Church planting: What’s different 20 years later?

Me! Yes, as much as any societal change. I feel, think, believe and behave differently. Because postmodernism has been described, labeled and analyzed thoroughly by experts, I will illustrate what is different by describing a key element of my 22-year journey in church planting.

In 1979, age 23, I felt armed with answers. I don’t think I was arrogant, more likely naive. Leaders weren’t supposed to have questions; that’s destabilizing. Leaders were to put on a strong front. Remember the reprimand a young lieutenant received by a crusty old naval veteran in the recent submarine movie U-571? When the lieutenant, now temporary captain, admitted he didn’t know exactly what to do, he was strongly urged to never let his men see him indecisive again-- “the captain is never mistaken. Even when you’re wrong you’re right!”

That may be sound advice for leading young people in secular warfare. But does it square with the data and spirit of the New Testament? We could ask the same squaring question about the church borrowing uncritically from business literature and corporate styles of leadership, etc.

Reality mugged my naiveté. Chastised, I know how little I knew. Now, I’m lead seeker. Recently I sought God concerning his plans for me. A series of questions emerged; they define my quest--

• 1. What does it mean to be a Christian? If it doesn’t mean to say a prayer so that when you die you go to heaven, what then? What is a person of God? What does it mean to be in the Kingdom? To be justified?
• 2. What does it mean to be the church? If we are not vendors of religious goods and services, what are we? What does it mean to be the covenant, missional people of God? To be salt and light? To be God’s co-workers on earth?
• 3. What does it mean to be a pastor? What are we doing? Why? Where do we get our ideas? What is success? If success is not the traditional ABC’s of attendance, buildings and cash, then what? How can we appropriately coordinate the work of the Spirit so that everyone gets to play and does so for the sake of the world?
• 4. What does it mean to be authentically spiritual? It is possible to become a worse person through pursuit of religion. Paul said it turned him into the chief of sinners. How can we totally go for it without being religiously weird? How does one obtain the kind of inner righteousness Jesus possessed? Where do we find authentic goodness that masters our bodies into attractive holiness?

The sociologists, historians, philosophers, theologians and TV pundits tell us something is changing; maybe everything. Some believe this alteration is for the worse. Postmodernism, like any worldview, will be shown to have its weaknesses. Trouble is, I’m having a hard time seeing the speck in anyone’s eye, modern or not, because of the log in my own eye!

But, thanks be to God, Christ is raised. He is alive and available to be my guide in this quest. I am his apprentice ready and willing to unlearn anything. I intend to be with him, to be taught to live and speak as he did.

It’s ironic, but though this is a vulnerable posture for a leader, the Christ-follower in me loves it.