Leadership on the Line, Chapter 3: Get on the Balcony

When I was in seminary our capstone course centered around a challenging book that every student dreaded reading. The author had created a rather complex practical theology that was deep, thick, and befuddled us all. One day in another class many of us mentioned to the professor that the book was so compicated. Dr. Way, beloved by all and a friend of the author of the book, said, "Oh it's not difficult, just start with Chapter 7. Then go back and read the rest."

Ohhhhhhhh, why hadn't we thought of that?!? So we all went home and read chapter 7. It was in the middle of the book and yet it was a synopsis of the author's thesis. It all came together and made reading the rest of the book a breeze.

All that was to say this, Chapter 3 of Leadership on the Line is about the same thing that chapter 7 of A Fundamental Practial Theology taught us. That is pastoral method. In Leadership the authors advise us to occassionally remove ourselves (mentally) from the situation at hand and get an objective overview of what's going on. It's what you have to do as a pastor offering care. You listen intently to what is being said, because the relationship that is built is as important as the information being transferred. However, you are also listening for the theology of the other, as well as their sociology, psychology, and any other "ology" you are conversant with. In this way a pastor can really get an understanding of what is going on.

As a leader you must not only understand the problem, be it technical or adaptive, you must also evaluate the motivations and understandings that are behind those who are causing, presenting, and seeking to solve the problem. Our authors call that "Getting on the Balcony."

The balcony at church is an important place to be as most people come with ideas, problems and solutions that are more influenced by their workplace, upbringing, or political stance then they are by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In churches the Gospel seldom reigns as people can rarely find ways to move beyond the assumptions (the authors call it the song beneath the words) that they bring to the table in order to find a way to let God operate. I'm guilty of that often. I come to church with a strong business background and sometimes find it difficult to go beyond that to see that Christ's business and the business of a "for profit" capitalist industry are two very different things. Only when I remove myself, and my assumptions, can I view what is really going on in any given situation and seek to allow Christ to enter in.