Shifting Ecclesial Leadership (Orthopraxy)

The way that leaders practice their leadership is the first example of proper orthopraxy for our post modern context. Eddie Gibbs writes,

“Decisions will be made in an operational, rather than policy based structure and therefore must be made as close to the operation in progress as possible by those individuals most directly involved. On the other hand, the decisions are made as a community to the network for input by anyone who can make a worthwhile contribution.”


An operational model of leadership is more malleable and therefore better able to organically move within different contexts. A policy-based structure, which was often implemented in modernity, is less efficient and less able to meet the “operational” needs of the community and the world surrounding the community. This sort of a model of leadership is more inclusive not of all, but of all who make a worthwhile contribution to the community. The ecclesial leadership of post modernity will look more to what an individual has contributed to the community, rather than other assets such as socio economic class, knowledge, or power. Also, one will become a leader not by certain seminary credentials or ordination rights, but by contributing (or practicing) within the community. In short, leadership decisions will be made by people who are invested in the community. Leadership in post modernity must embody these necessary elements by flattening structures through operational leadership and through leadership based upon community contribution.
Most, if not all of ecclesial leadership literature for shifting into post modernity puts a strong emphasis on mission. Eddie Gibbs notes,
“In the shift from a being a predominantly church society to one which is unchurched must recognize their need to turn inside out. In other words, the focus of attention will not be on running programs in order to gather the congregation together, but on equipping people to exercise its God entrusted mission to the world.”

He also adds,

“Most churches are overly preoccupied with what happens in the sanctuary and the church hall. The main purpose of church leaders is to organize events and run programs which are attractive, relevant, and sufficiently publicize to draw people on to their turf.”

The bottom line is that a monumental shift has happened. The shift can be summed in movement. The church’s focus cannot be focused inward, but rather outward. Our movement, as Gibbs wrote, must be inside out. With our previous thought of orthodoxy in mind, our community orthodoxy must not be filled with propositional information, but by viewing our right sense of thought (the Bible) as a script that calls for faithful yet creative performance. This is the heart of orthopraxy that leadership must encourage the next generation of Christians, an inside out mission that flows from a faithful, yet creative participation in the redeeming work of the triune God.