'Indy Timeline' of Upcoming Events Practically Speaking
Of all of the Indy Scoreboard measurables, the one that resonates with me the most currently is Operation Timothy and the committment within to build leaders. Though I resonate with the heart to reclaim surrendered grounds, from my view I believe the organized church continues to face a leadership crisis. On that note, I would like to simply reflect "outloud" questions that I've been wrestling with for a good while.How many churches do we know that pride themselves, or at least have mission statements that proclaim a committment to make disciples, but lack leaders for the most elementary functions within the church much less expanding the influence and impact in the city?
In watching the Mel Gibson movie, "We We're Soldiers" again this evening spoke to this reality we face. At one point Mel Gibson looks to his right hand man in the middle of the battle and asks, "At what point did General Custer realize he had taken his men to a slaughter?"
The hard and pressing reality in our commission to reach Indy is that to often our churches are generating leaders unequipped for the world that we live in. Leaders given a "calling" but get lost in culture. A good many of us have realized preperation for leadership doesn't soley rest in a training period, and that many Bible college grads land in their mission field, domestic or foreign, unable to influence people even their own age. And not for lack of love for God and their neighbor.
The majority of christian pastors and leaders do not lack a vision for what they believe God could do in their community. The question that we are forced to wrestle with is how will we create a culture of leadership development in the local church that matches the huge visions that God has given many us? What will the organized church do to position itself to make disciples equipped to influence culture and community?
The dreamer will dream. The planner will plan. But, will we stay committed to finding the answers to tough questions in order to raise up a generation of leaders to lead? And as Billy Graham said best, "Every generation is important. Every generation is strategic."
I certainly don't proclaim to know the answers to most of the questions, but maintain a committment to the journey of searching them out. However, if we are truly called to live as if Jesus could return tommorow, we should do more than ask the questions.
Aaron Story
BLOG- Practically Speaking
Labels: church, discipleship, Jesus, journey, leaders, movies
posted by Aaron Story @ 11:36 PM
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1 Comments:
Aaron... It's great to have you posting here. And a fine topic to start with, too.
I edited-in a link to the 'Indy Scorecard' for you. Some of our readers may not yet be familiar with it since it's so recently posted there in Indianapolis wiki.
In the USA, where less than 2% of the adult population has even READ the Bible in entirety one time, is it little wonder there's a shortage of WELL-TRAINED leaders in the Church?
Something's gotta change.
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