This is a hard entry to write, but it's what I'm struggling through right now. Any insights or thoughts anyone has to add would be appreciated. Over the past few months I've had the chance to interact and assist a some young and/or struggling churches around the KC metro area. It's always a little painful to hear the hearts of leaders who dream of the day their churches will finally rock its mission, yet can't seem to figure out how to help that happen.
The other night Lori and I were kicking this around. Just from our limited perspectives she could list off issue after issue and problem after problem that stood in the way of these churches becoming what they wanted to be. As I thought about it, the problems really were systemic at their cores.
Maybe you've heard the quote attributed to Frederick Taylor that says it this way - "Your system is perfectly designed to produce the results you are getting." The bible says the same thing in a slightly more agricultural (and culturally-appropriate to his audience) way - "Whatever a man sows, that will he also reap."