After almost a year of working with people preparing for professional ministry, after almost thirty years of working with congregations as their pastor myself, after countless sermons, Bible studies, and personnel meetings, I realize how underrated Teachability is in the church – and perhaps throughout all culture.
– Our best pastors are the ones who consistently want to receive constructive criticism, learn the latest resources and tools, and continue to be in dialogue about theology and culture.
– Our best congregations want to be taught new ways of being the church, are not threatened by someone offering fresh ideas, and are willing to try new things.
– Our best Personnel Committees want to learn how to best support their staff members, better tweak their review process, and encourage their staffs to learn and grow intellectually, professionally, and spiritually.
One of the many downsides of being in Survival Mode as the church is that we are paralyzed. We are so anxious about surviving that trying new things seems to be a luxury. Actually it’s a necessity.
I remember a cranky elder once telling me, “I haven’t changed my views on God or the church since I was ten years old.”
Exactly.
Image of a woman teaching geometry from the British Library, 1309 – 1316, France (Paris).
A Church for Starving Artists 
