"Tension"

I've come to realize that there are certain "constants" about being part of leadership of a church. One such "constant" is tension. I don't mean the "tension" that happens between people (although come to think of it that happens too) but the tension that happens between ideas and values.

In a church that is growing and dynamic there will be tension:

• between never being satisfied with "good enough" -and- being thankful for the resources that you have been given.
• between being "wise managers" of the money that people have donated -and- living out "faith" as a church by following God's leading even when all the finances aren't in place.
• between meeting peoples needs -and- not allowing your organization to become so cluttered with "ministries" and "services" that it is unsustainable and unwieldy...
• between giving people freedom to fully utilize their gifts and talents (which means they will not do things exactly like you would)-and- protecting the "identity" and "DNA" of the church ...
• between serving those in the community outside the church -and- meeting the obligations necessary to "put on" the church service on the weekend...

These are just some of the areas of the church that will always exist in tension if we wish to continue to grow and impact our county. The temptation that faces us as a church is to chose comfort over tension. To chose "bylaws" and "checklists" over prayerful consideration of issues... It's not supposed to be "easy". The written record of the first church in the New Testament is filled with "conflict", tension, constant challenges for the leadership...and constant growth. The "power" of a spring becomes evident when it is stretched...I think the same is true for churches. I pray that actionchurch will continue to grow, to move, to remain under "tension".