A Rhinoceros can run 30 miles per hour. However, a rhino has very poor vision and can only see about 30 feet in front of it. A herd of rhinos is called a crash! Think about that... We would never drive a car that fast with our field of vision that limited. To do so would be suicide... So what does this have to do with our trip to the Lead Now Conference? Often times, leaders in the church are so scared to try new things. We don't want to take risks, we want to play it safe. To take a risk and do something different means we just might crash. However, that is the call of God. We are called to run and run hard. Like the rhino, we won't always know what is ahead of us. THAT IS OK! Heading to Orlando, I am so excited to be in the midst of church leaders who are venturing into this unknown field. Who knows, we all may be one big crash. However, it will be a conference of people who speak the same language and are daring to dream and to dream big.
Emergent and Young Adult Worship is a passion of mine and has been for quite some time. I have been able to be a part of starting two worshipping communities that are exploring this area. Fuel in Fargo, ND (www.hopefuels.com) and The Source in Stillwater, MN (www.sourcestillwater.com). We have had many failures but also many wonderful successes. We are excited to share our trip with all of you and are interested in being in dialogue with you.
Take LeadNow, a national conference for ministry leaders who are dedicated to helping 20 & 30 somethings put their faith into action. Add three 20 & 30 somethings looking to learn more about what it means to lead their generation and are in the midst of launching a worship service, The Source, aimed at that generation. For results, see below.
1 comment:
The thing that amuses me about the rhinoceros image is that it is not simply the innovators in the church that are running like a Crash, but is also the traditionalists. They insist that keeping to the ordo of the liturgy and being as ecumenical as possible is the best way to be the church of God, yet they can see as far down the road as we can, and for all they know they are heading toward a ditch in which they will soon be trapped, while the innovators may be the ones who will carry the torch forward.
We need to be part of a church that is willing to sincerely embrace diversity in its leadership; not simply gender and racial (though these too are important), but methodological. At the end of the day, we're all part of a crash of rhinos, unable to see where our commitments will take us, and only through widespread creativity will we be able to proclaim the Gospel come what may.
I'm enjoying your thought! Keep them up!
Blessings,
Brendan Johnston
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