Re: Facing off on FOG (pub. May 5, 2008)

Recently the members of Blackhawk Presbytery invited Gil Rendle to speak to the presbytery.

Mr. Rendle, a recently retired church growth specialist with the Alban Institute, presented succinctly two pressing questions (that) define leadership versus management. The leadership question is: “Are we doing the right things?” The management question is: “Are we doing things right?”

I was intrigued by the debate between Berkley and Bolbach … regarding the proposed nFOG. Twice Bolbach argues that the nFOG will allow us to better do things right, while citing the loss of membership and congregational focus (leadership issues) as justification. Bolbach is both correct and incorrect. The fact is the membership of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has and continues to decline. However, this is not a result of the present FOG, which adequately orders denominational life. No, the PC(USA) is not losing members because it is doing things right, but because it continues to do the wrong things.

Until we, the PC(USA), start asking tough questions regarding what right things we should do and stop trying to perfect the wrong things … we actually do, we are doomed to continue the current practice (that) is getting us nowhere.

John M. O’Lane, pastor

Willow Creek Presbyterian Church

Caledonia, Ill.