Credibility

“I always encourage people to buy in thoroughly to whatever they are in to. It shows a serious lack of character, I think, to hover on the edge of something being cool and cynical and never getting your hands dirty – kind of belonging, but without ever getting committed. I’d much rather get involved in whatever I do, despite the risk of getting egg on my face.”

~ The Reverend Maggie Dawn

At a certain point, I lean more toward listening to practitioners than theorists. Critiquing and deconstructing, however helpful and necessary, are far easier than reconstruction. I’m a big believer in the idea that “we only deconstruct in order to reconstruct,” and therefore the voices of those who roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty in ministry gain greater credibility as we seek to move forward.

Theorists and dreamers are vital to the process – we need their prophetic critiques of both Church and Empire. But if John Wimber’s “faith is spelled R-I-S-K” is correct, then there comes a time when disillusionment, past church wounds, and fear of others’ opinions must yield to stepping out into the unknown.