One of the realities that we confront in the book of Acts is how the word, “organic” can truly epitomize that early movement of Christ-followers. To say that they were being led by the “winds of the Spirit” would almost be an understatement of the life they lived. Jesus didn’t leave His followers with a method, a formula, or a program…He left them with the promise of His presence and power. The rest? Oh well…gotta depend on God, I guess! No guarantees…no assurances of cultural success…no glory measured out in worldly terms…only Kingdom living at its most basic, exciting, and most unpredictable.
Friends, the early followers of Jesus were encountering an Adaptive Challenge. Now, let’s step back for a moment and clarify something important - there is a HUGE difference between what some have called Technical Challenges and Adaptive Challenges. Technical challenges are those we know how to solve, they are mechanical. You have experts around who can assess situations and apply proven methodologies to the challenges. Adaptive challenges, on the other hand, require changing people’s minds and hearts. Adaptive challenges are those where there are no proven methodologies or formulas. Where, in most cases, attempts have been made to solve issues with conventional tools…the end result of those efforts? Failure and frustration. In Adaptive Challenges, people have to learn new ways and choose between what appear to be contradictory values. If you throw all the technical fixes you can at the problem and the problem persists, it’s a pretty clear signal that an underlying adaptive challenge still needs to be met . Most social problems are adaptive challenges. ALL Kingdom issues…all issues within the mission of the “ekklesia” are adaptive challenges.
Distinguishing Technical from Adaptive Challenges
- What’s the work? Technical Who does the work? Authorities/Experts applying current know how
- What's the work? Adaptive Who does the work? The people with the problem through learning new ways
This doesn't mean you have to fly completely blind. There are some principles that can assist you. My advice would be to pay close attention to them. They will help you to lay in some firm foundations and avoid problems later. Unfortunately, these principles should be tailored to each situation. There is no blue print. Fresh expressions of “church” start in all sorts of different ways – some intentionally, others almost by accident. It is vital to adapt what seems to work well rather than just copy what others have done.
One person that I know who is doing some incredible ministry in another country uses the acronym, “GETON” as a reference point for a fresh expression of Kingdom living. It stands for the following processes (look it over and see what YOU think):
G - Getting together with at least one other Christian. As you check whether your expectations and understandings are on the same page, hopefully a sense of shared call will emerge.
Getting together → a shared call
E - Exploring the possibilities through '360 degrees listening' – to the people you may be called to serve, Christ-followers we are close to, the experience of the wider church and to God directly in prayer and Bible study. Hopefully a vision for what to do will be confirmed or start to emerge.
Exploring possibilities → a shared vision
T - Thinking ahead involves imagining how the venture might journey toward some sort of “ekklesia” expression. Imagination is difficult because it is our nature to snap back to familiar paradigms and what appears to be “working” methodologies. Yet, living in the flow of the Spirit in these times takes the courage to ask, “What is God doing here and now? What are the things of the Father that He is doing in our lives and in our community that I/we simply want to affirm and participate in?” Remember, God is at work in people’s lives and in your community’s life already…you don’t bring God’s presence to people…God is already there! Having an imagination to think outside of the comfortable paradigms and models we are used to depending upon may free you to be who God wants you to be in a fresh expression…
Thinking ahead → shared values
O - Organizing support – prayer support, from the people you are called to serve, permission-givers and the wider public…you must have the humility and desire to share the mission…adaptive challenges take a community to be able to address…individual ownership in the process empowers people to be who God has made them to be
Organizing support → a shared venture
N - Nurturing people through appropriate training, consistent vision-casting, making sure everyone is clear about their role, building a sense of community, etc. This is where YOU become whom God created and call you to be – you are an equipper of the “saints”. Don’t DO/BE for them what God has called them to do/be – you teach, train, pray…you do what God calls you to do with passion and let Him take care of the rest.
Nurturing the team → shared leadership
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