This has been a long time in coming, ever since it was noticed that the job of Senior Pastor at Brian McLaren’s church was open. McLaren spends a great deal of time traveling to teach and speak around the country, explaining what all of us crazy emerging people are up to, and trying to provide some much-needed guidance. No sane human could do that full-time and pastor a congregation, so McLaren is formally taking the step into consulting while leaving his congregation in good hands.
McLaren and some of his associates from Cedar Ridge (and perhaps elsewhere) have formed a consulting company called In Liminal Space Coaching & Consulting, with the goal of helping churches make the transition that McLaren describes in Church on the Other Side. Their website is heavy on explanation and light on slogans, so it’s hard to give you something representative - just check it out and you’ll see what I mean.
The application for consulting services is three pages long, mostly essay questions, and no prices are listed anywhere. This communicates “We’re serious. Don’t waste your time if you’re not serious about this.”
I’m glad to see this becoming a formal step, and I’m glad the website is not the crass “WE CAN SAVE YOUR CHURCH NOW!!! CALL OUR SPIKY-HAIRED DUDE TODAY!” stuff you sometimes see on consultants’ websites. However, I think the website needs a little work in the way of navigation - it’s sort of like a news site, with teasers for each page, but since the pages are written in longhand-like prose, you can’t always tell what the page is about from the teaser.
Reactions?
Via Brian’s decidedly un-bloggy A New Kind of Christian dot com (“Subverting our RSS feed generator since 2003″)
I should add that he doesn’t appear to be doing this as a way to charge more for his existing type of EC gigs, but more as a way to be seen as a consultant who can help traditional churches meet the challenges of the emerging culture.
Looks like the Emergent people now have their very own Rick Warrren/Purpose Driven type. Brian’s site seems like more of the same only a different package. Oh well
Peace
Geo
Geo-
I really don’t think you’ll find that if you read some of Brian’s stuff on the site. They are serious about helping churches understand, not just market themselves.
The difference between what ILS and consultancies like PurposeDriven and WillowCreek is that the latter have bought into the “effectiveness” corporate model, whereas ILS is (apparently) trying to help churches make good decisions and understand their context’s needs.
I don’t see how this can be a bad thing. Do you?
My reaction is a bit of a mixed bag: On the one hand, it’s exciting to see Brian continue to be so responsive to how God desires to use his gifts and graces. Certainly, there will be scores of congregations as well as denominations and associations of churches who will benefit from all this. On the other hand, despite the differences from other consulting firms you’ve cited, the very creation of ILS represents some issues that many emerging church leaders continue to struggle with. For some, it may represent a compromising of the “movement” (i.e. many have previously articulated concern over the institutionalization of the emerging church. Tony Jones’ recent appointment may well be seen in this same light.
As I’ve thought about your post, I keep thinking this: that we are living “between the times” - where modernnity and postmodernity are co-existing (whether or not the idealogues wish it so). In that light, it’s probably not reasonable for us to expect the emerging church culture to exist in some sort of “pure” form. If we’re as committed to being missional as we say we are, we have to incarnate ourselves into a culture that has retained many modernistic, individualistic, and consumeristic practices. Consulting firms — despite the sour taste they leave in many of our mouths — remain a culturally relevant and effective vehicle.
And so, I’m wondering… if consulting firms are acceptable (under certain criteria), what other previously-disdained methods or vehicles should the emerging church be a little more open to?
Well, I think consulting firms exist for the established churches, so it’s not so much a question of what is relevant to emerging churches. In fact, it’s very gracious of Brian to be willing to spend his time with established churches that are probably full of people with attitudes he finds repulsive.
I think emerging churches will sometimes have their own style of consultancies, though they may be more apostolic and less corporate. But the very approach may also be seen by some as inapproprite for a church.
QUOTED:
“I think consulting firms exist for the established churches, so it’s not so much a question of what is relevant to emerging churches.”
Justin, do you honestly feel that emerging churches will not be interested in taking advantage of consultants like Brian? The ones I’m around certainly would — if given the opportunity. They’re already looking for people to help them make sense of their failures and assist them in refocusing for the future.
As far as the “apostolic” factor goes — I’ve seen too many “apostolic” ministries (e.g. charismatic megachurch networks)compromise themselves by commodifying their “services” to the body. I can’t help but remain a little leary.
I was just thinking of how most ECs are small and have neither the money nor the inclination to hire a consulting firm. Hopefully Brian will continue to serve in the apostolic role (e.g. through low-cost events like the Off the Map Roadshow) for the EC, as well as in a more professionalized, higher-paid role for established churches. Hopefully.
Here in Southern Calif., there are institutions like Haggard School of Theology at Azusa Pacific University who are sponsoring people like Brian to speak to church leaders (at the University’s expense). My hunch is that such sponsored events will continue to make some of the emerging church-related resources even more available to emerging church planters and smaller communities of faith.
I don’t see how this can be a bad thing. Do you?
Justin,
If it is offered to ALL who desire regardless of their ability to pay for it then I agree. But if it is fee based then how is it any different from what is currently going on? What I mean is that I know a few wise brothers and sisters who will come and help groups sort this kind of stuff out and they do it without asking a fee. But I guess most people would rather pay and be with a celebrity than to sit with simple wisdom filled brothers and sisters who have no agenda other than to serve the body of Christ. And give freely that which they have been given.
Peace
Geo
I think the consulting model ought to be questioned.
It suggests to me there’s a science that can be applied by an expert to a foreign sitation, using set principles and theories.
(Usually) there’s no real relationship, no longer term development and I can’t imagine a fairdinkum apostolic, spirit-led type dynamic involved in such a service for a fee.
The other problem with a professional consultant is they’re no longer involved at the coal face, so will inevitably loose touch to some degree and risk teaching from an ivory tower.