field of dreams part ii

This idea of ‘greatness’ (descibe din previous post) squares with Weber’s explorations on leadership: The ‘charismatic’ leader, in Weber’s thought, is the person who usually leads in times of mission, crisis, or development and always radically challenges the established practices by going to “the roots of the matter.” People follow such a leader because they are carried away by the belief in the manifestation that authenticates him/her and in so doing they turn away from established ways of doing things and submit to the unprecedented order that the leader proclaims. This type of leadership involves therefore involves a degree of commitment on the part of the disciples that has no parallel in the other types of established leadership. Once again, Jesus is our best example. The following he calls for so absolute that it is called discipleship—the process of becoming like him.

Consistent with the people-movement which it serves, apostolic ministry, based as it is on inspirational-spiritual leadership, involves an organic, relational, style of leadership influence that evokes purpose, movement, and response from those who come into its orbit. This is done on the basis of the apostolic person’s discernable calling, spiritual gifting, and spiritual authority. And like all great leadership, it creates a field of influence wherein which certain behaviors take place.

The universe in which we live is filled with fields of influence. Whist being invisible, fields nonetheless assert a definite influence on objects within their orbit. There are gravitational fields, electromagnetic fields, quantum fields, etc which actually form part of the very structure of reality. These unseen influences affect behavior of atoms, objects, and people. But fields don’t just exist in nature and physics; they exist in social systems as well. For example, think about the power of ideas in human affairs—a powerful idea has no substance, but one cannot doubt its influence.

In the last few decades, organizational behaviorists have begun to see that organizations themselves are laced with invisible fields composed of culture, values, vision, and ethics. “Each of these concepts describes a quality of organizational life that can be observed in behavior yet doesn’t exist anywhere independent of those behaviors.” They are invisible forces that affect behavior for good of for ill. We can ‘feel’ the vibe of an organization can’t we? Sometimes in a group of people, we feel obliged to behave in certain ways, even though no one has told us explicitly how to behave. To learn the impact of such fields, just look at what people are doing. They have picked up the messages, discerned what is truly valued, and shaped their behavior accordingly. So when the organizational field is filled with inconsistent messages, when contradictions inform the organizational culture, then invisible incongruities becomes visible through troubling behaviors.

What is remarkable is the entrance of true leadership into such a situation. With inspirational leadership the whole ‘vibe’ changes: things begin to become clearer, competitiveness is diminished, and people feel freer and more empowered to do their tasks and as a result the organization gains focus and energy. The converse is true and obvious: if leadership is or poor quality it creates unhealthy organizations. If it is good it creates healthy organization. We have only to reach into our own experiences to know the truth of this. Such is the power of a person who embodies vision and values—they bring inspiration, coherence, and a sense of direction and purpose to the people in their orbit. Leadership is influence. It is a field which shapes behaviors. This is the basis of authentic spiritual power and authority. Nelson Mandela is a great leader not because he was President of South Africa, but because long before he was president, he was a deeply moral person who embodied his personal code of freedom in his own life. It is the greatness of his life that gives his leadership substance and impact.

To conceptualize leadership as influence, think of a magnet and its effect on iron filings scattered on a sheet of paper. When the filings come into the orbit of influence of the magnet, they form a certain pattern which we all recognize from our school days. Leadership does exactly the same thing—it creates a field which in turn influences people in a certain way, just like the magnet’s influence on the iron filings. The presence of a great leader in a group of people changes the patterning of that group. For instance, Nelson Mandela’s appearance among a group of people will impact them in a significant way. His physical presence will be unmistakable and will change the social climate of the room. Apostolic leadership qualifies the mood of this influence, but the dynamics of influence operates in the same way. It is precisely this field, this matrix of apostolicity that is critical to the emergence of authentic missional church. Because it is the task of apostolic ministry to create environments wherein which the apostolic imagination of God’s people can be evoked, the spiritual gifts and ministries developed, wherein which the love and hope inspired by the gospel can be make known. For instance, John Wimber would have exerted just this sort of influence. Within two decades, Wimber altered the shape of evangelicalism and underscored the role of the Holy Spirit in mission and ministry in a way that has changed us forever. Just as we still feel the influence of a John Wesley even though none of us have met him. Influence is a field that changes behaviors.

June 13, 2008 | Filed Under apostolic environment, the forgotten ways |  

Comments

3 Responses to “field of dreams part ii”

  1. speedygeoff on June 14th, 2008 12:04 am

    “The root of the matter”.

    I like that.

    People often try to complicate things.

    Fly goose fly!

  2. Jeremy Pryor on June 17th, 2008 12:00 am

    One thing I’m pondering regarding this apostolic influence is how it works when two apostolic influences collide.

    For example, every denomination is aligned with an apostle, most likely the one who founded the group. But usually that person is dead making all of those churches inflexible.

    It seems every church body must align itself with a LIVING apostle because there are always seasons where things must be altered.

    When I talk to Vineyard pastors about change I’m battling the ghost of Wimbur, Methodist pastors, the ghost of Wesley etc.

    Wimbur and Wesley might completely agree with a new direction but they are not alive to consider it so, instead, their apostolic work has been institutionalized and is, therefore, impervious to the work of a living apostle.

    This seems a terrible tragedy because Pastors need access to apostolic ministry in order to make necessary course corrections and to be involved in explosive apostolic expansion.

    How do we exist in a world where 95% of established churches have not access to living apostolic ministry and have and have a DNA that makes gaining that access unlikely?

  3. Janet on June 17th, 2008 12:38 pm

    I think they DO have access to “living apostolic ministry”… but that ministry is not strong in the positions of institutional power… more often it’s on the fringes (or driven out). I don’t like to think the Holy Spirit (and His gifts) has left the church… I think the title “Forgotten Ways” is so appropriate on so many levels, because it’s more likely that we have forgotten something in our midst and failed to nurture and release it, than that God has stopped releasing spiritual gifts amongst us.

    And I believe the Wesley’s etc. have left some healthy DNA behind… it might be currently in recessive mode in some places, but there really is something in the heart of Wesleyism that is missional and deeply spiritual.

    Perhaps we need to look at change from the bottom up, not only from the top down (although in an ideal world, both would be nice!)

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