole life ministry” with people using their gifts to serve others not only in the church, but with family, work,
community and the world. See NetFax 76 and 78 for additional issues in lay mobilization.
NetFax 81 will highlight the remaining three windows.
*************************************
FIVE WINDOWS INTO THE 21ST CENTURY CHURCH

Part 2
NetFax 81 continues our explanation of the five core characteristics of a 21st century church. Windows one
and two, Effective Leadership and Lay Mobilization, were profiled in NetFax 80. We welcome your
comments on the five windows.
Window Three...Cultural Connectedness
The changing 21st century population is set in the context of an age of mission and a society in which the
influence of Christianity is declining. The 21st century is global, urban and multi-cultural. Twenty-first
century leaders and churches understand and engage the culture proactively (i.e. seeker sensitive or seeker
driven) at its points of need. Using a first century model, 21st century churches are culturally indigenous to
their mission field and customize their worship, teaching, outreach and ministries according to their specific
cultural and demographic setting. Twenty-first century churches are also creative about developing new
forms of worship that are authentic, contemporary and accessible.
Window Four...Authentic Community
Ministry is customized for people as individuals and driven by people needs and opportunities, not programs.
There is a sense on the part of the congregation that their needs have been heard and the church has
responded appropriately. Community is fostered through small groups for purposes of caring, learning,
support, ministry, and accountability. There are multiple points of entry and service. There is a recognition of
multiple stages of faith development and a process in place that fosters individual growth and maturity at each
stage. There is an emphasis on disciple-making, worship, prayer, and a sense of holy adventure that the
congregation is on a journey to discover where God is active and join with Him in His work both locally and
globally.
Window Five...Kingdom Collaboration
There is an openness and willingness on the part of leaders to interact with and learn from other leaders
outside their faith tradition and regional boundaries. Peer learning networks make possible an “extension of
learnings” concerning best church practices and shared knowledge and become a significant additional
resource for leaders in addition to denominations and other traditional suppliers. In addition, 21st century
churches are open to partnerships and alliances that cross denominational lines for purposes of mission, both
locally and globally.
FIVE REASONS SEEKER CHURCHES ARE HARD TO BUILD
The term, “seeker church,” popularized by the Willow Creek Community Church near Chicago, has been adopted by thousands of
churches, new and old, whose efforts are targeted at reaching the unchurched. Recently, Bill Hybels, founding pastor of Willow
Creek, reflected on why building the kind of church that stretches both ends of the spiritual spectrum--reaching spiritual seekers
and developing fully devoted followers of Christ--is so challenging. His observations are summarized in this issue of NetFax. For
a complete text, visit the Willow Creek web site at http://www.willowcreek.org and go to on-line newsletters, WCA News, July-
August, 1997.
Reason #1: Because we really are building a different kind of church than most church leaders are building. Many churches
feel called to shepherding and building into the already-convinced, and that’s a good thing--as far as it goes. But we are involved
in a work that has a much broader scope. We’re wooing, beckoning, persuading, and pleading with lost people to give us a
listen...and when they do give their lives to Christ, then we have another huge challenge on our hands. But it just isn’t the front
and back ends of the spiritual spectrum we are trying to stretch. In the middle...we’re trying to maintain a biblically functioning
community.
Reason #2: Most of us are trying to tackle this incredibly difficult challenge while being seriously understaffed,
undercapitalized, and dreadfully inexperienced in management and leadership. In watching seeker-sensitive churches get
planted for more than 15 years...here is the main theme I see developing: Churches that are planted with multi-staff arrangements-
--as many key players as possible--are the ones that tend to do better over the long haul. Get a staff of 8-10 people---paid or unpaid,
but committed! Get them all identified and get all their gifts figured out.
Reason #3: Most of us are trying to do this with inadequate supervision and little or no peer support during the most
demanding season of our personal lives. Many people who start these types of churches don’t take advantage of the networking
opportunities that are there. Quality peers are people who are building something in spite of resistance, who are learning how to
build a staff, put together strategies, and work out the financial sides of the equation.
Reason #4: Most of us are crippled to at least some degree by wounds and distortions we don’t even know we are carrying.
Lots of us are doing self-destructive types of things in ministry and in relationships. Some of us do controlling kinds of leadership
things. Some of us are insecure and we won’t hire competent staff people because they are too good. Some of us are fear-based
and we won’t walk out on limbs of faith when God tells us to. Some of us know nothing about boundaries and we end up running
on empty and assume it’s part of God’s plan.
Reason #5: All of us are building these things during one of the most difficult eras in human history. All of this talk about
people returning to church is not the wavelength the nonchurched guys I hang around with are on. I don’t think it is easy to build
a church in the late 90’s. I think it’s actually tougher now than it has ever been.
So, why be involved in this type of ministry? Hybels has five reasons why he is staying with building seeker churches: (1) I have
an unmistakable calling on my life, and for me to do anything else would be deceitful and rebellious; (2) I really do believe to the
core of my being that lost people matter to God and my personal conviction is that seeker-oriented churches are doing the most
effective job at reaching them; (3) our kids deserve to be a part of a prevailing church; (4) all things considered, it is the best
reflection of my gifts, passions, and temperament; and (5) I truly believe the church is the hope of the world. We’re trustees of the
hope of the world. It’s not government, it’s not education, and it’s not business. It’s us, under the leadership of Christ.
KEEPING THE FAITH...Religious Publishing Trends
The explosion of books on religion and spirituality in recent years is one of the bright spots in the publishing
industry. 21st century leaders are aware of publishing trends because books are a harbinger of change. Shifts in
culture and societal beliefs and values are often reflected in the reading habits of people long before they appear
in other areas. At the recent annual meeting of the Religious Newswriter’s Association, Phyllis Tickle, former
religious book editor of Publishers Weekly, and Lynn Garrett, the present editor, gave an overview of the
current religious themes and interests being addressed by publishers. What follows is a summary of their
observations.
While the sales of books on religion and spirituality books have slowed, it is still the fastest growing segment of
the publishing industry. Its continued strength, its classic and rising subjects, reflect the soul-hunger of readers.
Spirituality is still the “800 pound gorilla” of religious publishing and prayer is also steady. The biggest jump is
in daily devotionals and the increase in the number of inspirational books. There is also a mini-boomlet on the
apostle Paul. Another outstanding trend is Jewish mysticism and Kabbalah, the main source of Jewish mystical
teachings. There is a maturing of the religion and spirituality market as people are seeking to go deeper on
these topics.
There is also growing segmentation and specialization within subject areas. Buddhism, with its varying types, is
one example and the other is Christian tradition. The fastest and most dramatic segment is children’s religious
books fueled by parents looking for morally instructive material and the home-schooling boom. This growth is
in electronic publishing as well.
While spirituality is hot, the consistent, well-rooted subject is the nature of the church and especially interest in
the first century church. There is a re-discovery of the first century church prior to the church councils.
Several books on the nature of the church are scheduled for release. One of the best examples is the recently
released book, Re-inventing American Protestantism, Christianity in the New Millennium. Written by Donald
Miller, Professor of Religion at the University of Southern California, the book profiles what he calls “new
paradigm” churches.
*************
Note: The forthcoming issue of NEXT, a publication of Leadership Network, features excerpts from
Reinventing American Protestantism, and an interview with author Donald Miller. To order the book, call The
University of California Press (1-800-822-6657; $27.50) or your local bookstore.
If you do not receive NEXT,

please call 1-800-765-5323 to be placed on the mailing list.
A PASSION FOR THE MISSION
It is the most critical variable in leadership. Without it, the work of the Kingdom does not advance. While
sometimes hard to define, you recognize it when you see it. It is the major characteristic that distinguishes
healthy and effective leaders and congregations today. “It” is a passion for the mission.
The necessity of having a passion for the mission was a topic of discussion among church consultants at a Think
Tank led by Bill Easum, founder and president of 21st Century Strategies, Inc., held November 3. According
to Lyle Schaller, a participant in the meeting, “I think passion is the critical variable. It has taken me a long time
to come around to that, but if a pastor does not have a passion for the mission, you can forget the rest. I would
insist the number one quality of a leader be passion.”
After working with more than 600 congregations across the nation the past ten years, Bill Easum believes that
having a passion for and being clear about the mission is what most distinguishes a healthy and effective leader
and congregation. “It all goes back to why we are doing this...it’s the mission...and the pastor and key leaders
simply must have a passion for the mission. It is more than just maintaining or even growing a church, but
believing your church can reach an entire city or a region; believing they can make a difference.”
The importance of a passion for the mission was also echoed by pastors and staff who attended a Leadership
Network Teaching Church Forum in Atlanta, November 5-7. “Strategic adventure builds passion, “busyness”
does not,” said Robert Lewis, Pastor of Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock, Arkansas. “We began with the
vision that we were not going to just build a church, but impact our world. We want to change our city and our
state.” Bill Wellons, another member of the pastoral team at Fellowship, commented about the importance of
communicating “the transcendent mission as opposed to structures and programs” as a part of developing
passion among church leaders. “I have been thinking about how we can elevate it more so that people can
experience the words of the mission...when they can experience it, they will be excited about it.”
Passion is engendered when it is modeled by leaders. And “teaching is a central part of it...the ability to present
the picture, to communicate the vision,” according to Chuck Murphy, Senior Pastor at All Saints Episcopal
Church, Pawley’s Island, South Carolina. Seeing results also helps to foster passion. “It stimulates people and
they want to learn and grow.” But passion can be dimmed by success. “You have to prioritize between what
you can and should do.”
As a 21st century leader,

how would you assess your present passion for the mission?
A PREVIEW OF “WHAT’S NEXT”
Later this week, over 100 leaders from across the nation will gather in Southern California at a special
Leadership Network forum to discuss the topic of “What’s Next?” in terms of the church in the United States,
the U. S. Culture, and the role of church leadership (pastors and governing boards). Participants will include a
combination of senior pastors of large congregations, lay persons active in their churches, denominational
leaders, theological educators and consultants. The principal resources for the forum will be Peter Drucker and
Lyle Schaller. While NetFax 86 will focus on the discussions at the forum, this issue highlights the advance
thinking of participants in response to the question, “What’s Next?”
If the 80’s were materialism and the 90’s are spirituality, then what’s next in the CULTURE?
Paganism, community, on-line cyberspace, social action, pluralism, globalization, collaboration, a search for
traditional values in a culture that has lost its moral and ethical base, the occult moving into the mainstream,
stoicism, individualism, experience-based reality, service, relationships, spirituality, continued, dysfunction,
fragmentation and special interest groups, meaning, indifference to God, tolerance, sub-cultures that are
disconnected, a return to the basics, high-tech simplification, confusion, pessimism, complexity, social action,
and “helping and healing”... solving world hunger, building houses and world unity.
If the 80’s were church growth and the 90’s are church health, then what’s next in the CHURCH?
Christian formation and discipleship, community, the learning organization, church planting, church as a safe
place, a sanctuary from growing social chaos, a place of authentic community, the integration of growth and
health, innovating back to the original stability, mission, global growth, holistic discipleship, identity, indirect
influence (as in salt and light), a teacher of religious truth, “Builders” dead, “Boomers” retired, “X’ers” never in
church and 1000’s of small churches dying, social conscience/racial sensitivity, church pruning, church
mobilization, substance over style, survival, decentralization, and finally, church intimacy or creating villages
within large churches.
If the role and style of church leadership in the 80’s were the pastor as CEO and the 90’s team-ministry, then
what’s next in CHURCH LEADERSHIP?
Mentors, bearers of identity, the congregation representing the priesthood of all believers, facilitators, models
and encouragers, the laity-empowered and mobilized, and finally decentralization and the empowerment of
small churches and ministries within the larger churches.
As a 21st century church leader, what do you think is next? Fax us at (214) 969-9392.
WHAT’S NEXT?
December 3-5, over 100 church leaders participated in a special Leadership Network forum focused on the topic of “What’s Next?” in
terms of the church in the United States, the U.S. culture, and the role of church leadership. The participants were a combination of
senior pastors of large congregations, lay persons active in their churches, denominational leaders, church consultants and
theological educators. Peter Drucker served as principal resource for the forum. This NetFax will focus on the comments of Drucker;
NetFax 87 will highlight the observations of forum participants.
ON CHANGES IN THE CULTURE
Drucker: I am going to talk about fundamental changes in our society...and the most important thing to say is, “What are you going
to do to exploit these changes?” We now live in a westernized world but one not dominated by the West... not due to the advance of
non-Western countries but because of the rapid demographic shrinkage of the developed countries. More important than
numbers...the biggest issue in the next 25 years...the new social question is the gap or relationship between people of working age
and the growing number of older, retired people. Second, the greatest demographic transformation has been the shift from the manual
worker, who works with his hands, to the knowledge worker, who works with his head. Third, we have moved from a rural civilization
to an urban one and in the city, people lose their sense of community.
ON THE CHURCH
Drucker: I consider the emergence of the pastoral church, one focused on the congregation and the individual within the
congregation, to be the most important social development in this country in the last 20-25 years. Pastoral churches see their
congregation as a resource, not a market. The communicant is not a customer, but a partner and they expect to be put to work. One of
the most important realities is that you have created a new diversity in churches. The doors are wide open...how to use this as an
opportunity and not exclude people is one of the challenges. The second thing is to Christianize the population and then, to what
extent can we be a missionary church...to what extent can we mobilize these resources so that the westernization of the world is more
than a material civilization?
The January-February NEXT will feature a full report on this special forum.
If you do not receive NEXT, please call 1-800-765-5323 to be placed on the mailing list.
Number 87 December 22, 1997 © Leadership Network
Connections, By-passing, Lay Persons and Teams
This final NetFax on Leadership Network’s recent special forum, “What Next?” is drawn from interviews with
participants who responded to the question, “What’s next for the culture and the church?”
Kevin Miller, Editor, Leadership Journal

In the culture, I am seeing an intense desire for connection. What do people look for when they go to
Starbucks? It’s not coffee, but connection. Another important trend is “the age of bypassing.” People no
longer feel that they have to play by your rules, use your system... “I’ll get what I want, the way I want to get
it, and don’t you monitor how I get it.” In terms of church leadership, the pastor can no longer get the job done
alone...if one ever could. The parson, that sort of beloved figure who marries and buries...that was really nice
in the 19th century and the first half of this century...but it doesn’t work any more.
What is the future of large churches? I think the large church, as we currently conceive it, is a phenomena
that requires a set of characteristics that are limiting in the sense that they can be reproduced in only so many
places. I also think there are a number of other cultural forces that will cause the large church to take on new
forms. So, will the large church still be here? Yes. Will there be more of them? Yes, but there will be multiple
models of how to do a large church.
What is the best opportunity to exploit within the church right now? The enormous mass of highly-trained,
educated lay people. An opportunity within the culture? The incredible brokenness in our culture. The
churches that will grow in the future are those that know how to heal the soul and nurture that part of people
that seeks peace, meaning and community.
Ron Martoria, Senior Pastor, West Winds Community Church, Jackson, MI

We are seeing the influence of individualism now more than any time in our ministry. People are coming to us
with views of truth and God that they hold in private ways and with no desire to commit to anything. We are
shifting our entire membership assimilation process to be more “hands-on” and a process of self-discovery.
We have talked a lot about team ministry but have just really begun to understand the synergy that comes from
a team. Our lay people are excited and they have a much higher sense of ownership.
Best wishes for a joyous and blessed holiday season

from all of us at Leadership Network!
_________________________________________________________
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Number 88 January 05, 1998 © Leadership Network
THE URBAN CHURCH AND THE POST-MODERN WORLD
The shift from the modern to the post-modern world is one of the most significant shifts in human history. At the recent annual
meeting of the North American Society for Church Growth, pastor/teacher/author/missiologist Tom Wolf spoke on the urban church
and post-modernism. The following are highlights from his remarks. An audio-tape copy of his full remarks can be ordered
through Audio Excellence at (813) 360-6726.
Modern World Post-modern World

Man is a skeptical person Man is a spiritual person
Natural world Re-discovery of the super-natural world
Rational authority Embracing of alternative authorities
Progressive history Disillusionment of historical progress
Scientific method Multi-dimensional methodology
Industrial revolution Information revolution
“The pastoral task of the church is, in my understanding, the equipping of leaders for the emerging global conversation. I believe
there are there are five aspects to our conversation.”
1. It is seasoned. It will take us longer to talk to people than the four spiritual laws which assume a Western and basically Judeo-
Christian orientation. We must take time to start further out in our discussion and take more time in arriving at our discussion points.
2. It is scriptural. Do not argue about the validity of your position, or the wrongness or invalidity of your friends’. Ask instead
about the possibility of your own position. It is witnessing to the truth, not arguing the case. If we can move from arguing the
validity of our position to asking about the possibility of our position, we will find a lot more receptivity.
3. It is simple. It is unadorned truth, simple and straight. People are created in the image of God and that is the entry point of the
gospel for every listening person.
4. It is seen. People in a post-modern world need images to ponder. Movies, not manuscripts, will motivate the post-modern
audience. You talk about a movie and then you can parable the truth from the movie or images from TV.
5. It is suited. It has to be audience appropriate and that means especially addressing world views. I believe there are four basic
world views, or a combination of them, that will have to be dealt with in the global world: the Hinterland, which is animism,
Hebrew, Han and Hindu.
The conversation stoppers of the American church are two. One is our vision of the congregation. It is a major limitation that
churches see themselves as growing only the modality, the local church. The New Testament church grew not only the modality but
generated sodalities. Until we regain the vision that the local church is there to reach its neighborhood and the nations of the world,
we will never be able to address the world as we should. The second is our vision of the task which is to disciple the nations. From
our individualistic, western mind-set, we think it says, “Go therefore, and make disciples of all the individuals in the nations.” The
ethnos is the unit of discipleship. We have been captured by the rationalism and empiricism that has gutted our comprehension of the
whole. The lack of addressing all of life with the gospel has hampered our ability to take the gospel as it should be and address the
culture as it moves into new dimensions.
P.O. Box 199277 . DALLAS . TEXAS 75219-9277

PHONE: 1- 800-765-5323 or (214) 969-5950 FAX: (214) 969-9392
Number 89 January 19, 1998  Leadership Network
It’s Not About Technology...It is About the Great Commission
A pioneer in the computer industry, Walt Wilson was a part of the start-up of Apple Computer and most recently served
as vice-president of a consulting firm where he coached Fortune 500 leaders on issues relating to technology. An involved
layman in his local church, he is a new member of Leadership Network’s Board of Directors and last week shared with us
his observations on how technology is changing the way the church communicates in our transitional world.
It’s not about technology; it is about the Great Commission. This is the first thing we have to understand. We have to
begin to shift our thinking from atoms to bits. We tend to think of the church in terms of being very local and geographic
in nature. But in terms of outreach and ministry, we are now thrust into a borderless, timeless world. “Is the Internet real?”
is the question I hear so much, not only in business, but particularly in the church. The answer to the question is yes. It is
not a fad or something just for geeks or computer people. The computer is not just a machine any more. It is literally a
way to connect people and this form of person-to-person communication is without human bias. There is no age, no gender
and no race; all those things that interfere with communication. People can remain almost anonymous on the Internet and
there is good and bad in that. Anonymity says that I can ask deep spiritual questions like, “Is there a God?” or Can I
know God?” The implications are that I can navigate my own journey of spiritual discovery and I can do it without being
exposed personally.
I see these basic applications for the church through the Internet: (1) evangelism and outreach...a church web site could
have 20 FAQ’s about Christianity, Bible search-engines, short stories of people’s lives, and a contact button for follow-
up; (2) internal and external communication about church events, location, a map, etc.; (3) building community...my wife
and I teach a Sunday School class and we have everyone on e-mail. We communicate prayer requests and have found that
it draws the community tighter and makes the bonds stronger; (4) distance learning...not only among people in our own
church but access to global learning. We can provide specific learning material to people that can be both a method of
inquiry and learning for the unbeliever or a discipleship tool for the believer. The seminary of tomorrow does not have ivy-
covered walls; (5) ministry...a local resource center can be a virtual bookstore. With audio-streaming, messages become
global. Web-casting takes the concept of broadcasting and changes the rules.
I would not expect a pastor to be a technician, but there are people in the pews who work with this technology every day.
It takes three steps...put a strategy in place, mobilize the laity, and just do it. Don't ask questions like, “Is this technology
relevant?” It is about communication and the Great Commission. My interpretation of the word “go” is that it is an
imperative. I think Paul’s only option was to get on a boat and “go” somewhere. Our option is to be using this web
technology, saying something very relevant. It is a first century imperative in a 21st century mode.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
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LETTERMAN HAS HIS TOP TEN LIST...SO DO WE!

This issue of NetFax will be a little different from the previous eight as we close out 1994. First of all, thank
you for your response to NetFax. Since its introduction in September, more than 1,000 leaders throughout the
nation now receive NetFax and the number grows daily!
From time to time, we are asked the question, "what books are you currently reading?" So we thought it might
be fun to take this last issue of NetFax for the year and give you our Top Ten list of books that have been
particularly useful in 1994. Five were published prior to 1994, but we did not read them until this year. There
is no special order to the list. (Unlike Letterman.)
Lives Without Balance. Carter, Steven and Sokol, Julia. Villard Books, 1992.
Generation Ecch! The Backlash Starts Here! Cohen, Jason and Krugman, Michael. Simon and Schuster, 1994.
Beyond Entrepreneurship. Collins, James and Lazier, William. Prentice-Hall, 1992.
Competing for the Future. Hamel, Gary and Prahalad, C.K. Harvard Business School Press, 1994.
Managing the New Organization, A Blueprint for Networks and Strategic Alliances. Limerick, David and
Cunnington, Bert. Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1993.
Reaching A New Generation. Roxburgh, Alan J. InterVarsity Press, 1993.
The Equipping Pastor, A Systems Approach to Congregational Leadership. Stevens, R. Paul and Collins, Phil.
The Alban Institute, 1993.
Faithquakes. Sweet, Leonard. Abingdon, 1994.
Worship Old & New. Webber, Robert. Zondervan, 1994.
Sharing the Journey: Support Groups and America's New Quest For Community. Wuthnow, Robert. The Free
Press, 1994.
What was the best book you read in 1994? Fax us the title and author of the book and we will compile the list and use it
in a future NetFax.
A Culture of Commitment…Lessons from Southwest Airlines
One of the hallmarks of 21st century leadership is authenticity and few public leaders have a more
authentic reputation than Herb Kelleher, the CEO of Southwest Airlines. He believes the secret of
building a great organization and a culture of commitment and loyalty is to be yourself. The
following excerpts are from his article in the Spring, 1997, issue of Leader to Leader and used with
permission. To subscribe, call 1-888-378-2537 or e-mail subinfo@jbp.com.
A financial analyst once asked me if I was afraid of losing control of our organization. I told him I’ve
never had any control and I never wanted it. If you create an environment where the people truly
participate, you don’t need control. They know what needs to be done, and they do it. And the
more that people will devote to your cause on a voluntary basis, a willing basis, the fewer
hierarchies and control mechanisms you need. We’re not looking for blind obedience. We’re
looking for people, who on their own initiative, want to be doing what they’re doing because they
consider it to be a worthy objective. I have always believed that the best leader is the best server.
And if you’re a servant, by definition, you’re not controlling.
I have seen brilliant entrepreneurial strategies falter as an organization grows and matures.
Obviously, you manage a $25 billion company differently than you do a $25 million company. But
you change your practices, not your principles. You learn how to communicate with large numbers
of employees by using videotapes, newsletters, weekly updates and frequent visits to the field. You
share not only what’s going on in the company, but in the industry and the marketplace. You go to
meetings not to issue orders or instructions; you go to learn the problems people are having and
see if you can help. You remember that systems are not masters…they are servants in helping you
carry out your mission. And that nothing comes ahead of your people.
Our real accomplishment is to have inspired our people to buy into a concept, to share a feeling
and an attitude, to identify with the company…and then to execute. You need to spend more time
on the intangibles than the tangibles to create that kind of buy-in. Our most important training is not
in how to manage or administer, but how to lead.
My best lesson in leadership came during my early days as a trial lawyer…when I realized there are
many different paths, not one right path. That’s true of leadership as well. People with different
personalities, different approaches, different values, succeed not because one set of values or
practices is superior, but because their values and practices are genuine.

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ASSESSING THE 21ST CENTURY LANDSCAPE
A lot of what we do at Leadership Network is “active listening” to groups of 21st century church leaders who
are on the front-line of ministry. One such group is the Church Champions Editor’s Board; leaders who work
directly with congregations via their role as church consultants and regional denominational executives. Last
Wednesday, the Editor’s Board spent the day assessing the 21st century landscape. The following are
some of their key observations.
On leadership and developing leaders:

The focus of leadership is shifting from acquiring the skills and competencies associated with leadership to
an increasing emphasis on the soul, character and integrity of the leader. “We learned we could grow a big
church but lose our soul,” observed one participant. Congregations are asking for spiritual leaders, not
professional religious leaders. The role of the pastor/leader today is to create the environment in which the
potential of lay persons can be unleashed. It is to help people find meaning out of their experiences.
Leadership development and real learning happens in the context of community. We don’t need more
information about leadership but we need, instead, to begin to learn in authentic communities that keep both
grace and accountability in appropriate tension. It means teams of staff and laity. It means understanding
more about how our team and we, as leaders are wired in terms of gifts, style, passion and motivation.
On disconnects in the church and culture:

In today’s world, one cannot confine spirituality to a specific time and place. Doing so puts a lot of pressure
on the Sunday 11:00 a.m. hour. People are seeking spirituality seven days a week. The church can not
operate independently in its own little world. The future is one where the church will be in collaboration with
others in the community...other churches, other denominations and non-profits.
People today think emotionally, and increasingly separate public and private responsibilities. We are now in
a post-welfare state, where government is not the solution and churches are being increasingly asked to
assume social needs for which they are ill-prepared. Valued ministry takes place outside the church walls as
the people of God are deployed throughout the community according to their gifts and service.
**********
The Church Champions Network is comprised of church consultants, teaching churches, regional
denomination executives, and others who provide hands-on assistance to churches. For more information, call
Dave Travis at Leadership Network, 1-800-765-5323 or e-mail him at dave.travis@leadnet.org

PHONE: 1- 800-765-5323 or (214) 969-5950 FAX: (214) 969-9392
Ministry in the “In-Between Time”
One reason for much of the dissonance felt today is that we are living in the “in-between time,” a time of
transition between the close of the modern world and the emergence of the post-modern world. The old is
not yet fully dead and the new is not yet fully born. Generation X and the Millennial Generation are the first
generations of this post-modern world and reflect the front line of cultural changes. Ministry to these
generations in this transitional period is also changing and is moving from national models to more organic
and regional models. The organic nature of post-modern ministry can be illustrated using the following
three dimensions of culture.
The cognitive dimension (the head) has to do with how people think and arrange information. We are
moving from a world in which people primarily learned by proposition, proclamation, and rational
presentation to a world in which the primary learning mode is narrative story telling. This is why movies,
television and music so significantly impact our culture. They are powerful forms of communicating a story.
In less than 90 days, the movie Titanic has become the number one box office film in history and the closing
song is number one on the pop charts. Both the song and the movie tell a story that is resonating with
people from coast to coast.
This shift also makes one’s personal story all the more important. Being able to tell your story, to tell God’s
story, and to listen to the stories of others becomes essential in effectively communicating the Gospel to a
post-modern world. The challenge is to connect God’s story to the story of those we are trying to reach.
The evaluative dimension (the heart) has to do with what people value and find important. We are
moving from a world that valued representation to one that values participation. It is a world in which my
experience of ministry, not my learning about it, will validate the Gospel. Community becomes more
important than content. And content will only be understood within the context of community which will vary
from place to place. There will be multiple models of ministry rather than a single model.
The aesthetic dimension (the gut) has to do with how culture is expressed. We are moving to a world in
which authenticity takes precedence over relevance, especially in modeling Christianity. “Show yourself to
be real, and then I can determine if I want what you have.”
**************
The Young Leader Network is hosting three regional forums in March and April on ministry in the post-
modern transition in addition to a national conference in October. For more information, visit the Young
Leader web site at www.youngleader.org or call 1-800-765-5323, ext. 107.

PHONE: 1- 800-765-5323 or (214) 969-5950 FAX: (214) 969-9392
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Present-Futures for the Church, Part One
At a number of Leadership Network special forums, Peter Drucker has consistently indicated that
it is pointless to try and predict the future. Rather, we should prepare for the future that has
already happened. Pastor/author/leadership development consultant Reggie McNeal recently
spoke on six present-futures of the North American church. For each future, he posed both a
wrong and a tough question. This NetFax includes excerpts from his remarks on futures 1-3.
NetFax 94 will profile futures 4-6.
Future #1: The collapse of the church culture. A reality in many parts of North America, this
future is being hastened by several factors, including Boomer burnout on church, changing
immigration patterns that bring non-Christian religions into the country, and, although they are
spiritually active, the lack of Christian orientation for Generation X. The wrong question is “How
do we stop the collapse of the church culture?” Fear drives this question, evidenced by the efforts
to prop up church programming, fighting over how we do church, hyper-morality, and bridge
burning, rather than bridge building, to the culture. The tough question is “How do we re-
conceptualize a Christianity that is not tied to the church culture?” Answering this question will
return believers to the dynamics of the first century church. The church will move beyond the
issues of programming and real estate to engage people on their turf, not on the church’s.
Future #2: The shift from church growth to Kingdom growth. The emphasis here is that of
recognizing and joining movements of God rather than pursuing institutional agendas. The
current spiritual awakening is happening primarily outside the church. God is doing most of His
work in the world. The wrong question is “How do we do church work better?” This question
keeps us focused on securing the church rather than releasing it. The tough question is “How do
we partner with God in His redemptive work in the world beyond the church’s institutional
concerns?” These efforts will take us into the community and the world beyond the church walls.
Future #3: The second Reformation. The first Reformation returned the Word of God to His
people. A second Reformation, now underway, is returning the work of God to His people as
more and more believers come to understand and act on the belief that they are called, gifted, and
empowered as ministers of the Gospel. The wrong question is “How can we employ more laity as
church workers?” This approach assumes that all viable ministry happens inside the church walls.
The tough question is “How can we deploy God’s priests to impact their world for Christ?” The
challenge is to develop on-mission Christians who understand their primary ministry assignments
to be where God has placed them: their homes, schools, communities, marketplaces, and civic
clubs, etc.
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Present-Futures of the Church, Part Two
NetFax 93 began a look at six present-futures of the church based on recent remarks of
author/pastor/leadership development consultant Reggie McNeal (803-765-0030). The following are present-
futures four through six. Watch for McNeal’s new book, Revolution in Leadership, Creating Apostles for
Tomorrow’s Churches, to be released in September.
Future #4: The development of missional partnerships and alliances. Past congregational and
denominational turfism meant that Christian efforts in communities were splintered. Christians of different
stripes viewed each other as competitors, apostates or somewhere in between. Even churches within the
same denomination frequently chose competition over collaboration. The wrong question is “How do we beat
our church competitors?” This question reflects a strategy that perpetuates a Christendom model which has
proven ineffective in the Christian penetration of the culture. The tough question is “How do we pray,
strategize, and work with all believers toward establishing the body of Christ in our communities?”
Congregations in the future will share resources (including personnel) and combine efforts in reaching the
unchurched. A growing Kingdom perspective will fuel this development as the challenges to Christianity
become increasingly pervasive.
Future #5: The emergence and development of new apostolic leadership. This new leader has a distinct
character and content to their call that resembles first century Christian leaders who faced challenges similar to
the 21st century. The wrong question is “How can we tweak our current educational model for training church
leaders?” The current credentialing and formal processes for training church leaders are largely designed to
produce maintenance ministries rather than leaders. Apostolic leaders are increasingly not being recruited and
trained through the traditional pipeline. They are entering from the business world and bringing with them a
cultural saviness to Christian mission. The tough question is “ How do we recapture the first century model of
apostolic leadership development?” The answer lies in the creation of intentional learning communities in
which practitioners engage in peer learning, mentoring and coaching for greater missional effectiveness.
Future #6: The return to spiritual formation. This is the number one issue for Christian leaders and
congregations in the present-future church. A heart hunger for God is not being met by program driven church
models. In the past, we have relied on exposure (time at church) and education (teaching, preaching) to
produce disciples. The wrong question is “How do we make better church members?” This incorrectly
assumes that heightened religious activity spells spiritual growth and leads to increased church based
programs and activities. The tough question is “How do we develop people who think and act like Christ and
who have a vibrant, living relationship with him?” The search for this answer involves turning congregations
into learning communities. Institutional church goals will yield to the more difficult benchmark of life
transformation. Authentic community will replace church club activities. The goal of the future-present church is
to produce disciples who think, act and live out their faith in a culture that is increasingly alien to the Gospel.
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LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE FUTURE
Last week in San Diego, practitioners and academics met at a National University conference to discuss the
convergence of life-long learning, technology and business. The following highlights have implications for
leaders of 21st century churches and organizations.
Dealing with information overload requires a new skill set previously not needed. The hierarchy is data,
information, and ultimately knowledge or wisdom. Coping with information overload requires a new skill set to
help us filter what we read, see and hear, and determine the really important information that leads to
knowledge. Actionable knowledge is dependent upon relationships and context. Learning how to say no and
when to say yes becomes a critical skill as well as determining who and what we read and from whom we learn.
People need help in acquiring this new skill set.
“High tech, high touch” is true now more than ever. The accelerating pace and contributions of technology
are accompanied by increased social isolation in our culture. The result is that relationships are now more
critical than ever. As author Ken Auletta remarked, “You cannot ignore the human factor.” We must learn how
to distinguish between technology as an enabler and when it can or cannot replace the human touch.
“Learning is fundamentally social in nature,” says Chris Turner, the former “learning guru” at Xerox.
“People learn how to become part of a group and their failure to learn is a result of being excluded. People
construct meaning from how and what we communicate based on their own experience-grid.”
Anytime, anywhere learning is no longer optional. Learning has to be customized to accommodate the pace
and “fullness” of people’s lives. Real time learning and learning on demand are imperatives for the future.
Critical success factors for this type of learning are (1) leadership that “understands it”; (2) a vision that sustains
it; (3) customers who want it; (4) an organizational culture that supports it; and (5) a budget that provides for it.
Four key questions to use in evaluating a learning effort: (1) What did you learn? (2) As a result, what
action did you take? (3) What behavior changed, or what did you do differently as a result of the learning?
(4) What long-term impact did it make in achieving your mission?

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Organizational Trust
Charles Handy is one of Britain’s leading management theorists. In his latest book, The Hungry Spirit, Beyond Capitalism:
A Quest for Purpose in the Modern World, Handy examines the forms and structures that organizations are using to adapt
to the modern context.
The son of a pastor, Handy moves easily from personal meaning to issues of organizations. In chapter nine, “The Citizen
Company”, he suggests that all businesses are communities. While Handy’s illustrations are for-profit in nature, an
organization of ‘citizens’ well describes today’s workplace for church leaders within a team.
As in many corporations today, churches and church-related organizations have at their core extremely talented
individuals who accomplish large parts of the work. There are also experts who are used for specialized functions on an
“as needed” basis. As core staffs become smaller the need for trust rises. As Handy says, “Trust sounds like a nice
motherhood term, something no one could be against, all warm and woolly. In practice, however, it is difficult and tough.”
Handy lists seven principles of trust. Here they are with comments for church leaders:
1. “Trust is not blind.” It’s hard to trust those you don’t know. Even large organizations see the need to have small, tight-
knit working groups to effectively carry out the work and regular times to meet those from other groups.
2. “Trust needs boundaries. Unlimited trust is, in practice, unrealistic.” By trust, organizations mean confidence - a
confidence in someone’s competence and in their commitment to a goal. Work groups need enough freedom to define
solutions and methods of work and just enough boundaries to keep them aligned with the organization’s mission.
3. “Trust requires constant learning.” Individuals must keep learning, as must organizations. New arrangements and
options must always be explored. We need to learn from our successes and mistakes.
4. “Trust is tough.” Handy advocates a ruthless trust that holds individuals to high standards and commitments. Trust is
hard to regain when broken. We need targets to shoot for but not rules that stifle creativity and initiative.
5. “Trust needs bonding.” Trust is based in relationship. It is not impersonal. Leaders must be willing to spend enough
‘hang time’ with others to develop trust for the cause.
6. “Trust needs touch.” The paradox of our high-tech, e-mail, voice- and fax-driven organizations is that they need highly
personal gatherings to maximize results. Work and play blend here. “These are not perks for the privileged. They are the
necessary lubricants of virtuality...” How good is your organization in building these types of times together?
7. “Trust has to be earned.” Organizations must earn trust with their citizens and vice versa. Consistency of behavior, the
matching of ‘talk’ and ‘walk’, build trust over time.
The Hungry Spirit by Charles Handy, ©1998, Broadway Books, $25.00, www.bdd.com or 1-800-323-9872.
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McDonald’s and The Law of Evolutionary Potential
An article in the March 8, 1998, edition of The Wall Street Journal spoke of problems besetting the
Land of Golden Arches. According to the author, Holman W. Jenkins, Jr., “McDonald’s seems to
have fallen into the hell that traps many of the best companies at some point in their lives. Having
established a dominant position under a previous generation, it is bedeviled by a reverence for the old
formulas, while its leadership takes weak steps and then denies all problems.”
Jenkins concludes by saying, “McDonald’s dropped the ball by trying to make the same old formula
appeal to everyone. Long ago it could have used its vast credibility to develop new approaches.
Only courage and imagination were lacking. These are qualities perhaps it will find only by going
outside Oak Brook” (McDonald’s headquarters).
McDonald’s, like many other pioneering and innovative organizations, is now the victim of its own
success. It is a living example of what cultural anthropologist Elman Service has described as “the
law of evolutionary potential.” (Origins of the State and Civilization, W.W. Norton & Co., 1975)
Successful adaptation to one’s environment creates equilibrium with the environment and an
increasing inability to change in response to new environmental conditions. The potential for further
advance decreases in proportion to adaptive success and maturity. More adaptation equals less
adaptability. An organization or culture does not “fall”; rather, it is by-passed by a younger culture
that is able to benefit from the latest techniques and “skip” over earlier developmental stages
experienced by the older culture.
Newer organizations, less committed to conventional solutions, less invested in the established, have
greater potential for experimentation and change, while the successfully evolving center eventually
pays the “penalty of taking the lead.” The leader is by-passed and superceded by a later, more
effective challenger.
This is more likely to occur when a central bureaucracy is involved, especially one that is theocratic in
nature and heavily dependent on tradition, ceremony and ritual.
As a 21st century leader, is your church or organization vulnerable to becoming a victim of the “law of
evolutionary potential?”
Thank you for being a charter subscriber to NetFax! Your first complimentary issue of Access,
our new monthly fax resource publication, was sent to you on Monday, May 4.
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A FOCUSED LIFE AND STAGES OF MINISTRY
J. Robert Clinton, a pioneer in the study of Christian leadership development and faculty member at Fuller Theological
Seminary, has articulated the concept of a focused life in which life purpose, unique methodology and major role are
called the focal issues. That is, they are the major ways God will reveal that for which we are designed. In a nutshell, life
purpose is the driving force behind what we do; major role is the occupational position from which we accomplish that life
purpose, and unique methodologies are means that are effective for us to deliver our ministry. The framework for a
focused life can be viewed both developmentally and chronologically.
For leaders aged 30-40, the primary developmental task is to clarify their life purpose. For leaders aged 40-50, the primary
tasks are to discover, clarify and establish the parameters of their major role and move toward focus. For leaders aged
50-60, the primary task is the increasing prioritization of their life activities around focus issues. They learn to say YES
and NO to opportunities according to their life purpose. Theirs is not movement toward focus but focus itself. This can be
a time of convergence, a melding of gift mix, role and influence. For leaders aged 60+, the primary task is finishing well.
Changing Christian Leadership Demography
Christian leadership in the United States is in the midst of a significant generational transition, reflecting the larger
population demography. Congregations, denominations and parachurch organizations that have been led by the GI
generation (1998 aged 69 and over) are now being led by members of the Silent (aged 53-68) and Boomer (aged 34-52)
generations. Within the Silent Generation are leaders who are thinking about “finishing well” and ministry opportunities that
might exist beyond the normal retirement age. Within the Boomer generation, there are increasing numbers of leaders
who are approaching “half time” and re-evaluating their ministry options for the second half of their lives.
Some leaders are electing to opt out of ministry. The majority, however, are seeking at this stage of life to maximize their
gifts, skills and ministry experience. They are increasingly moving to prioritize their activities around issues of focus and
finishing well. The question of how to maximize one’s experience is often connected to the question of role, especially for
senior pastors. Do they stay in a pastoral leadership role or move to a broader role of leadership and influence? What are
their options for the next stage of ministry?
Five Options for Continued Ministry
Leadership Network’s Brad Smith has observed five typical options for pastors facing “half time”: (1) remain the senior
leader in their current church and lead it to become a teaching church that teaches other churches; (2) remain the senior
leader in their current church and pour their energies into mentoring young leaders; (3) remain the senior leader in their
current church and build a parallel “macro” ministry (writing, speaking, conferences, mentoring, etc.); (4) move and lead an
established parachurch organization with a “macro” ministry; or (5) leave and establish a new “macro” ministry.
As a 21st century leader, where are you in terms of “half time” or “finishing well?” What options are you considering for
continued ministry in the future?
For further reading, see Strategic Concepts That Clarify A Focused Life by J. Robert Clinton (Barnabus
Publishers, 626/794-8551) and Half Time, Changing Your Game Plan From Success to Significance
by Bob Buford (Zondervan, 800/727-3480).
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@ THE INTERSECTION OF LIFE AND WORK
Of all the changes in American culture during the past twenty-five years, one of the most profound
has been the increasing dominance of work in people’s lives. Work, family, civic and religious
involvement used to be the cornerstones of societal life. For many, their family, religious and civic
institutions have fragmented, and now it is the marketplace or the how and where of their work that
defines their lives and provides the framework for their values and beliefs. For the Christian, at the
intersection of life and work is faith and it is clear that many business leaders today have a hunger for
linking their faith and work.
An excellent new publication, The Life@Work Journal,* is seeking to address issues related to the
intersection of faith and work. In their market research, they discovered some interesting opinions
from believers who were business leaders. Ellison Research of Phoenix interviewed more than 3,500
people, including 602 who fit specified criteria: they considered Christian religious beliefs to be very
important to their daily lives; they were employed full-time; they felt their lives at work and their
spiritual beliefs should intersect; and they held positions of some authority at their workplaces. Based
on the survey, approximately 20 percent of the population---or 39 million American adults---would fit
these criteria.
When asked to rate how spirituality and work intersect on a scale of one to seven, with seven
being the highest, 45 percent of the group ranked this intersection a seven, meaning there should
be a complete overlap. Eighty-one percent rated it a five or higher.
While nearly 50 percent of those surveyed said spirituality and work should overlap completely,
only 33 percent said it actually does.
Nine of ten respondents felt they typically have the chance to have a positive influence on the
personal lives of others at work.
In terms of “very important” factors affecting their daily lives, family ranked the highest (99%)
followed by Christian beliefs (88%), daily work (70%), long-term career (61%) and financial
success (46%).
*Used with permission from The Life@Work Journal. To subscribe, call 800-739-7863.
******
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Number 1 Septmber 5, 1994

PETER DRUCKER ON THE CHURCH AND DENOMINATIONS...

TARGETING PEOPLE IN TRANSITION

EIGHT TRANSITION TRENDS

A CHURCH TRANSITION CENTER

Number 100 • June 22, 1998

NetFax At 100…Learnings From the Past

NetFax 100 continued on page two

© Leadership Network 1998

Number 100 • June 22, 1998

© Leadership Network 1998

CHANGING PATTERNS OF CHURCH STEWARDSHIP

ISSUE PREVIOUS PATTERN EMERGING PATTERN

Number 102 • July 20, 1998

TELLING STORIES AND TODAY’S CULTURE

© Leadership Network 1998

Number 103 • August 3, 1998

Practical Advice for Launching Ministry Teams

Number 104 • August 17, 1998

Large Churches, Consultants, and Global/Local Churches

© Leadership Network 1998

Number 105 • August 31, 1998

The Class of 2002

Now that you feel appropriately old...

Number 106 • September 14, 1998

The New Apostolic Reformation

Number 107 • September 28, 1998

BOOKS TO COME…WHAT PEOPLE WILL BE READING IN THE FUTURE

© Leadership Network 1998

Number 108 • October 12, 1998

TWO FALSE ASSUMPTIONS

© Leadership Network 1998

Number 109 • October 26, 1998

YOUNG LEADERS DISCUSS POSTMODERN TRANSITION

© Leadership Network 1998

"WHEN THE HORSE IS DEAD, DISMOUNT."

KEY PARADIGM QUESTIONS FOR CHURCHES

Number 110 • November 9, 1998

LEADERSHIP AND DIFFUSING INNOVATION

© Leadership Network 1998

Number 111 • November 23, 1998

CHILDREN…THE CHURCH OF TOMORROW AND TODAY

© Leadership Network 1998

Number 112 • December 7, 1998

EFFECTIVE LEADERS AND MODELS OF THE 21ST CENTURY CHURCH

© Leadership Network 1998

Number 113 • December 21, 1998

A KEY QUESTION FOR LEADERS

© Leadership Network 1998

Number 114 • January 4, 1999

WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE LIKE ME?

© Leadership Network 1999

Number 116 • February 1, 1999

MAKING DISCIPLES WHO MAKE DISCIPLES

© Leadership Network 1999

Number 117 • February 15, 1999

PREACHING IN TODAY’S CULTURE

NetFax: How does a preacher go about discerning the audience?

NetFax: What themes are particularly appropriate for today’s culture?

NetFax: Where do you see preaching headed in the future?

Number 118 • March 1, 1999

THEMES OF THE EMERGING "CHURCH ON THE NEW EDGE"

© Leadership Network 1999