[Written during the Coronavirus quarantine – April, 2020]
Don’t go back. We are different than we were two months ago. We’ve changed – hopefully for the better. Don’t go back. I saw highly destructive patterns rampant in churches in both younger and older leaders before this started – younger leaders weaponizing victimhood/entitlement, older leaders weaponizing excellence. For some it was the other way around. I know because I have some of each in myself…so do you.
But don’t go back – both of those pathways are ultimately dead ends. Here are some thoughts on it from a couple of guys who are smarter than me:
“Entitlement does not prompt you to accept the negatives in your life. It drives you away from admitting your flaws…and away from learning how to deal with them. Instead…three directions, all of which destroy your health: Denial…Perfectionism…Narcissism… Think about the pressure, stress and emptiness that accompany [them]….” – John Townsend
“I think it would be unspeakably sad if you built this great movement – if you built booming churches and run fabulous services, and put up astonishing buildings, and formed brilliantly able teams – and did it with people who are tired and dry and empty and lonely and frightened and sad.” – John Ortburg
Don’t go back.
creativeworshipideas 