DMM: Leadership--Pit Bulls and Other Gnarly Tales
Addressing a growing level of unhealthiness in the Global Missions Community
“That leader is a pit bull. He cannot let up on speaking in a mean spirited way to other missionaries with whom he disagrees. Unfortunately, he is influencing others in the global missions community in unhealthy ways,” lamented a highly respected missionary leader.
Upon looking into the eyes of the above brother, that day, I saw a glimpse of the Father’s grief for the Bride reflected in his carefully confided lament.
Honestly, how does one process a comment like the above? From one perspective, you wonder what pain and injury the author of that comment has endured from the said missions leader? And yet, from another perspective, how would you feel if that were said of your own life? What if this pit bull description were thought to be true of you? Somehow, the term “clanging symbol” feels a bit synonymous with the tag “pit bull”. How is the posture of being content to serve as a “pit bull” not breeding anything but that which is diametrically opposed to Paul’s exhortation in I Corinthians 13 to choose love above all else?
One of the principles of laying a foundation for seeing the Lord launch a Church Planting Movement is the area of unflinching evaluation. How does one evaluate the above statement, first and foremost, on an individual basis? Then, how does one facilitate on a corporate scale as to whether this is a tendency of the Global Missions Community, at some levels?
I must confess to not liking pit bulls. On the outside, pit bulls may appear cuddly, warm, and slobberingly affectionate. Or so, their owners espouse. However, adults come to realize what little children cannot recognize. The more the pit bull has been injured and not healed, the more the animal has the capacity to be injurious to others. The same pattern is true in the lives of missionaries, when left unchecked and not challenged to acknowledge their injurious ways.
The sobering reality is that in missions organizations, there are leaders who rise in position with these same unchecked injurious tendencies. Hurt pit bulls, hurt people. And hurt people, hurt people goes the axiom.
Hurt people, hurt people
The gaining of wisdom regarding “pit bull” types in the global missions’ community is crucial in our day and time. Those who yearn for unity in Kingdom endeavors without compromise on the essentials, while honoring an atmosphere of diversity in the Kingdom, tend to desire to understand the differences. Those who desire to exhibit tenacious obedience in a grace-filled atmosphere of mutual respect---know the difference.
At the tender age of three years old, my mother lost sight of me only to find her little girl contentedly cuddling the neighbor’s “pit bull” type dog. Apparently, feeling quite secure at my family home induced an adventurous spirit. To my childhood curiosity, without the advantage of adult filters, that dog represented an intriguing challenge in which to draw near. Many years later, I have come to understand the nature of the danger I had embraced at that moment in my younger days. Thankfully, I am not so young now.
A Rather Gnarly Tale: An Observation Made
In over 32 years of on-going service on the mission field, I have observed a growing seed of unhealthiness which I feel needs to be discussed in Kingdom efforts among missionaries.
There seems to be a growing contempt and disdain among missionaries for those in the Bride with whom one disagrees: in personal philosophical approaches to missions’ efforts, in personal development of convictions in the ever evolving understanding of contextualization, in the process of organizational uniqueness as expressed in differing priorities in Kingdom efforts.
How will we, as the global missions’ community choose to interact with one another on levels of doctrinal import along with areas of philosophical differences? How will we distinguish the two? How will we then relate in such a way as Kingdom advancement does not go wanting for passion to somehow prove others “wrong” when we don’t agree on certain approaches?
A former missionary colleague in our area commented on the growing argumentative spirit between missions’ organizations serving on the field, expressing, “It is important for my heart to remember that no one person or organization has a corner on the market on God’s truth and doctrinal purity.” He continues, “Not one individual among us missionaries has one hundred percent accurate theology.” And yet, there is a necessary and healthy dialogue which needs to take place from time to time in these mission field issues in matters related to doctrine.
There is a healthy tension, which can be embraced in the process of understanding the Movements of God and the fulfillment of His purposes in our day. The emphasis is the reality of the need for missionaries to choose to lovingly work through the tension that will arise. It is imperative that we grow in skillfulness in inviting others to dialogue, when necessary, in a way that honors one another. In humility and tangible mercy and grace it is vital that the missions’ community partners hold fast to the common thread which each desires in longing to demonstrate and express the glory of God among the ethne. May we never choose to forget to remember that another missionary or missions’ organization is NOT the enemy.
When Christians turn their guns on one another, they have effectively turned their guns off of Satan and His schemes.
Recently, we had the opportunity to dialogue with another missionary regarding their desire to write a book so that, in his expressed purpose, the funding trail for a certain type of contextualization approach among Muslims would “dry up”. My heart sank at the thought of the time and effort one can passionately pursue in this type of endeavor. I also wondered if the cumulative hours to be spent on “proving them wrong” type dialogues from one missionary org to others would be better spent invested in direct impactful labor among their targeted Unreached People Group? What amount of investment of time and energy has been spent in this posture, which could have produced eternal fruit in the lives of target people instead? From my perspective, some of these orgs could have actually been involved in enjoying having seen the Lord launch Church Planting Movements if they had been willing to die to some of their personal preferences and made adjustments along the way.
Be careful to guard your heart from the tendency to confuse personal preferences with biblical absolutes.
Questions to ponder as missions organization leaders;
→What process does your organization practice to intentionally guard communicating unity in the Global Body of Christ?
→Does the person or persons your organization allows to speak to dicey issues represent a grace-filled expression along with a non-attack posture toward others?
→Is there any one in your leadership pool who is articulate and skilled in communicating unity in the Bride of Christ without a hinge of contempt or disdain for others?
→Does your organization have an evaluative piece for your leaders which fosters and promotes non-punishment of field personnel for constructive criticism?
→Does your organization hold as a core value a deliberateness, by actions and words, of affirming the other organizations in your various fields?
→If your missions organization has developed a reputation as “pit bulls”, in a negative sense, are you willing to ask the evaluative questions that bring correction where needed?
→How will your organization equip your personnel in a commitment to model healthy approaches in discussing dicey field issues with other organizations, when needed?
→How will your organization guard a commitment to Kingdom advancement which does not go wanting for passion to somehow prove others “wrong” when you don’t agree on certain approaches?
→Does your organization have a process in place whereby you can ask evaluative questions of other organizations as to how your organization is perceived in your various fields? Does your organization factor in seeking counsel from national colleagues as well?
→Does your organization have a reputation of being Kingdom partners or Kingdom dividers?
The unreached people groups of the world are awaiting the fame and renown of the glory of God to be expressed and demonstrated among them. Vision killers can come in unexpected packages. How can one truly trust that God would bring desired Disciple Making Movements (DMM), unless one is yielded unto Christ in all aspects of the needed daily transformative power of Christ? Unity in the Bride at the expense of doctrinal and theological integrity is not the goal. However, the expression of the unity of the Bride, as Christ intends when he cried in the Garden of Gethsemane is the higher ground. That vision of cultivating unity in the Bride of Christ for the fulfillment of the Great Commission of the heart of Christ is one of the ultimate common grounds of all missionaries.
May His Kingdom Come
Women2Women DMM Trainer/Coach
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