Friday, June 01, 2007

The People Formerly Known as Leaders

Today, I have the privelege of pointing you to the blogs of two awesome women. They were both involved in leadership in their churches and have now joined the ranks of church leavers.

I remember reading at one time that the majority of church leavers were former leaders. Very few have left their relationship with the Lord, but many have walked away from the church system of which they were an integral part.

Both Former Leader and Mary are blogging anonymously at this time. You have to wonder what kind of church experience leaves people feeling like they belong in the witness protection program. However, I do understand the need for sensitivity to the churches and people we have known. It is difficult to blog openly about this without hurting others who were involved.

Former Leader has written a confessional piece along the lines of the PFKATC meme entitled The Person Formerly Known As Your Leader. I believe it is a very fitting piece to be included in this series. I would also encourage you to add her blog to your reader. In many ways, I feel like she has picked up the story of detox where my journey of detox has ended. Many who find themselves in the beginning stages of detox will find encouragement and comfort in her words as she posts about her journey.

Mary takes an honest look at some of the inherited attitudes that she and her husband carried into planting a church in her post Going The Wrong Way. Mary has a story that needs to be heard, and I am looking forward to reading as she continues sharing about her journey away from church leadership.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting this Grace, you are right, they do have great blogs.

Alan Knox said...

Grace,

Thank you for the links. I've met Mary and have enjoyed her blog and comments. Now I've read "Former Leaders" blog and have come to appreciate her as well. It seems the Father is teaching more and more people how to love and serve him right where we live and breathe and work and play, apart from organizational structures.

-Alan

Mary said...

Grace,

OK, OK, I'm working on it. :~) Thanks for the push.