Fuzzy Confessions . . .

As things begin to unfold in "Fuzzy Leadership" one may begin to feel as if the tale is a form of deconstruction. Which it is not. It is intended solely for construction. Perhaps along the line of reformation (which is greatly needed).

In the conversation, I will by necessity cover some of the misuses and abuses of leadership within Ekklesia. However it may seem that I am "pointing the finger" as such. Be it known however that I am well aware that anytime I point a finger that there are three other fingers of that same hand pointing back at myself.

I.E.: I know of the misuses and abuses of leadership in Ekklesia because of my own failings in that very area.

"Mia Culpa" . . .

In this Journey we suffer bumps, bruises and wounding. And it is inevitable that we inflict our own share of that upon others. God grant us the grace to ask and offer forgiveness to one another for that.

But it must not end there. A realization of the Ephesian 4:13 calling includes a Kingdom perspective of leadership.

Without a paradigm shift in that realm, we will only re-create the same problems in a variant form of the Matrix ~ box ~ stronghold ~ prison ~ grave.

Not so with you . . .

Is what Jesus told His disciples when talking about the exercising of authority in Matthew 20:25.
And so commences my exploration of what I have come to call "Fuzzy Leadership".

The of way Jesus interacted with others, indeed with everything, was always radically different than the "normal" (I.E.: The world's) way. So the Kingdom ways of authority, "ruling", "obeying" and "submitting" must have radically different paradigms and methods than those of the various world "systems". But it seems that "the church" has, for the last 1800 or-so years has pretty much operated much in the same manner as those "worldly systems".

"Command & Control" has been thoroughly adopted as the "motis operandi" of ICOR (Institutionalized Church/Organized Religion) christianity.
The small "c" is on purpose, for I am a follower of Jesus and consider myself a Christian, but not part of ICOR (or at least, like Neo, I have begun the Journey of seeing the Matrix for what it is.
Suffice it to say I am a recovering "tight-ass church dude" . . .)

So, what could have Jesus possibly meant when He said " . . . not so with you"? (Heavy on the rhetorical there . . .). I think it is pretty clear; we ain't supposed to "exercise authority" and "lord it over one another" as the world does. In fact, we are not to "lord it over" anyone, and the authority thing has totally different paradigms, as we shall explore.

The misuse and abuse of authority in the "command & control" ideology of ICOR is probably the foremost reason why Followers of Jesus are leaving the (matrix) institution and seeking intimacy with Him. "Equip, Train and Release" has been mutated by ICOR into something else, and the "release" part has been removed.

But Jesus has other ideas . . . and the matrix shakes as more and more folks become "unplugged".

Fasten your seat belts . . .