Editors
don’t know what they want until they see it, the saying goes. A writer
can scrupulously follow the instructions of an editor, yet it is still possible
that when the editor sees the completed article it is not what he wants.
And thus it goes back to the author for more work.
So what did the editors of Leader have in mind when we planned this issue on congregational transformation? What is meant by that term itself?
I can’t really give a dictionary definition of the term, nor can I abstractly it. But I can tell you about a congregational transformation that I have seen and experienced myself.
In the 1990s my congregation went through an extreme crisis. Congregational meetings were some of the most painful human encounters I’ve ever experienced, with people shouting across the sanctuary at each other. We lost two wonderful pastors as a consequence of this divisiveness, persons who have had positive pastoral experiences both before and after their sojourn with us.
We Mennonites are part of a tradition for whom congregational transformation is foundational. The Anabaptist movement was nothing if not one in which local congregations were renewed by the Spirit.
The congregation could well have split were it not for the helpful outside consultants we engaged, who helped us put a plan in place to deal with the conflict, work toward reconciliation and healing of relationships, and move positively forward with a new sense of mission and organizational structure. Now, nearly 10 years later, we are a relatively healthy and growing congregation that is exploring the prospect of a building expansion because we’ve outgrown our facility. What happened in the meantime?
The change that took place was nothing less than a Holy Spirit-led transformation of the congregation’s culture, especially with respect to decision-making. Rather than congregational decision-making devolving into a war of conflicting wills and ideas, we now actively seek together the will and mind of the Spirit. Decision-making is not about what I want for the congregation, nor even what we want together, but what the Spirit of God wills for us. It is now a wonderful thing to feel that we are part of something larger than ourselves, that we can contribute to a corporate mission without needing to control outcomes.
We have moved from a “closed system,” where not everyone had the same access to information and where a few people make decisions behind the scenes, to a more “open” system where everyone has equal access to information and multiple points are provided for congregational input. At the same time, we are learning to trust congregational leaders to make some decisions; not everyone has to be in on everything!
We are not a pastor-centered congregation, nor are we one in which pastoral leadership is viewed with suspicion by the members. In fact, we have a Ministry Team that consists of both pastoral and lay leaders and even the lay members of this team are considered ministers.
Our congregation has not arrived, for sure. When we work at filling slots for the various offices in our church structure, it seems like just that—the filling of slots, rather than genuine discerning and unleashing of the gifts of the membership of the congregation. And we have had much talk of new people coming to our congregation, but it seems to me that we still have a less than stellar record of assimilating and keeping new people. Too many seem to drift away for some reason.
We Mennonites are part of a tradition for whom congregational transformation is foundational. The Anabaptist movement was nothing if not one in which local congregations were renewed by the Spirit, resulting in lives committed to the Lordship of Christ and to the mutual giving and receiving of counsel about what discipleship means.
Congregational transformation is not our work, it is the work of the Spirit of God. Yet, it demands our openness to it, our willingness to cooperate with the Spirit’s actions, including prayerful discernment, listening, and waiting.
So what is congregational transformation? I cannot say what it will look like in your setting. Your circumstances and context are unique, and the Spirit may have a different change in mind for you. But you will know it when you see it.
Richard A. Kauffman