Here is an interesting quotation for you from some article I read recently that Jane Ellen also read...All the information on the article is at the office. I''ll try to get the info for you if you are interested. The article is about church leadership.
"Passive systems are systems of sameness. Yet sameness is eventually terminal. Ask anyPosted by tripp at August 19, 2007 08:31 AM
biologist and he or she will tell you that diversity and the adaptability necessary to
sustain it are exactly what is required for living systems to thrive. Eliminate even a
few species from an ecosystem and the system begins to fail.
So it is in human systems. We need difference, not because it looks good to the outside
world, not because it is mandated at some denominational level, but because it's healthy."
Yes. And we also need systems with boundaries that are porous enough to let in just enough change to keep us healthy (thinking cellular here) while keeping out just enough to keep us healthy - in other words boundaries that are too porous will kill us as will those that are too rigid. So. For me this is all about a dynamic interchange of thoughts, ideas, grace and mercy - we don't need to all be exactly the same for this to happen and for us to live in a healthy way. In fact we are healthier, as you say, when differences exist. Amen.
Posted by: mompriest at August 20, 2007 01:33 PM