Transforming Church

As I entered my decompression phase, leaving the 60-hour weeks behind in the second half of 1990, a calling emerged in my life. Rejecting an offer of partnership in a corporate consulting firm, I created Eagle Learning, my sole practitioner consulting practice. For the first couple of years, I developed business clients, while helping start the Academy for our Bishop. In my quiet time, I reflected on my gifts and experiences, and clearly heard God calling me to bring the best of what I have learned about leadership into the church, to help equip another generation of leaders.

While I have studied much in the developing literature about effective church leadership, and consumed much secular leadership reading before, during and after my Executive MBA, there is one aspect of this body of knowledge that I consider my passion, and my calling. Under Charlotte Robert’s mentoring since the early nineties, and with four years of studying the work of Robert Fritz, I have gained some depth in the field of the creative process and the discipline Peter Senge calls Personal Mastery. Fritz calls the practice Structural Thinking and uses Structural Tension as its primary tool.

The calling that emerged in my life was to bring this work into the church. It is a matter of organizing our lives so that we can create what matters most to us. When we combine this practice with a commitment to discipleship, then we can become all that God is calling us to be as an individual. I described it this way in an article some time ago: Get Control of your Life so you can Give it Away.

So, as I move through this transition, I am working with the leadership to redefine my role in the TLi. During my meditation time last week, I heard God calling me back to my gifts, my passion and calling. The role description that emerged in my thinking was Storyteller and Network Organizer. Ron Lee encourages me to go back to what I do best, telling the story and inviting people into the developing dialog and narrative. My sister is a professional storyteller, and I have traveled in these circles for years.

I am also a connector. Charlotte Roberts told me some time ago that she saw me like the old-fashioned telephone operator, connecting people together, plugging wires into the switchboard. One of the things that helped bring this project to the point of viability is the work we have done to bring many different voices together around the table. For three years, I have traveled the country, casting the vision at every opportunity, and following up where the vision resonated. As a result, we have grown support from churchwide staff, bishops and synods, large church pastors, and pastors from all settings who have come together around the work of transformation and mission. Key lay leaders are supporting the initiative, and we are working with several seminaries.

So, as I leave the role of Executive Team Leader, I will remain on the Board and staff of the TLi. As Storyteller, I will continue traveling the country, speaking to groups and individuals to build support among potential participants, Signature Ministry mentor pastors, Bishops, Synod staff and donors. I will support fundraising among churches and private donors. And, as Network Organizer, I will focus on our marketing and web infrastructure for the TLi.

As Teacher and Coach, I will be involved in the delivery of our learning journey at annual events, and will help mentor and coach our participants. The essence of my calling is to help equip bright emerging leaders for Christ’s Kingdom. All the other work has been preparation for this role. I remain passionately committed to the TLi as the primary expression of this calling. Please continue to pray for this initiative as we move to execution and delivery on the vision we have cast. Pray that we might continue to follow the leading of the Spirit; that we might help bring renewal and health to the churches of the ELCA.

To see and learn more about Transforming Leaders Initiative on its home website, click here.