The conference I shouldn't have attended

I was suspicious, I was sceptical. Of whom? Of what? Bill Hybels, and Willow Creek conferences!

All that I had picked up on the evangelical grapevine told me, 'There's lots to shun and little to learn from this US export'. I picked up my first Hybels book, Becoming a Contagious Christian, with more than a degree of concern. I just knew it was going to be slick; surely it was the 'how to build a super-church the easy way?'

How wrong I was! I discovered a gem. The pastor of a massive church was writing about how each individual Christian needs to keep close to God, to keep relationships with non-Christians, and be able and willing to share the gospel clearly. Sounds easy? But huge numbers of Christians in evangelical churches don't keep those elements in a biblical balance. Here was no 'church growth by simple steps', but a straightforward explanation of biblical principles that desperately need teaching. Perhaps I needed a re-think?

Tough decision

Later I had to face up to a big choice. Should I go to the London Men's Convention or a Hybels conference? Easy - all my upbringing said the former - I am an evangelical who loves biblical exposition. But I had been thinking about an area of church life that I had long neglected - leadership. I knew that this was a bit of a battleground. (I had read some US 'Leadership' magazines, critiqued them, and felt it was a fad we didn't need over here in the way they had it over there, thank you very much). My training and ministry history said: 'Just expound the Bible, be a good example, and avoid man-centredness'.

For 15 years I had been involved in 'Preparing the Message' seminars, working at improving my preaching. I was in my 40s and I hoped I was no longer pastorally 'wet behind the ears'. But 'leadership' wouldn't go away. Was the general defensiveness about leadership issues only because of the 'worldliness' of the subject? Was the mess that some churches were left in after a pastoral departure only due to a lack of spirituality in members? Were the in-fights and feebleness of some churches just a thing we had to live with? Was leadership mainly about a 'lust for power' and thus to be avoided like the plague? Did college training not tackle it because of this?

Blocking the church?

I also asked: 'Was my lack of leadership skills acting as a block on the continued growth of the church where I serve?' It seemed a too horribly human approach to be correct - growth is God's blessing not man-generated. Yet could I not be a problem? Evangelical convention correctly said, 'Yes'. Our personal walk with God is crucial and sin there could rob a church of blessing. But was that a total answer? Could the neglect of developing necessary skills also rob a church of growth? Could I get 'in the way' by weakness here?

A massive plus

So with that in mind, off I went with some other church leaders to listen to what Hybels had to say. I didn't recognise anyone 'from our stable' even though there were over 1,000 present. Perhaps I had made a mistake? Would my fellow elders get led astray? But it was like my experience with his book - there were things to concern us, but it turned out a massive plus. Hybels emphasised that our personal walk with God is crucial - a whole hour and more on that. Another hour on having a passion for lost people. And then he put his finger on the button of leadership as one of the crucial elements in church life. If biblical preaching is not fleshed out by leaders who get alongside members to mobilise them, a church can stagnate. Hmm? Many churches I had seen had good teaching, but also members who felt discouraged and disengaged.

We talked lots afterwards as a leadership team. It had been a hugely crucial day for us. I realised that I hadn't seen the biblical emphasis on good leadership because I wasn't looking for it, not because it's not there. Stimulated by the conference to examine Paul's example afresh, I saw that he practised godly leadership in all kinds of ways. He demonstrated strategic and tactical planning, set training goals, modelled mentoring, built teams, exemplified personnel skills, and was full of personal leadership qualities such as courage, compassion and wisdom.

Management needed

Acts 6 became an eye-opening passage. Here was a problem that was as dangerous as both external persecution, and internal corruption (Acts 4 & 5), but that could not be dealt with by what we concentrate upon. That is, it couldn't only be prayed about ('Please Lord, help those widows be less critical') or only preached upon ('Widows, be less complaining!'), but it needed to be managed. It needed organisational and leadership skills. Although the 'deacons' actually made the practical plan work, it was the apostles as leaders who took the initiative, paved the way forward, and gave the church direction about priorities. Note this: Acts 6 is not given to us to admire and say: 'Here was the church managing its way successfully through the only problem that it will ever have to manage its way through'. Rather it is a template for the myriad of similar things that will confront us.

I reflected upon the contemporary scene. Much of the training of pastors is helpful. Yet I began to feel 'there is a hole here'. This seems particularly true of non-Anglican evangelicalism. Many brothers in the CofE have benefited from leadership training (without consciously being aware of it?) from their educational, cultural and class background. Many come through the private school and university system and, by the time they finish, are groomed to lead and organise. Once in the ministry they tend to emphasise the 'preaching of the Word' as the big thing the CofE needs - a la Proc Trust - but play down 'the leadership thing'. Of course they are right, but then perhaps they don't see that they have a lot of 'the leadership thing' already through their upbringing. Non-conformists respond: 'We've been working at preaching for years (with a bit more oomph than you are used to), but thanks anyway for showing us that we still need to improve'.

But we go on neglecting 'the leadership thing' at anything other than the 'personal humility before God and power is dangerous' level. Many of us don't get as much help through our background (I was a Scout Patrol Leader which is better than nothing, I suppose), and yet our churches demand great skills (church members' meetings are where the rubber really hits the road!). 'Power' and authority in churches is often a confused morass of entrenched interest groups, cliques, personality clashes, and struggles between strong-minded people. Failure in this area seems to be the norm not the exception. Organisationally we are often pretty inept too.

In practice

What I had learned from all this I tried to implement. We worked hard at various kinds of leadership skills and organisational issues in our church. And the church benefited a great deal. We kept growing, and significantly, more of the members became actively involved and 'owned' things. New people instead of being part of a larger 'fringe' were helped to find a place and got 'stuck in'.

So last November when Bill Hybels came, it was with eager anticipation that a large team went to a conference. Again we hardly recognised anyone (there were 1,800 there this time). Again there were concerns - about the singing and worship style, and the lack of Scripture readings. But once more we were glad that we had gone. Hybels and a team of other excellent, godly communicators treated us to biblical challenges, encouragement, vivid illustrations, practical application, humour, passion and seriousness.

Our group talked through the theme of the conference (entitled 'It Takes a Team'). We made a lot of listening to each other as we seized the opportunity afforded us. We went back to our own church with renewed enthusiasm. I know that many a conference will do that for a group. But the difference this one made was that it tackled issues about church life, teamwork, leadership and godliness that few others address. The 'high' was not just the thing of being away, but the adoption as a leadership team of insights that will stand the church in good stead.

Too professional?

And then... I read The Briefing for December 2003! Aagh! Its strap line? 'Too professional - is our leadership too professional?' The lead article from a favourite magazine about to undermine everything and tell me I had been going down a false path? But how wrong I was! David Andrew couldn't have put it better. Phew! (Readers, pressure John Benton to get permission to reprint it in EN.)

So where does all this leave us? Still pursuing our personal 'walk' with the Lord, still emphasising preaching, still developing pastoral sensitivity, and still working at leadership skills of the biblical variety. That is due in part to how we have benefited from the ministry of 'Bill' and 'Willow'. There are lots of things we wouldn't take on board, but my fear is that many have thrown out baby and bath water, whereas a bit more discernment would have done your church a great deal of good.

Ray is part of the leadership team of Kempston Evangelical Church, Bedford.

Tapes, CDs, DVDs, books, courses, and other excellent resources are available from the Willow Creek Association, PO Box 966, Southampton, SO152WT (email info@willowcreek.org.uk, tel. 0845 1300 909).

The conference I shouldn't have attended

Explaining the benefits of going to hear Bill Hybels

Tough decision

Blocking the church?

A massive plus

Management needed

In practice

Too professional?

Ray Evans

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