Growing Leaders Creatively

TROWEL & SWORD

Resources - Leadership

September 2000

SWORD - DEFENDING

Growing Leaders Creatively

David Groenenboom

A few months ago Leonie and I received an invitation to a training day for children and young people being held at a church nearby. Several things attracted us: the design of the brochure was brilliant, and the graphics were obviously aimed toward youth(ful?) readers. The other thing was the sheer breadth of the workshop modules offered. There was drama, singing/song leading, music leadership, PA System basics, Art & Graphics, and even one called “Truck Ministry” (we had a bit of a chuckle at the last one – imagining people standing around laying their hands on the church truck and praying that it would be healed!). It turned out that “Truck Ministry” was where people use a tray-top truck as a stage on which to perform a play or on which a Christian band performs in a public place. Top idea! Sure, there were also modules offered in areas that Scriptural Christians would baulk at, but even the best meals have bones and scraps you have to spit out later.

The simple existence of that brochure presented me with a challenge: why aren’t the CRCA leading these types of workshops? What has happened that we have retreated from artistic expression? Why are we not solidly into identifying and developing the gifts that are clearly there in the Body? Why – at least at present – do the sound technicians that operate the gear in our worship services have to go to other places to be trained? Why do musicians have to attend training events held by other denominations (some of which have views of worship that make your hair - yes, even mine - curl!)?

The immediate answer to the question is that church leaders do not see the need for development in these areas – that is, until the PA system plays up, or the youth drama is a sham, or the people doing the song leading give ample proof that they should stick to their day job. After an experience like that, those blessed with the gift of grumbling resolve never to allow these fiascos again. I would argue that the true fiasco is leadership without reformational vision and with no understanding of the priesthood of all believers. Because leaders have little vision to develop these areas it generally doesn’t happen. Good gifts get squandered, we retreat into sameness, and we stagnate. That, dear reader, is sin worth repenting of.

Okay, so why the hesitancy? Why aren’t we leaders in some of these worthwhile areas? Three broad reasons (by no means an exhaustive list):

We generally have a wrong view of worship. While we say worship is all of life and involves the whole person, in actual fact we see worship as happening for about 90 mins on a Sunday morning. During that time we want our worship expectations met. There is very little true understanding of the reality that worship is for God, not people. The Lord calls us to bring worship that is focussed on him, arising from the whole body, using the appropriate gifts, and in a mindset of clarity, humility and praise. This principle is relevant to every aspect of church life and ministry. Gifts should be employed beyond the Sunday.
We are scared stiff of the “charismania”. Sure, we do not seek to be a charismatic church, but why throw away the good with the bad? There are contemporary songs available which put some (many?) of the Book of Worship numbers to shame. There is technology (OHP, or better, Powerpoint), which greatly enhances communication. There are visuals which help people understand Gospel realities. There is artistic expression which can be used to serve the word of God. Those who equate such things with “charismatic worship” understand neither the charismatic movement nor Scriptural and reformed worship.
We are too driven by the terrible phrase “we’ve never done it that way before.” Imagine if that had been Luther or Calvin’s creed! True, then as now, those words are perhaps the last seven spoken a dying church.
It’s time to wrest ourselves from our self-absorbed slumber, and realise that we have a calling to be salt and light. To tell the Gospel in as many contexts and through as many media as we possibly can. For this we need leaders and people with developed gifts to assist the Body of Christ in its work. And we should be zealously and courageously about it.

Next time: Church and core issues: how to discern between what’s good for the church and what’s not.

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