ERC Leadership as The Boy Who Cried Wolf

One of the drums I've beaten repeatedly, going back to the days of Brian Miller's Emerging Church blog, is that truth doesn't matter in the CGGC.

The fact that truth, both doctrinal truth and factual truth, doesn't matter is the reality I describe in my To Talk is to Walk-ism characteristic of the CGGC Brand.

That reality is about to bite the ERC leadership culture on the keister.

Reports I've received from ERC sessions say that, in promoting the new Strategic Plan, ERC mountaintoppers repeated, over and over, the mantra that previous Strategic Plans were only "words on a page."

Whether ERC mountaintoppers like it or not, this admission is acknowledging the accuracy of To Talk is to Walk-ism. 

And, it creates a real pickle for ERC leaders.

How does ERC leadership say,

"In the past, a Strategic Plan was just words on a page, but we really mean it this time.  Believe us when we say that, in reality, we were lying last time--just two years ago--but we really mean it this time.  Really, we do. Really. Really. Really, really, really, really. You can trust us. You know you can."

How far is that going to fly this time around?

---------------

A characteristic of the CGGC Brand that is connected to To Talk is to Walk-ism is Cynicism. 

Cynicism is the quality, developed among CGGC pastors (not on the leadership mountain) and congregations, as a defense to protect themselves against the reality that CGGC leaders don't tell the truth, or, put plainly, that they lie to them: their talk and walk don't align.

People in many of the CGGC valleys are predisposed to reject outright what mountaintoppers say. More than that, many in the CGGC valley mock the mountaintoppers and laugh at them behind their backs.

This disbelief, mocking, laughing at perspective is deep-seated. It's fully ingrained. It's a part of the DNA of CGGC valley-dwellers. And, it's been well-earned by mountaintoppers. This cynicism existed when I came into the Conference in 1976.

---------------

It's the proverbial Boy Who Cried Wolf syndrome.

Mountaintoppers have said,

"We're going to do (fill in the blank). We are. Trust us. We really are. Really. Really...really, really, really, really...really, really. You know you can trust us!"

But, the truth is that generations ago, the people of many CGGC congregations and their pastors realized, with certainty, that leadership isn't going to do what it claims and that, no matter how often leaders say they can be trusted, CGGC leaders can't be trusted.

---------------

I've been describing this CGGC dynamic for years.

And, also understand this: Many CGGC valley dwellers have told me that they agree but no mountaintopper has acknowledged it.

---------------

So, what now?

Is all lost?

Chances are that all is lost.

Chances are that it's too late for the liars on the ERC mountaintop, and for the cynics as well.

Yet, with God, all things are possible.

But, there must be repentance.

And, the right repentance...because the Word says that there is a repentance that leads to salvation and another repentance process that leads to death.

We must repent.