Power flows. It flows from person to person, from system to system, from this to that. Power changes hands. Power cannot be controlled. In some sense, pwoer an be controlled, but in another sense it is completely unpredictable.
Leaders recognize the flow of power and make steps toward channeling that power in a specific direction. Good leaders find ways to contstantly resdistribute that power. Bad leaders accumulate power. Good leaders use power as an exchange with the followers - a practice which actually creates more leaders. Bad leaders use power to keep followers following.
The emergent church is a terrific example of a power challenge. Church history is filled with people and church structures grasping power and using it to define something, cement something, and control something. The hope for emergent is to recognize that there is a relatively new flow of power (Un-churching oneself without un-Jesusing oneself), but while recognizing it, not controlling.
Brian McLaren just came out with a new book. He is widely seen as the leader of Emergent, but refuses to take that title. His new book will draw critics and it will draw followers. What will he do with his power? His track record says he will mock it and redistribute it at the same time. I hope he keeps that up.
He has to keep it up. If McLaren accepts the title of Emergent Pope or whatever, he will then cease to be emergent and will only be duplicating the faults of the past.
It must be challenging to be considered the leader of something that you cannot lead. By leading it, you lose it. He must let the flow of power flow back to the people who give him that power. There is no better way to accmoplish the goals emergent seems to ahve than to allow its inertia to be shared deeply and widely.
2 comments:
Yes, I too wonder if McLaren wants to be the leader. I think he wants to be a person of infuence - but also a person to be influenced, but only in certain directions.
And yes, most people, when rubber meets the raod, want to be told what to do. However, when they can come to a position of positive self-agency, then the role of whomever leads them changes from dictator to consultant. The question is this: Can the benevolent dictator become a consultant? Will he or she allow it?
I think McLaren would much rather be an Emergent Church consultant than its Pope. I also think that he might get to big of a head if he were to accept the titles people try to assign to him. Not that he's a bad guy, but that he's human.
What if his goal was not to be the leader... or a leader?
Don't you think power has a lot to do with what people are looking for? By people... I mean your every day joe and jane. Most everyone is looking for someone to lead them... someone to tell them what to do... someone to confirm for them that things will be OK.
For some, being this person is just what they are (meant to be)... like it or not.
The power is always in the masses. The control of that is ultimately in the masses... unless they are made to feel differently.
So much responsibility comes with power... these days, with the deep frustration that people (seem to) feel, I wonder if they are willing to give up the power if the responsibility also goes. I'll just be joe and I'll just be jane... and I'll just be very happy.
Post a Comment