Mimesis and ministry

Christian ministry is widely perceived to be increasingly difficult, conflict prone, and personally challenging by many practitioners. At a time when the culture of managerialism is being widely embraced in the Church, and applied to intractable problems that are far too deeply rooted in change-resistant institutional cultures, we have a recipe for much superficial and frustrated activity. It is dangerous for clergy to be frank about these fears and burdens at a time when activist, program-centred approaches to Church leadership are being imposed from above and typically dodge the really hard work of cultural transformation. Without a more profound and searching engagement than is currently on offer, many programs for growth and change in the Church end up stillborn. It is an equally dangerous idea to insist on the inescapable necessity of hard-won self awareness and personal maturity on the part of clergy if today's Church is to find a new confidence and direction, since this is the hardest and least program-oriented of solutions.