Fidel and Che
On Monday I had a basal cell cut out of my head, and have had to take things very quietly so as not to do anything nasty to the stitches.
As part of my taking things quietly I watched a DVD of a TV mini-series called Fidel and Che.
It was not the greatest thing I have ever watched But two things stood out for me. The first was a a statement at the end of the “movie” by Fidel to America. “Before 1959 your policy towards Cuba was to exploit. After 1959 it was to destroy. Your policy is that American businesses should be able to sell what they like to who they want where they want, with your military backing them up, and the CIA assassinating anyone who stands in their way. And you call this democracy?” It summed it up for me really. And Castro stood strong against that and was determined that Cuba made decisions for Cubans to benefit, and not American businesses.
The second was associated with this, and is a warning to anyone in leadership. He became entwined with his vision. It was his vision for Cuba, and to challenge that vision was to challenge Castro. Because of that he became incapable of hearing alternate views, of changing direction, of trying to achieve different goals. It became about him. The result was that he lost friends and supporters how became isolated. And Cuba suffered.
Sadly I see that on a smaller scale in churches, where ordained leaders have believed the line that they are the ones to come up with the vision, and then that becomes about them, and not the vision. This creates such unnecessary conflict and disillusionment. It is tragic. How ca I be a leader that allows the vision to emerge from the people I am among, and to not make it about me, so that I am free to allow that vision to change and adapt over time?
As some of us wonder about new ways of being church, this will be a crucial thing to keep in mind.
As part of my taking things quietly I watched a DVD of a TV mini-series called Fidel and Che.
It was not the greatest thing I have ever watched But two things stood out for me. The first was a a statement at the end of the “movie” by Fidel to America. “Before 1959 your policy towards Cuba was to exploit. After 1959 it was to destroy. Your policy is that American businesses should be able to sell what they like to who they want where they want, with your military backing them up, and the CIA assassinating anyone who stands in their way. And you call this democracy?” It summed it up for me really. And Castro stood strong against that and was determined that Cuba made decisions for Cubans to benefit, and not American businesses.
The second was associated with this, and is a warning to anyone in leadership. He became entwined with his vision. It was his vision for Cuba, and to challenge that vision was to challenge Castro. Because of that he became incapable of hearing alternate views, of changing direction, of trying to achieve different goals. It became about him. The result was that he lost friends and supporters how became isolated. And Cuba suffered.
Sadly I see that on a smaller scale in churches, where ordained leaders have believed the line that they are the ones to come up with the vision, and then that becomes about them, and not the vision. This creates such unnecessary conflict and disillusionment. It is tragic. How ca I be a leader that allows the vision to emerge from the people I am among, and to not make it about me, so that I am free to allow that vision to change and adapt over time?
As some of us wonder about new ways of being church, this will be a crucial thing to keep in mind.
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