Church Plate Full--what's next?

Every generation faces difficult issues, challenging topics and uncertainty. There is a cycle in life that hands each of us a plate full of items that we must address. When people answer the questions of the day they are called progressives. When people look back into history for answers we call them conservatives. There is really not a very good term in today’s setting of issues that defines an individual or an organization that is using both history and dreams together to create answers for our over loaded plates. My love for history is well documents through this column. My belief that the future is ours if we want it, is also well supported. I have addressed many themes of life. The course of years has provided me with a unique opportunity to share my approach to life.
Being knocked down is not any fun. Having dreams and goals to only have those removed from your involvement hurts as well. To suffer from a lack of support from those that you believe should support your ideas, and actually do, is a set back too. For some individuals who once had resources in plenty the loss of those contacts and influence leaves one asking how or why? Involved in the cycle of life is a pattern that we see creates new faces and involvement from others, if we are open to a new day. Many organizations and individuals can not even imagine not being the center or in the “lime light” of happenings. Some simply believe that without their role and involvement the project will end and everything will “fall to pieces” as Patsy Cline once sang.
The truth is that things roll on with or without us. It maybe a suffering blow to our self esteem if we are no longer leading or our opinion is no longer sought after, but that’s just life. As sure as life has a cycle, there will be a new opportunity for you to step up and become involved with a vital roll, if you allow time to tick some.
Politics is a good example. There is always a recycling of ideas and people, as there is nothing new under the sun, just new people at the forefront. Church is a good example of life and the cycles she offers on her plate too. Church is made up of come and go leaders. I have always said that’s why buildings have a front door for coming and a back door for leaving. Sure the dream is to go somewhere and stay forever, but that’s not realistic. Rural settings provide a good picture for things staying put. Just ask any neighbor that moved in and say, “tell me how hard has it been for you to get involved?” I am sure that with their explanation that the past 10 years have been good ones, it has been difficult. Sure, I’m smiling and you should be too, we all know it’s true.
I could write for days about why I think this happens, but I’d rather write that I believe real growth and the best growth comes from being exposed to new ideas and leadership. I know churches that declined after leadership left, and others where it exploded. The best practice for success is to involve lots of folks instead of having a 10 year waiting period to prove you are going to stay around. The church likes litmus test before we release power to individuals. The said part is that I can’t find that in scripture, but then again, lots of churches don’t follow scripture. Our plates are full, what topic will we address next?

Until then