Some advantages of boarding school
The most significant event that boarding schools may offer is the chance for the parents to sit down together (I am talking about from our organization here) and cross-pollinate one another. There is nothing quite as healthy and as satisfying as discussing, agreeing and disagreeing about the work that we are all involved in. What is even more fascinating is how encouraging it is to discover that your frustrations, struggles and challenges are shared by almost one and all. There is some form of deep comfort in that.
For instance, on this trip to Black Forest Academy thus far I have learned that a leader on another Field is struggling with many of the same issues that plague me in terms of job-related issues and stage of life issues.
Another missionary and I agreed together that the Western church spends way too much money on herself and gives far too little to the rest of the body of Christ! Moreover that the CMA should officially revisit her Victorian-era missiology and begin supporting the work and the workers around the world. (we currently have a policy of not supporting national workers)
Another missionary and I agreed on this trip that the CMA could be a far more powerful organization were we Christo-centric, rather than Ecclesio-centric in our theology/missiology/practice. This would greatly expand our influence in the Kingdom of God rather than keeping us focused only on church planting activities. There are many powerful reasons for moving in this direction (not the least of which is that church planting is never mentioned in the scriptures). Best of all being Christo-centric does not inhibit us from planting churches too, yet it opens many other doors and avenues to accomplishing the Great Commission, which incidentally is making disciples, not planting churches.
Another missionary and I agreed that our parent organization consistently confuses administration with leadership. What this means is that our organization chooses the safest people to be administrators and then we call what they do each day (administrate the organization) leadership. Leadership is sometimes administrative granted, but mostly it is something completely other. Leadership is where the risk-takers and the "infantry" (as my friend called them) live. It has high risk of failure, it is usually resisted, usually makes waves, it is entrepreneurial and chancy, and its where our best ideas come from -- in practice. Administrators are rarely those people, because our organization rarely chooses such people to administrate because they are way too risky, and plus frankly, none of them would take the current administration roles to begin with . . . boring. At the same time, we consistently see the administration role framed as a leadership role. It certainly could be, but most often isn't.
These are a sampling of the currents running through our missionaries. It was a bit shocking to discover that there is far more continuity among the grunt missionaries than I ever thought. We weren't always making a judgment, but rather simply agreeing that this is what is, in our organization. There is a good reason for boarding schools after all.
For instance, on this trip to Black Forest Academy thus far I have learned that a leader on another Field is struggling with many of the same issues that plague me in terms of job-related issues and stage of life issues.
Another missionary and I agreed together that the Western church spends way too much money on herself and gives far too little to the rest of the body of Christ! Moreover that the CMA should officially revisit her Victorian-era missiology and begin supporting the work and the workers around the world. (we currently have a policy of not supporting national workers)
Another missionary and I agreed on this trip that the CMA could be a far more powerful organization were we Christo-centric, rather than Ecclesio-centric in our theology/missiology/practice. This would greatly expand our influence in the Kingdom of God rather than keeping us focused only on church planting activities. There are many powerful reasons for moving in this direction (not the least of which is that church planting is never mentioned in the scriptures). Best of all being Christo-centric does not inhibit us from planting churches too, yet it opens many other doors and avenues to accomplishing the Great Commission, which incidentally is making disciples, not planting churches.
Another missionary and I agreed that our parent organization consistently confuses administration with leadership. What this means is that our organization chooses the safest people to be administrators and then we call what they do each day (administrate the organization) leadership. Leadership is sometimes administrative granted, but mostly it is something completely other. Leadership is where the risk-takers and the "infantry" (as my friend called them) live. It has high risk of failure, it is usually resisted, usually makes waves, it is entrepreneurial and chancy, and its where our best ideas come from -- in practice. Administrators are rarely those people, because our organization rarely chooses such people to administrate because they are way too risky, and plus frankly, none of them would take the current administration roles to begin with . . . boring. At the same time, we consistently see the administration role framed as a leadership role. It certainly could be, but most often isn't.
These are a sampling of the currents running through our missionaries. It was a bit shocking to discover that there is far more continuity among the grunt missionaries than I ever thought. We weren't always making a judgment, but rather simply agreeing that this is what is, in our organization. There is a good reason for boarding schools after all.