Green Lake Positions Itself for Post-Denominational Future; Kingdom Focus Trumps Denominational Parochialism
Today, American Baptist News Service's Andy Jayne posted a press release detailing the Green Lake Conference Center Site Development Master Plan. (Mon, 15 May 2006 10:48:10 -0400 http://www.abc-usa.org/).
Like most press releases from official organs, this one was long on sound bites and short on analysis. Already Dr. Glenn Layne (Durable Data, http://www.durabledata.blogspot.com/) has weighed in with a preliminary explanation of the decisions.
"'The times, they are a-changin'. . . as we see the new direction Green Lake is going. Line this up with the ABC of the West becoming Growing Healthy Churches. Anyone see a post-denominational pattern here? The PSW ("Transformation Ministries") declaration of independance is only a small part of the pattern."
Lest anyone think that Dr. Layne has overinterpreted the data, be aware that Green Lake has been moving steadily toward a post-denominational future for some time. They have already gone beyond an excluusively "Baptist" identity and the board has oriented itself toward conceiving of its mission as follows: "GLCC is committed to partnering with congregations as they seek to be vital, vibrant, healthy missional churches engaging their communities with the Good News of Jesus Christ in the new millennium."
Under the leadership of Ken Giacolleto, Green Lake has partnered with several denominations and parachurch organizations in areas of training church planters and pioneering new models for fund development. Additionally, the organizational meeting for the Great Commission Network almost two years ago was hosted at GLCC and involved significant input from executive staff of the conference center in addition to several executive ministers, ABC affiliated organizational presidents, and leading pastors.
Along with most 21st Century organizations, GLCC has seen the future clearly. Restricting one's field of vision to traditional denominational affiliation alone will likely result in a series of negative organizational consequences tracing to such cultural myopia.
Many of our ABC affiliated educational institutions have been distancing themselves from the ABC over the past decades for reasons of "academic freedom." Church sponsored schools have typically shifted leftward in their departures from their host denominations. It should not be entirely unexpected that other organizations might tact rightward for reasons at least as legitimate. As Green Lake prepares to impact the next generation for Jesus Christ, it does so with a Kingdom vision larger than the constraits of any denominational parochialism.
[His Barking Dog proudly hails from the newly independent movement of Baptists known as Transformation Ministries (formerly the ABCPSW) but still barks only for himself]
Posts
1 comment:
So is it starting to make sense to you now? The ABA must embrace change to provide for its future. Yes, change is hard. We normally don’t like it unless it benefits us. The ABA today is certainly not the grounds that Jessie & Victor Lawson walked. It is not the grounds the ABA's founding fathers walked. It is not the grounds its guests of ten years ago walked. Those that used it then and now, to experience a "Closer walk with God" still love it and all it offers and means to them and their families.
The ABA has reached beyond its "Baptist Identity" since its incorporation in 1943. It became very obvious early on, the first year (1944) in fact, if you read their book “40 years of a closer walk” that other groups, some church some not, would have to use the grounds in order to pay the bills. Over the years, dozens of other church and family groups have used the grounds. The ABA is in no way closing its doors on its Baptist heritage. As stated in the article “GLCC is committed to partnering with congregations” all congregations seeking to be vibrant and healthy. “All congregations” includes Baptist and many, many others.
A kingdom focus certainly takes cash and a lot of it. ABA’s facilities and grounds are indeed the best for their market segment of church and family groups. But if you know anything about business, you know to survive it takes vision, money and the right, but often difficult, business decisions.
As I said, none of us like change, unless it benefits us. The ABA’s Lindenwood land development will not benefit me, but it will benefit them. And as a community member I want them to survive. I love to walk their grounds for my closer walk. Yes, there will be new homes, but I’m sure I will still enjoy my walks.
Post a Comment