Barnabas File

“In the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed.”  ―  Charles Darwin Charles Darwin may not be the first person you would choose to quote in relation to any topic, but he was an active churchman and diligent researcher who often does not get the credit he deserves, especially from contemporary Christians.   From his extensive studies, Darwin observed two key processes that aided survival in changing times:  collaboration and improvisation.  Although we could apply both to our current situation of pandemic and social unrest, we find multiple examples in the history of the Christian faith to verify his conclusions. First, collaboration (in the positive sense) means “ the action of working with someone to produce or create something.”  The greatest achievements in the history of the church have been the result of believers putting aside th...

In my theological education, I was taught that the minister was the answer person.     He (and it was always “he”) was the expert you accessed for answers on life, doctrinal issues, and relationship concerns.     I often struggled with that concept.     I stopped attending a Sunday School class at one church where we were members because the teacher always turned to me and said, “Tell us what this passage means.” During my time as a denominational worker, I was encouraged to use the resource model for working with churches.  This approach was based on, “Tell us your situation because we have an answer for you.” This usually meant a one-size-fits-all program that was generated in Nashville, Atlanta, or Richmond. The denominational person was the answer person. Unfortunately, I took this model into my work as a state leader with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. As I sat down to talk with pastors, I began to realize that I did...

In teaching coaching classes, we point out the differences between the various “people development processes” --counseling, consulting, teaching, mentoring, coaching, and spiritual direction.     The differences are generally defined along two axes--self as expert versus other as expert and asking versus telling. For example, in most cases, the consultant is usually the content expert who shares his or her expertise, so consulting is in the “other as expert”/”telling” corner.  Coaches on the other hand lead the process with the client as the expert and the coach asking questions; therefore, coaching is in the “self as expert”/”asking” corner. In reality, the lines are often blurred.  Over the course of time, a mentoring relationship can take on more of the characteristics of coaching as the client or protégé accepts more responsibility for his or her actions.  In newer forms of education, teachers may become more guides or facilitators ...

In teaching coaching classes, we point out the differences between the various “people development processes” --counseling, consulting, teaching, mentoring, coaching, and spiritual direction.     The differences are generally defined along two axes--self as expert versus other as expert and asking versus telling. For example, in most cases, the consultant is usually the content expert who shares his or her expertise, so consulting is in the “other as expert”/”telling” corner. Coaches on the other hand lead the process with the client as the expert and the coach asking questions; therefore, coaching is in the “self as expert”/”asking” corner. In reality, the lines are often blurred.  Over the course of time, a mentoring relationship can take on more of the characteristics of coaching as the client or protégé accepts more responsibility for his or her actions. In newer forms of education, teachers may become more guides or facilitators that disp...

Are you part of a nice church or a great church?   A nice church is where everyone gets along because we never really discuss anything of substance.   We value community and fellowship and fear upsetting what we see as a delicate equilibrium in the congregation.   Nice churches will do well but they will never be great churches because they are unwilling to put the effort into dealing with major issues and needs. Let me be honest up front--I don’t like conflict.  On the various conflict management inventories, I usually score high on avoid and/or accommodate.  Conflict makes me tired and frustrated.  I have learned, however, that very little progress is made if we continue to avoid needed discussions and hard decisions. Speed Leas wrote a classic book titled Discover Your Conflict Management Style [i] .  He includes an inventory to identify your default style or styles of dealing with conflict.  The lesson to be learned...

Last summer, Dr. Molly Marshall, president of Central Seminary, was asked to speak to a Doctor of Ministry seminar on “Entrepreneurial Leadership” and share some of the things she has learned in leading a “new generation seminary.” One of the learnings she identified is a key leadership lesson: “Seek wise counsel. An isolated leader cannot impose vision; rather, vision arises out of thoughtful collaboration. Leadership entails being a ‘keeper’ of the vision, however.” Dr. Marshall shared two ideas here that are very important in the development of a vision. First, the most effective vision arises from a process of collaboration. In a church, it rises up among the people of God as they engage their missional context.  In a judicatory, vision is birthed by the shared experiences of congregations.  In an organization, vision comes from the experience and abilities of the members of the team as they respond to opportunity. Second, once visio...