One of the great virtues of evidence-based discernment is that it encourages leaders to discover and celebrate the gift of clarity.  I am increasingly convinced that lack of clarity is a major impediment to high levels of satisfaction and energy among church members and a common cause of conflict and confusion.

The word “clarity” denotes “clearness” or “lucidity” or “freedom from ambiguity.”  It means “the state or quality of being transparent to the eye.”  A recent study of the concept of “focus” argues that clarity “begins with realizing what we do not notice—and don’t notice that we don’t notice.”*

All types of congregational planning benefit from systematic evidence-based discernment and the gift of clarity about, among other topics:

·         The range of theological perspectives of members;

·         How flexible they are in dealing with change;

·         Their perceptions about how decisions are made and by whom;

·         The range of attitudes about how well conflict is managed;

·         Views about the factors that influence stewardship

Using the Church Assessment Tool from Holy Cow! Consulting enables me to guide congregations into the points of view members have in these and other important aspects of congregational life.

After all, evidence in these and other areas of congregational life leads to knowledge and shared understanding of the complex factors influencing the ways congregations think and behave. 

Equipped with shared understanding, leaders can help share the future by engaging the congregation in “holy conversations” about the core components of a comprehensive Mission Portfolio:

Clarity is gift to congregations, it is good for people, and it is pleasing to God.  “Holy clarity is more than helpful, more than useful.  God is pleased when we are thoughtful and attendant to the truth simply because the truth is beautiful.”**

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free -- John 8:32

*Daniel Goleman, Focus: the Hidden Driver of Excellence (2013)

**Sarah Drummond, Holy Clarity: the Practice of Planning and Evaluation (2009)

‡

 

Many years ago, I was involved in a six-month leadership coaching program organized around the principle that leadership is most effective when it is practiced from the inside out. I recall spending the first three months in the program arguing against the inside-out idea.  My brain was telling me that good leaders start with assessing the needs of the people and organizations they lead, and then they figure out what to do and how to do what needs to be done.    Equipped with answers to WHAT? And HOW?--I thought--leaders can inspire followers to move forward. Thankfully, my coaches did not give up on me.  They taught me to turn inward and to confront the one big question I was overlooking (or avoiding):  WHY?  They forced me to come to terms with my own sense of purpose, my cause, my identity as a human being and as a leader.  They gave me a great gift by coaching me into the discovery of the value of starting with WHY.

                My guess is that most organizations, like people, start with WHAT and then move to HOW, often assuming they know WHY.   When we define ourselves by WHAT we do, we can easily become bogged down in the details of things.  When we focus on HOW we do things, we can easily become mired in process.  When we start with WHY, we ask ourselves the hard questions like “who am I?” and we seek clarity about mission, purpose, and values.  That’s the best place to begin the journey.

                Lately, I have been thinking about the application of “starting with WHY” to my work in capital fund appeals, stewardship education, and strategic visioning with congregations and their leaders. Especially in these times of financial stress, I see some congregations struggling for direction.  They are the ones paralyzed by indecision about which programs to cut, or how to reduce staff expenses, or which modifications to make to worship so they can attract more families with young children.  I see them falling into the trap of thinking that they are bound together primarily by the programs they offer, the staff they employ, the facilities they build, the fundraising they attempt, or the social services they provide.  I see them losing heart because they are overwhelmed by issues of WHAT and HOW. 

                The good news is that I also see other congregations and leaders inspired by the call to mission.      I see them energized by going deeply into questions of identity and purpose, asking themselves WHY they exist and WHY they are engaged in ministry.     I see them organizing worship and education around exploration of their core values and key biblical and theological principles.  I see them engaged in conversations stimulated by questions like “What is God up to in our midst?”  I see them teaching stewardship as a way of living, not as a tool for fundraising. I see them working very hard to design or remodel facilities that embody mission and purpose.  I see them struggling with discernment as a prelude to making decisions about WHAT and HOW.

                  Organizations and people must achieve a healthy balance between WHAT, HOW, and WHY.  Starting with WHY encourages the discovery of vocation.  When congregations and their leaders have a clear sense of vocation, they know what it means to lead from the inside out.   It’s always good, though, to remind ourselves that the Christian story itself leads us, in the way my coaches lead me, to start with WHY.  “For God so loved the world…”            

Recommended Reading

Simon Sinek, Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action (Penguin, 2009)

Gil Rendle and Alice Mann, Holy Conversations:  Strategic Planning as a Spiritual Practice for Congregations (Alban Institute, 2003)

Peter L. Steinke, A Door Set Open:  Grounding Change in Mission and Hope (Alban Institute, 2010)

 

                

 

O day full of grace, which we behold, now gently to view ascending; Thou over the earth thy reign unfold, good cheer to all mortals lending, that children of every clime may prove that the night is ending!

How blest was that gracious midnight hour, when God in our flesh was given; then flushed the dawn with light and power, that spread o’er the darkened heaven; then rose o’er the world that sun divine which gloom from our hearts hath driven.

Yea, were every tree endowed with speech, and every leaflet singing,   They never with praise God’s worth could reach, though earth with their praise were ringing.  Who fully could praise the light of life who light to our souls is bringing? 

With joy we depart for the promised  land and there we shall walk in endless light.

C.E.F. Weyse (1774-1842) arr. F. Melius Christiansen (1871-1955)

Written in 1826 by the Danish teacher, poet and Bishop N. S. F. Grundtvig, "O Day Full of Grace" is one of the great hymns of the Christian church. The image of the rising sun driving gloom from our hearts is deeply meaningful to me.

Having lived now in the Pacific Northwest for more than ten years, I have gained a deep appreciation for the beauty and mystery of the rain forest. The Quinault Rain Forest is my favorites.  From the expansive canopy of Douglas firs to the lichens of the forest floor, the Quinault is truly a place of enchantment. When I walk there and feel the sun pierce through the canopy to the rotting wood debris which hosts nurse logs that strain to feel that same sun, I experience an intense awareness of the complexities and interconnections of life. Some days, I felt the presence of God that passes all human understanding.

My goal is that this website become the public face of my national consulting practice. I intend it to be a helpful resource to pastors and lay leaders who share the important responsibility of guiding and strengthening congregations. Through it, I hope to lend them good cheer for their day-to-day work and help to drive away the gloom that sometimes comes with the responsibilities of leadership. I aim to encourage and support them to experience anew a day full of grace in their organizations and lives. I seek to help them become more aware of and to appreciate the complexities of congregational life, the beauties and the mysteries.

If I can do those things, all our days will be full of grace.