LEADERSHIP REALLY MATTERS
ANNE BOSARGE
REV. JAY HANSON
We have just recently been working through repainting several rooms in our house. While I love the finished product and look of fresh paint, I really dislike the chaos created during the renovation. Art comes down off the walls to reveal nail holes, furniture is moved giving way to dust bunnies, and closets are turned inside out. Rooms I thought were clean and orderly reveal clutter and wear. Renovations get messy before they get better.
Even in the midst of the chaos, there is an opportunity. As I move things around and put rooms back together, I gain an opportunity to assess what really is, not just what things appear to be. I get clarity about what is actually useful and what needs to be changed or improved. I have the opportunity to assess what should go back into the room and what just doesn’t fit.
This month some renovations are happening within our denomination. As things begin to move and change, there can be a tendency to focus on the chaos and discomfort. When we see seasons of transition, we often react in one of three ways.
- Some of us try to control the chaos. Even as the changes are happening, we try to exert control over our circumstances and restore a sense of order and comfort to our world. Our driving motivation becomes, “How do I keep everything together so things stay the same?”
- Some of us become consumed by the chaos. When this happens, it becomes all we think about and all we focus on, but because we spend so much time caught up in the chaos, we are unable to see anything else. We drift along, feeling helpless to change anything and spending all of our energy consumed by what is happening and thinking about what that means to us.
- Some of us seek clarity in the chaos. As we look at making changes and revising what isn’t working, we go back to the basics – we remember our calling, evaluate our character, and seek to clarify our mission. The chaos becomes a catalyst for creativity, growth, and reflection. The change becomes an opportunity to do new things in new ways that will attract new people and draw them closer to a relationship with the Savior.
So, what will you do with the chaos you experience this month? Will you attempt to control it, become consumed by it, or see it as a catalyst for increased clarity? I hope you choose option three with me and join me in clarifying what it means to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Jay Hanson, Lead Pastor, and Anne Bosarge, Multi-Campus Director, serve at The Chapel Ministries. They love sharing about the ways God is moving in their church. Contact them at jay@thechapelbrunswick.com and anne@thechapelbrunswick.com.
