This document provides advice for religious leaders on how to lead their traditions in a changing world. It suggests leading by adding to the tradition rather than subtracting from it, focusing on practices like trusting scripture over interpretations. Leaders are advised to get outside their normal environments to find where God is working, teach openly rather than covertly, and celebrate the journey of faith rather than only focusing on survival or exclusion of others. The overarching message is that religious leaders should see their role as furthering God's kingdom through both caring for their communities and engaging in mission that brings people together.

1. leading in
tradition

2. 1. Leading is never easy. Sometimes
it’s impossible.
That’s OK.
God can handle the impossible.
Be willing to lose.

3. 2. Lead by anxiety, not bold vision.
Why?

4. 3. Framing the question:
Not IF we will be faithful to our tradition,
but how:
Take John Calvin …
A. Do what he did, say what he said.
B. Do for my situation what he did in
his.
Imitate their style, or their faith? Their
forms, or their creativity?

5. 4. Lead by adding, not subtracting.
Look for win-wins.
Think garden, not tree.

6. 5. Be a friend to yourself.
Your morale is a precious asset -- for
you, your family, and the church.
Rejoice at the drop of a hat.
Celebrate everything you can.
Indulge in mentors and friends.
Don’t empower bullies and whiners.

7. 6. Pay the price …
Think. Study. Pray. Suffer.
Forgive. Communicate.
Persist.
Also, remember the price
of not paying the price.

8. 7. Have a patient urgency, and
an urgent patience.
This transition may take 75 - 150 years.
Change your definition of success.

9. 8. Get out more.
Out of the house, the church, the
neighborhood, the city, the country.
Expect the Holy Spirit to be with you on
the green edge of mission.
Remember the outstretched hands of
both/and.

10. 9. Become bilingual.
Remember I Cor. 9.
Remember Paul’s struggle.

11. 10. Ask yourself: what does God
want to save?

12. Our institution?
The church?
The world?
“The greatest obstacle to the
kingdom of God is the church
concerned about its own
existence.”
“If you save your life, you’ll lose it.”

13. 11. Focus on first order
practices:
Trust the Scriptures more than
your interpretations, and
trust God more than your
theology.

14. 12. Draw bigger “circles of
grace.
... but don’t expect others to automatically do the
same.
It’s better to be excluded than to exclude, better
to suffer than to cause suffering.
It’s like Jesus to extend grace while being
excluded and suffering.

15. 13. Honor the old and the young.

16. 14. Don’t wait for permission.

17. 15. Flock (but with birds of
different feathers). Find a cohort.
Thinking is a social practice.

18. 16. Teach.
It’s better to be overt than covert, and
for than against.

19. 17.Be willing to lose.
- You don’t have to survive.
- Do unto others … imagine what they’re
feeling, and imagine them “winning.”

20. 18. Celebrate and enjoy the
journey.

21. 19. Make covert expectations
overt, and deal with both.
- What is the church?
a. Exclusive distributor of soul salvation
b. Elite purveyor of religious goods and services
c. Meeting place of God’s elect few
d. Institution of society (chaplain of Western civilization)
e. Catalytic agent of the Kingdom/Dream of God

22. - Who are you in each of these scenarios? What is
your job description?
a. Exclusive distributor of soul salvation
b. Elite purveyor of religious goods and services
c. Meeting place of God’s elect few
d. Institution of society (chaplain of Western
civilization)
e. Catalytic agent of the Kingdom/Dream of God

23. 20. Distinguish between job,
ministry, and life. Serve God in all
three areas.

28. What grand mission can align the
various missions alive in every
healthy church?

29. A triangle of …
spirituality
community mission