Leading When You Don't Know Where You Are Going

Our belief that with God all things are possible should give us the confidence to lead even when we don’t know where we are going, says Archbishop (retired) Colin Johnson, Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Niagara and lecturer at Niagara School for Missional Leadership.

Visiting Edmonton as a mentor to Bishop Stephen London in the Living Our Vows Bishop education program, Johnson spent time last week getting acquainted with members of the synod office staff prior to leading a seminar for the Edmonton diocese and preaching at the Confirmation service at Christ Church.

“God continues to lead us in new challenges,” Johnson said during the “Adaptive Leadership in Anxious Times” seminar he led at Christ Church on Saturday.

Changes in society have had significant ramifications for the church. In the last 50 years, the number of information-based jobs many of which can be done virtually from anywhere in the world, has increased exponentially. And Canada’s population, which was once spread among rural communities, is now more heavily concentrated in urban centers.

Active church members can recall an instance, whether it be changing the regular service time, sharing ministry with another parish, or something else when their church community has balked against change. However, Johnson says it is important to remember that God in Christ is continually making things new. And just because we tried something new and it did not work, does not mean we should dismiss the idea as a failure. Sometimes it only takes altering a variable to make something work.

We need to embrace change, but that doesn’t mean we should spend a lot of time blaming ourselves for what we are doing or not doing, says Johnson. Most denominations in Canada are facing decreasing numbers. “This is not about which prayer book we use. This is not about which music we use. This is not about issues of sexuality. This is not about traditional versus progressive. Change is happening right across the board.”

Even though the context in which we share the gospel is continually changing, the church’s purpose to be an agent of God’s mission remains the same. 

When we can view challenges as opportunities, rather than problems, we help people find purpose, meaning, and, ultimately, hope. Many churches were not prepared to livestream worship before the COVID pandemic but quickly adapted. The result is that the church is now more accessible. In some cases, people who started attending online services have continued to attend in person after recognising that the church can be a safe, inclusive and welcoming place. 

Sometimes, the prospect of change is so overwhelming that churches decide not to take action. While there are no simple answers or quick fixes for adaptive challenges, these solutions require a process of learning, Johnson says there are techniques leaders can use to help themselves and their communities get unstuck. He led the group in a simple exercise called a Burst Process which takes less than 10 minutes. A leader shares a challenge they are facing and invites community members to ask about possible solutions and outcomes. Ie. have you thought about what might happen if… 

To calm anxiety about change, it can be helpful for a leader to start by asking about their community’s story. Interestingly, by reminding people about who and who's they are, a leader can instill confidence in their community to move forward. There are core aspects of every community’s identity, but some things can, and will, change. It is helpful to identify what things to hold on to preserve our identity, and what can be let go.

A disruption of the status quo by the pandemic has created an opportune time for churches to approach challenges creatively. “Things are unsettled and there’s an openness to try new things,” he says. 

“Can you lead when you don’t know where you’re going?” Johnson asked the group. “Of course! It’s what you are called to do.”

You can watch a recording of Archbishop Colin Johnson’s Adaptive Leadership seminar here