Leadership questions

It is always interesting when you begin research on a topic [and you have a lot of freedom, with a lot of questions] how your research leads you into one or another directions and then also to new questions.

I have now centered my week on two books on leadership. One is by Edwin H. Freidman, Failure of Nerve, Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix and another entitled Leadership by Howard Gardner, [who developed the whole idea really of multiple intelligences.]

There is way too much good rich food in the Freidman book to possibly include it here, but I have been trying to walk away each day with one quote from which I begin to write or explore.
Today this is the quote that came to me,
Conceptually stuck systems [the mainline churches in North America]
cannot become unstuck simply by trying harder! Friedman, P. 32

This seems, upoon first reading that is it so obvious that it is absurd. But truly it is about re-examing the whole paradigm for how we do church. Instead of just saying, "well, we have to add a new program, or do more of this, or do more of that," this suggests that more of what we are currently doing, is not going to yield different results.

Let me be clear, I am not talking about changing the gospel message, or short changing our faith or our relationship to God but looking at how we do church and asking questions about meaning for the new, those outside who won't come in to hear the good news.

This could be exciting to imagine together what the church might look like in 10-20 years.
INstead of fearing it, perhaps engaging it, is the challenge.

Later this afternoon I will leave for Germany to stay with friends just until Sunday night.
The weather is terrible, I am not at all excited about driving.
Worry, however, it not productive so I am deciding to just enjoy the ride, the snow and the view
of the countryside.

More.