Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Careers, Workplace and Religion
Why it’s important to take the RIGHT kind of action

Why it’s important to take the RIGHT kind of action

Last updated on: August 13, 2015 at 12:42 pm by Guest Contributor

Why it’s important to take the RIGHT kind of action 2015-08-12T12:49:29-05:00 Guest Contributor

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Business books urge leaders to act, but sometimes it’s more important to follow Jesus’ lead and discern the right kind of action, writes a professor of leadership and ministry. This was first published in Faith & Leadership.

By L. Roger Owens

I mentioned in a sermon that I’m not good at getting things started — or finished. My leadership strengths are in the area one author calls “ideation.” A less generous author would have called it the strength of idle daydreaming.

This confession likely came as no surprise to anyone who’d been in my office and read the titles of some of my books: “Making Ideas Happen,” “Getting Things Done,” “To Do, Doing, Done!” My leadership is too Quaker, someone once told me — too much waiting, too little doing.

After worship one day, Jack called the parsonage. Jack is an entrepreneur; he specializes in making things happen. “Roger, are you going to be around in a few minutes?” he asked. “I have a book I want to bring you.”

Twenty minutes later, Jack stood at the door holding a book called “In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America’s Best-Run Companies.”

“It’s a classic business book,” he said. “You might want to skip straight to Chapter 5.”

When he left, I flipped to the table of contents, where I found: “5: A Bias for Action.”

“I get it, Jack — less daydreaming, more doing,” I thought. I’d seen this recommended in those other books I’d bought, too. And I was willing to try making some adjustments.

I didn’t stop taking my contemplative walks, and I still take a half-hour to order lunch, but I began to work more strategically with people good at turning ideas into realities. And I tried to say yes more quickly to other people’s ideas.

When someone in a staff meeting suggested we try projectors and screens in worship, I said, “Sure, let’s give it a shot. We’ll call it an experiment.” The staff’s expressions said, “What have you done with Roger?”

But my inner Quaker was never completely satisfied. With a bias for action, when do you stop, question, talk and pray? Is there no place for sitting in silence? Maybe a business doesn’t need to distinguish between decisive action and discerning action, but a church does.

Imagine if Jack had told me to read the Gospel of Mark instead of “In Search of Excellence.” In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus lets no grass grow under his sandals. He preaches, heals, exorcises, feeds, forgives — and then “immediately” moves on to do it all over again. He’s a savior with a bias for action.

Except when he’s not.

Except when he’s facing temptation in the desert. Except when he’s praying early in the morning, alone. Except when he’s explaining a parable to his inner circle of followers, or framing the perfect question to help the disciples see when they don’t get it. Except when he’s pleading with God in a garden and wanting the disciples to do nothing else but stay awake.

Jesus does not balance action with the “inaction” of talking, questioning and praying. He engages in different kinds of action.

Maybe the question isn’t, Do you have a bias for action? but, Do you have the wisdom to distinguish between different kinds of action, and call for the right kind at the right time?

Because sometimes the right action is issuing an invitation, gathering people, framing questions and leading a conversation. Sometimes taking the right action means practicing what consultant Peter Block calls “leadership as convening.”

I witnessed this kind of action once after a failed attempt to repurpose the basement of our sanctuary building as a shelter for homeless families. A team of action-oriented people worked. They talked to lawyers about leases, consulted with architects about renovations and met with donors about financing the project. These “early adopters” hoped to seize an opportunity.

But those hopes died when it was time for official approval from appropriate church committees. It turned out to be too much, too risky, too fast. Dreams were dashed, feelings were hurt, and angry words were exchanged.

That’s when my co-pastor and wife, Ginger, practiced “leadership as convening.” We could have rushed to the next “to-do” on the list, but instead she invited those who had been hurt and were angry with one another to gather. She lit a Christ candle. She called us into silence. She also set the ground rules: In this space, we name our experiences. We voice our pain and confusion. We don’t blame or defend.

The evening was a miracle of openness and honesty, punctuated by some fine Quaker silence. No one proposed any projects, voted on anything or made any plans. There was just gathering, sharing and sitting in silence.

The right kind of action at the right time.

And so when the next opportunity presented itself for the use of that space, we were ready to act. I believe that the church was ready because, for that one evening, we paused the kind of action that aims for tangible results and engaged in another kind of action. This action had no demonstrable outcome, but it served God’s purposes nonetheless.

L. Roger Owens is associate professor of leadership and ministry at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Images: F &L.

Previous Post

August 11, 2015

The priesthood of all believers

Next Post

August 14, 2015 Cocooning is Hazardous to Your Spiritual Health

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Art Audio posts Bible and Work Book Review Books Budgeting Calling Common Good Community Development Conferences Discipleship Economics Entrepreneurship Ethics Faith and Family Faith and the Marketplace Faith and the Workplace faith and work History of Work and Vocation Leadership Local Church Meaning New Blogger News Prayer Relationships Seminaries Theology of Work Uncategorized Video posts Vocation Worship Resources

Select a Month April 2026 October 2025 September 2025 July 2025 April 2025 January 2025 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 May 2024 March 2024 February 2024 December 2023 November 2023 August 2023 July 2023 April 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 May 2022 April 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 June 2021 May 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 January 2020 December 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 April 2018 March 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What fruit of the Spirit is described as "patience" or "longsuffering"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Patience Apathy Pride Anger