The CGGC as Organism or Organization!

As readers of the CGGC eNews know, Brandon Kelly is leaving his role as the Director of...what?, his title used to be "of Transformational Ministries," what it is now, I can't say. I've lost track.

The announcement of Brandon's departure was accompanied by the announcement of the search for a:

1. Director of Strategy and a,

2. Director of Developing Leaders. 

I don't believe that Brandon holds these jobs at the moment. Though it's not stated in the eNews, I assume these are newly created positions.

Either way, the "hiring"...Lance actually uses that crass, secular, corporate, institutional verb to describe the act of acquiring the new staff member...is monumental to me.

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To think that followers of Jesus "hire" is, to me, a brazen, bold declaration that a battle for the Kingdom future of the CGGC has been lost to the advocates of Church-as-institutionism.

In which chapter of which Gospel did Jesus "hire" the apostles?!

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In any case, the "hiring" of a Director of Strategy is a kick to Reggie McNeal's genitalia.

In 2003, Reggie McNeal, who became the resource person for five cycles of the CGGC's MLI, i.e., Missional Leadership Initiative, published the book, The Present Future, which became the focus of what has turned out to be nothing more than yet another CGGC fad...

...though it is, certainly, the most heavily-invested-in fad in CGGC history. 

How many tens of thousands of CGGC dollars were invested by the General Conference and regional Conferences and participants in the five cycles of MLI?

McNeal's book was promoted in the CGGC by Wayne Boyer. It got Reggie invited to be the lead speaker of one year's IMPACT and became a central focus of Brian Miller's Emerging CGGC blog in its heyday. And, of course, the five cycles of MLI.

In The Present Future, McNeal lists six "wrong questions" the church had been (and now nearly 20 years later, still is) asking. And, he suggests six "tough questions" it must answer.

One of the six sets of questions includes the wrong question:

How do we plan for the future?

along with the tough question:

How do we prepare for the future?

McNeal notes that, "Spiritual preparation has the goal of getting people in partnership with him..." (95)

Preparation is not a formula or a program. Planning, of course, is. (96)

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Sadly, fifteen years after a vigorous conversation began in the CGGC in which many begged for an approach to ministry that is Kingdom focused, rooted in what McNeal calls "radical obedience," the CGGC staffers will present a Strategic Plan for the approval of the delegates to the General Conference in session. 

Fifteen years later, the victory in the CGGC of church people over people of the Kingdom, is consummated as the leaders of the institution advertise the administrative position, Director of Strategy.

We are now people with a plan. And, we're hiring a human to administer the plan of the.Church of God.

A historic decision has been made. The victory has been won.

The CGGC is declaring itself to be an organization, not a spiritual organism.

We must repent.