From the Outside Looking In
John Daugherty, Pinnacle Associate
For the first time in nearly 45 years I am not responsible for the life and care of an organization, a church or clients in care. I retired at the end of 2019, and frankly, I’m very relieved that not too many folks are relying on me to try and figure out how to be effective and move forward given our current experience in this global pandemic. All I’m primarily responsible for during this quarantine is making sure my wife and her mother are safe and well fed!
This new “free” perspective has afforded me the opportunity to experience worship and Bible studies from a number of friends who are still in the thick of things. Being an associate with Pinnacle allows me the great privilege of listening in with the other associates and leaders as they ponder and plan and respond and prepare and offer guidance, coaching and, well for want of a better word, hope.
One of the benefits of this challenging and concerning time is that the church is having to adjust and move out of comfort zones in order to find effective ways to be the body of Christ. New ways of worship, new avenues of contact, challenging calls for ministry and service are now the new normal, and I do not believe this is a bad thing at all.
Some churches and organizations recognized long before the pandemic and quarantine that doing business as normal, well, wasn’t normal and certainly not working. Many had already begun looking forward, challenging themselves, their staff and leaders, their constituents and members to envision new and exciting ways of being obedient as Christ followers in their communities and settings. Now all churches are having to make shifts into what will become a new normal. And yes, many are in panic mode and don’t know what to do next or how to move forward.
The good news is that there are gifted, capable, committed and visionary people available to help with the exploration process in our new wilderness. For God’s people, wilderness is not a new experience! The Bible is, in my opinion, a record of the faithful venturing into wildernesses from the beginning of time through exile and into the new world of Ecclesia, being called out by our Lord to be his presence. Christ followers, disciples, students of Jesus have never been called to a place or a specific time. Rather we have been called to follow, obey, teach, be, serve, sacrifice and most important to be agents of God’s love. The very evidence of our “belonging” is found not in buildings and meetings and times of gathering, but by “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV)
I believe where we find ourselves in this time and this moment of pandemic is a gift for making the shift and becoming disciples, followers of Christ rather than members of a particular organization. We are being church in our homes, just like the whole church as body of Christ began. We are looking to our leaders and teachers to offer hope and guidance, insight and foresight, hope and assurance, and we can find it from those who lead our church and our sister’s church and friends and colleagues. We have opportunities large and small to be agents of love and joy and peace. We can be patient with one another displaying our goodness, kindness and gentleness which requires a great deal of self-control.
If you and your fellowship of believers who are now scattered in your community need help with how to move forward, how to formulate strategies, how to effectively serve the least in your communities and to build a kingdom of God where you live, there are gifted coaches, consultants, visionaries available through Pinnacle Leadership Associates. Pinnacle has timely and powerful resources and learning opportunities, and is developing platforms for encouragement and compassion for leaders having to live into our new world and way of being faithful to Christ. The body of Christ is strong and becoming more faithful and effective. You don’t have to go it alone!