Relational Leadership As Missional Leadership
Previous Post – Revival In Greenland
This afternoon brought to a close our recent YWAM Western Canada Leadership Team meetings hosted here in Winnipeg. After hosting more than about 20 people in our house (it used to house an inner city gang, so it’s quite big), things are eerily quiet now. Well, “urban quiet” that is, the gently song of the sirens (police & ambulances) and screaming children still drift in, but that’s pretty typical.
While I won’t go into specifics, todays discussion was one that reflect an important growth in our district leadership/ministries. More and more we are finding that the structures of organization, tasks/jobs, policies, etc. are not effective or genuine for the nature of our interconnectedness as a ministry. Increasingly we are defining our structures and responding to challenges without escaping into the easy convenience of institution, but as a organic, relational community- a family.
We have not perfected this by any means, though I feel we are significantly unique in this respect compared to much of the international organization. We find ourselves stretched by the oft enormity of emotional and pastoral dynamics involved by taking this path. And yet, as we do so, the nature of our missional engagement in our communities and those communities we travel to continues to reflect fresh Spirit-led innovation and creativity, rooted in relationships above all else.
This is exciting to me, as we have worked for a long time to see this fruit. It is tentative and will need much nurturing, but I am very hopeful. In the same way, I wonder what would happen if other ministries and churches took this journey, even on regional and/or denominational levels. Our district covers a region from Vancouver Island to Winnipeg, with dozens of ministries centres throughout. If we can do it on that level, I believe it can be done in other contexts as well, large and small.
What have you see that reflects new ideas and approaches to leadership, community and ministry that are born out of relationality?
