published a great book on leadership in our current reality entitled, When the Center Does Not Hold: Leadership in the Age of Polarization. His focus was on how we who lead congregations face the conflicts that arise. He told us of the levels of conflict that congregations go through and how we can recognize the ways that little disagreements turn into nasty fights. The one thing that I took away from the workshop is how Brubaker By Dr. Mike Parnell says that our current reality is one that is Pastor at Temple Baptist, Raleigh full of opportunity for disagreement. When we discover that the person we are conversing with finds out where (shared from his blog on 2.26.2020) we stand on an issue, it can go from being friendly to participated in the inaugural workshop retreat that is frigid to fiery in a millisecond. The time we find ourselves in is much like my early part of the “Helping Pastors Thrive” program, which I days as a pastor. Those days were ones where there am part of at Duke. There are three parts to this program. There is the study leave (similar to a sabbatical) that I was a clear divide. In Baptist life there were two camps: am doing at Duke Divinity School. There is an aspect of the conservatives and the moderates. When you met the program that is helping new pastors as they begin someone you did a little song and dance with that person the work of ministry. Finally, there are the workshop to find out what side the person was on. If you found out that they did not agree with you theologically, the retreats. The retreat was held at St. Francis Springs Prayer conversation generally was over. There is great sadness in me that we live in such Center in Stoneville, NC, which is out in the middle of nowhere. We had little to no cell service. There was a polarized environment. We base the value of our no Wi-Fi. In current reality, we were cut off from the relationships solely on agreement on issues and identity questions. world—and that was not a bad thing! Too often we are tied to our phones. I watch people with their phones. The students I see at Duke roam the campus with heads down, looking at their phones. It amazes me that they do not run into each other. Being away from my phone and the Internet allowed me to become more aware of where I was and what surrounded me. One of the highlights for me was taking a short hike in the woods. There is a long walking trail that Pastors from throughout the state participated the first Helping Pastors Thrive Workshop Retreat winds through the forest behind in February. the center. It is a bit hilly and so walking was somewhat of a challenge, but walking I have many friends that I do not agree with on many through the woods did me much good and I was able to topics. But my relationship to them is not based on reconnect to God in the midst of the wild. agreement. My relationship is based on mutual respect The workshop was “Pastoral Leadership in the Age and love for who they are, not what they believe. The of Polarization.” David Brubaker led our group. He has world would be a better place if we all could get there.
IT IS WHO YOU ARE:
A Participant’s Perspective
I
6 | The Gathering
Summer 2020
