A Living Alternative

Last Thursday I presented a brief overview of seven Missional Learning Disabilities (inspired by Peter Senge) that most communities of faith face in their journey towards genuine missional community. While the comment section was quiet, others have suggested exploring each point in more detail. Today I am going to look at the "I Am My Title" disability.

The "I Am My Title" disability is a challenge to missionality on several levels. First, let's look at leadership. Most leaders are aware of the risk of looking to titles for identity. More subtle and dangerous than this is using our positions to get our way. I am not referring to the sulky and stubborn abuse of power we all despise, but the tendency fueled by genuinely good intentions and probably good reasons. Faced with a community that is making what we see as foolish choices, it is far too easy to pull the authority card. Whether it is through blatant use of power or subtle manipulation- and no matter how right we may be- our role of leadership must never be abused.

Of course, this issue raises the question of leadership in general. Should we have people in leadership at all or rather lead together as a whole community? While I am a strong advocate for communities to lead together, I believe it is an issue of power, not leadership. What I mean by this is that I do believe that some are called and gifted into roles within community that require them to exercise authority and direction. It should never be a tool of power, but one of influence, working constantly to serve and empower the community to better lead together. However, this kind of community does not just happen. From my own experience of serving alongside wonderful, but deeply wounded brothers & sisters here in the inner city, it would be negligent and ultimately unloving for us not to provide the leadership we are called to.

This disability, however, is not simply for those with title or position. In fact, the greatest challenge in overcoming this hurdle to being missional will come from others who will speak, think and act a varient form of this disability - the "You Are Your Title" disability.  As leaders attempt to define and form their place in the community in healthy ways, there will be those who will unconsciously work against them. As we pursue missional formation as a community, it will be in resisting the old, trusted model of top-down leadership- so familiar and engrained into our worldviews- where we will the constant and complex challenges to overcome.

Further, as leaders attempt to become vulnerable equals who can be real with their own weaknesses and flaws, some will see this as failure or even betrayal. When correcting this perception, it would be too easy to dismiss or reprove these critics quickly and move on. Rather, we must acknowledge that, despite how unfair their judgment might be, the Church played a significant role in "nurturing" them into this way of thinking. We must be patient, firm and long suffering. It is a long painful process which can quickly become very personal- further demonstrating how dangerous it is to find identity in our titles.

By identifying with our positions, we ultimately dehumanize ourselves, resulting in the same treatment of others. We may have prettied up the language to be more palitable, but concept of "human resources" found it's earliest expression in the practice of slavery. If we treat ourselves and our communities based upon this premise, we not only cut the heart out true community, but also out of Christ Himself. Our place in our missional communities can and should help define our identity, but not it terms of power, position or place. Rather in terms of familial love and steadfast commitment.

I am not my title, but by His grace, We Are His Body.