Once we step into the the realm of the apostolic we will need to embrace an increased number of dynamics in the leadership of an organisation. Many are already evident but because we are now stewarding the unseen we will need to steward each of these dynamics towards the ‘spirit’ of the organisation. The ‘spirit’ always exists and is an essential focus, but sometimes what can be seen is given more attention. For instance in running a hospital the ‘spirit’ of health & healing should be everyone’s focus, but often other elements which can be seen or measured can detract from the spirit of health and healing. This is even more evident in the apostolic where the unseen desire of heaven on earth and the prophesied future should rightly be given increased emphasis.
However with the unseen becoming essential in an apostolic culture it is also possible for it to dominate rather than work in partnership with the seen dynamics. When any dynamic starts to become more important it is easy for it to pull away from the others and adjust the tension in the organisation. We have seen this in history, where what the sociologists call the routinisation of revival occurs. A revival occurs and the energy of it can be dissipated over time by the rigidity of administration. It is not that administration is wrong it is that it has failed to be a flexible servant of the unseen.
Another way of looking at this is to view the following list as elements of the wine skin. Each has its place, but when one element consistently works without relationship with the others it will create a rigid or torn wineskin.
A great verse which adds to this is Ephesians 4:16: “From whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”
This tells me clearly that the purpose is the whole body, but there are many joints, different elements which are provided by each part, and different ways of working which result in the building up or success of the whole.
Taking 12 dynamics which I accept is not conclusive, we can see that each dynamic has a different purpose or operating system.
Supernatural – Powerful outside of our ability
Managerial – Purposeful systems enabling maintenance and progress
Organisational – Practical arrangements
Leadership – Giving Direction
Cultural – Living in Heaven’s ways
Strategic – Positioning for the future
Relational – Connected as Family by Honour
Transformational – Change on purpose
Spiritual – The unseen resource of His presence in us
Professional – Competence and qualification
Prophetic – Encountering our God who knows our future
Information – The Communication flow in & out of the organisation
One without the other or reference to it will create imbalance but so too will the inability to allow one dynamic to take a strong lead in a particular season or circumstance. For instance there will need to be times when a strong and clear prophetic direction is served by those which are more rooted in what we can seen and achieved in the natural.
This stewardship of these varied dynamics is greatly assisted by the ‘gift of government’. A great picture of this is in the United States when the president in a time of war or conflict assumes the role of Commander in Chief. With the changed role he will gather the joint chiefs of staff and steward the involvement and expertise of each of the forces gathered in the room. It is essential that they work together and that they can defer to one another in different situations. It is also true that the CiC will not be the most knowledgeable regarding each departments role and they too will need to gather informations and manage the strategy accordingly.
Stewarding these dynamics is essential to keeping a flexible and useful wineskin. It is also essential that an understanding and respect of each of these dynamics is embraced by each.
Finally but most importantly they must together serve the spirit or purpose of the organisation. The hospital administrator must pay as much attention to the ‘spirit’ of health and healing as the surgeon or physician. When it comes to a more obviously supernatural environment this is why the administrator must be familiar with the power of God. If they are not then they will reduce a ‘move of God’ to what man can do without God.
