every crisis is an opportunity

every crisis is an opportunity

every crisis is an opportunity

every crisis is an opportunity

every crisis is an opportunity

every crisis is an opportunity

every crisis is an opportunity

four crises =

four opportunities

1. A crisis of authority

What’s the opportunity?

1. A crisis of authority

- Papal authority

- Biblical authority

- Institutional authority

- Political authority

What’s the opportunity?

2. A crisis of economy

What’s the opportunity?

2. A crisis of economy

- Shrinking numbers

- Wrinkling givers

- Reduced investments/endowments

- Scary spreadsheets with plunging trendlines

What’s the opportunity?

3. A crisis of identity

What’s the opportunity?

3. A crisis of identity

- Who are we against?

- What are we here for?

- Who are our heroes?

- What is our ethos?

What’s the opportunity?

4. A crisis of possibility

What’s the opportunity?

4. A crisis of possibility

- Constraint over creativity

- Nostalgia over hope

- Grief over confidence

- Anxiety over joy

- Conserve over risk

What’s the opportunity?

1. A crisis of authority

2. A crisis of economy

3. A crisis of identity

4. A crisis of possibility

What’s the opportunity?

1. A crisis of authority - moral authority

2. A crisis of economy - creative reform

3. A crisis of identity - rediscovery, rebirth

4. A crisis of possibility - ???

What’s the opportunity?

A windfall of possibility: What have we got to lose?

- Creativity over constraint

- Hope over nostalgia

- Confidence over grief

- Joy over anxiety

- Risking over conserving

Amazing opportunity!

Consider that we live in at least three worlds.

Pre-modern world

Non-modern world

Modern world

Emerging worldNow

The Table

The Sword

The Book

The Gun

The Screen

The Bomb

Old

Paradigm/Model

Early TransitionLate Transitio

n ?New Paradigm/

Model

The Hubble Space Telescope captured this image of a violent collision of two distant galaxies which triggered massive amounts of star formations in a spectacular fireworks show.

(Accessed on November 15, 2004 from http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/stars_galaxies/sg_images/hubble_pic_browse.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/stars_galaxies/stargazing/stargazing_image.html&h=286&w=400&sz=13&tbnid=aS9vjMk1n4QJ:&tbnh=85&tbnw=118&start=4&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dplanetary%2Bcollision%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D)

Let’s draw a parallel. When 2 worlds collide in space, it creates a galactic fireworks show. When 2 worldviews collide, the effects are similar in the social, cultural, and spiritual realms.

On the lower left you see the leadership paradigm belonging to modernity. On the upper right you see the leadership paradigm belonging to postmodernity. Notice these are such distinct models that there is no overlap.

Modernity was characterized by organizations that were centralized, hierarchical, vertical, mechanistic, executive-oriented, bureaucratic, rigid and transactional. Postmodern organizations are decentralized, flattened, horizontal, team-based, organic, fluid, flexible and transformational.

The only connector is the fact that we are in transition from one to another. And it is this period of history, the transition, that we currently find ourselves in. And it’s bound to be a painful journey for leaders who care to make the trek. But as Ronald Heifitz of Howard University’s Leadership Education Project asserted, “There are lots of things in life that are worth the pain. Leadership is one of them.” That statement could never be more true than when applied to this most challenging period of worldview transition.

Old

Paradigm/Model

Early TransitionLate Transitio

n

New Paradigm/

Model

The Hubble Space Telescope captured this image of a violent collision of two distant galaxies which triggered massive amounts of star formations in a spectacular fireworks show.

(Accessed on November 15, 2004 from http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/stars_galaxies/sg_images/hubble_pic_browse.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/stars_galaxies/stargazing/stargazing_image.html&h=286&w=400&sz=13&tbnid=aS9vjMk1n4QJ:&tbnh=85&tbnw=118&start=4&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dplanetary%2Bcollision%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D)

Let’s draw a parallel. When 2 worlds collide in space, it creates a galactic fireworks show. When 2 worldviews collide, the effects are similar in the social, cultural, and spiritual realms.

On the lower left you see the leadership paradigm belonging to modernity. On the upper right you see the leadership paradigm belonging to postmodernity. Notice these are such distinct models that there is no overlap.

Modernity was characterized by organizations that were centralized, hierarchical, vertical, mechanistic, executive-oriented, bureaucratic, rigid and transactional. Postmodern organizations are decentralized, flattened, horizontal, team-based, organic, fluid, flexible and transformational.

The only connector is the fact that we are in transition from one to another. And it is this period of history, the transition, that we currently find ourselves in. And it’s bound to be a painful journey for leaders who care to make the trek. But as Ronald Heifitz of Howard University’s Leadership Education Project asserted, “There are lots of things in life that are worth the pain. Leadership is one of them.” That statement could never be more true than when applied to this most challenging period of worldview transition.

As Episcopalians, you have unique

disadvantages and

advantages

in this moment

Disadvantages1. An Upper-Class

Mindset:

2. An Institutional Mindset:

3. A Christendom Mindset:

4. A Bi-polar Mindset:

Advantages1. A Via Media

Mindset:

2. A Celtic Mindset:

3. A Diverse Mindset:

4. A Liturgical Mindset:

Needed:

1. A “bring them in” spirit (not merely welcoming within a caste): Diversity, innovation

How can our churches actually address the concerns, meet the

needs, and train in the skills that today’s seekers seek?

Needed:2. A “let’s experiment” spirit (not institutional):

Entrepreneurial, self-organizing, evolutionary, experimental

-- Adding experiments (for 4-8 weeks)

-- Adding new services

-- Planting new congregations (inside existing?)

-- Adding new options before changing existing ones.

How can our churches create “innovation zones” where new possibilities can be

incubated?

Needed:

3. A “we’re beginning again” spirit (renewing, not conserving, a history):

Rummage sale … “total makeover” … “clean house”

Physical architecture - social architecture - spiritual architecture

If our churches could start over today, knowing what we now know, what would

we do? (And why don’t we do that?)

Needed:

4. A “transcend and include” spirit: (above liberal or conservative)

Where is the via media?

CA B

Needed:

4. An “transcend and include” spirit: (above liberal or conservative)

Where is the via media?

CA B

X

Needed:

4. An “transcend and include” spirit: (above liberal or conservative)

Where is the via media?

CA B

X

Needed:

4. An “transcend and include” spirit: (above liberal or conservative)

Which future do you prefer?

CA B

X

Do not merely try to bring others to where you are, as beautiful as that place might be.

But do not leave others where they are either.

Instead, go with them to a place neither you nor they have never

been before.

Fr. Vincent Donovan (adapted)

Needed:

1. A “bring them in” spirit (not merely welcoming within a caste): Diversity, innovation

2. A “let’s experiment” spirit (not institutional): Entrepreneurial, self-organizing, evolutionary, experimental

3. A “we’re beginning again” spirit (renewing, not conserving, a history): Demography, adaptive, agile

4. A “transcend and include” spirit: (above liberal or conservative) … PLUS …

Needed:

5. The Holy Spirit!

Needed:

5. The Holy Spirit!People aren’t seeking religion - they’re

seeking spirituality.

We can’t give what we don’t have. (We have to smoke what we’re selling)

People need to experience - God, worship, transformation, calling, belonging, participation in God’s creative and healing mission in our world …

What if a transformative experience of the holy was our main preoccupation?

Needed:

1. A bring-them in spirit:

2. A let’s experiment spirit:

3. A we’re beginning again spirit:

4. A transcend and include spirit:

5. The Holy Spirit …

think of this as a promotion

for lay people to the priesthood (to their neighbors)

for local clergy to bishops and seminary profs (equipping members for ministry)

for bishops to creative missional leadership with a global perspective (networking and

plotting regional and national goodness)

for denominational leaders to global moral leadership (networking and plotting global

goodness)

But how will people find faith …

If nobody understands?

If nobody listens?

If everybody is too busy with “church business” (or fights)?

… If everybody complains about the problem but doesn’t become

part of the solution?

Who will create safe spaces for people to explore God’s call to become vibrant disciples of Jesus Christ?

Will our churches be those spaces?

Will our homes be those spaces?

Will restaurants and gardens and offices and hallways be those spaces?

What would happen if we risked everything to get this one thing

right?

All things are possible

if you

believe

every crisis is an opportunity

There are many reasons to compare our churches to an old male tortoise …

There are many reasons to compare our churches to an old male tortoise …

There are many reasons to compare our churches to an old male tortoise …

Slow-moving … isolated …

Ancient-looking

withdrawn in its shell … won’t stick its neck out

There are many reasons to compare the changes in our world to a tsunami …

There are many reasons to compare the emerging global

culture to an orphaned hippo …

Orphaned by religion …

science … government …

the economy … technology … consumerism… “progress”…

-formation?

What could happen in our world if we turned back outward

toward our neighbors - with good news, hope, gentleness,

and respect?