You have an innovative outreach idea that has the potential to make a huge impact. You begin to try to implement this wonderful NEW outreach idea knowing it could help build a bridge between ministries to move seekers along on their spiritual journey's. As you move forward, you discover that established ministries within your church are not interested in your bridge? As a matter of fact you watch, as they dig a mote around their turf, call others into their castle and raise the drawbridge around their kingdoms.
Sound familiar? Disillusioning right? Sad? Kind of takes the wind out of your outreach sails aye?
You cast vision and try to build a bridge to the Christians (before you can begin building a bridge to the seekers) You try to dialog, but you get stiff armed, no one answers your e-mails or returns your phone calls. When you do finally connect, you hear comments like: That is not how we do things, we have always done it this way, if we promote this, won't people leave our ministry and attend yours, if we cooperate/partner with you, we'll be out of business, why are you competing with us?
I realize that I can be just as guilty as anyone else. If I am not careful , my focus can shift from God's agenda to my own agenda. It's very subtle, you answer God's call, you step up to lead, you raise up a team, you give sacrificially and spend hours investing in your mission, your ministry and your people. It's easy to start thinking it's yours, but it's not! It all belongs to God, and I need to remember to hold things with open hands offering it all back to Him. It's His kingdom not ours and hopefully change will drive us to our knees and force us to see the bigger picture.
We have the potential to powerfully impact lives with the Gospel if we call an end to turf wars, tear down the silos and let down our drawbridges. People experience God's kingdom when we tear down the walls and serve together, for His kingdom and glory, not our own. Let's remember who bought and paid for the castle, it all belongs to the King of Kings!
Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
John 17:20-22 Jesus Prays for All Believers “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one:
Would you like to learn more about how to combat Silos and Turf Wars? Patrick Lencioni is a New York Times best-selling author, speaker, consultant, founder and president of The Table Group, a firm dedicated to helping organizations become healthy. Lencioni’s ideas around leadership, teamwork and employee engagement have impacted organizations around the globe. I heard Patrick give a great talk a few years ago at the Willow Creek Leadership Summit, called Silos, Politics and Turf Wars and it gave me great insights into how to gather people around a common mission. http://www.tablegroup.com/
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