SHOCKING!!! 3 Pastors write scathing Letter against Calif. District !! ! !

[SecretWarrior]

It seems that every organization comes to a defining moment in which the paradigm of yesterday clashes with the emerging possibilities presented by the archetype of tomorrow. It is a volatile time in which organizational heroes of the past find themselves challenged by the visions of new and determined leaders who are often times from a younger generation that is ready to rush headlong into the future. It would be nice if this paradigmatic shift only took place once in the life of an organization. The reality, however, is that for an organization to continue it must go through this process again and again. The Church is not exempt from this struggle. As Allan Hirsch so eloquently states,
There are definable stages in organizational life. Young movements are full of prophets and visionaries, people with little vested interest in old forms and lots of energy for risk and experimentation. But as movements become organizations, the builders and synergists take over…establishing relational connections, consolidating the group. The visionaries and questioners are marginalized. Next teachers and administrators standardize roles and functions and systematize a system of understanding and the builders and synergists are marginalized. As time passes the administrators rule, and as they manage the organization it shifts to maintenance mode. Finally, authority is encapsulated in an office and the bureaucrats rule with a rod of iron. Little change or growth is possible, and the organization dies. So the apostles and prophets are always strongly in evidence in the birth of new movements, but then are thrust aside as the movement becomes established. Charisma gives place to charisma…pastors and teachers rule…humanizers and 'systematizers.' 'Movements become institutions in part because they push aside the innovators and visionaries, they lose touch with context and become frozen in time. Life and passion gives way to "hardening of the categories.

The authors of this paper presently hold credentials with the United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI), and are members of the Western District which is comprised of California and Nevada. The sheer land mass of these two states—as well as the great diversity of cultures—have placed an enormous burden upon the administrative oversight of our District. The load upon the administration has become greatly magnified by the clashing of ideologies and philosophies of the ministers who make up the various networks and groups of leaders within the fellowship. The Western District has come to its defining moment; we are at a crossroad where yesterday’s paradigm of ministry is colliding with the dreams and visions of a new generation of leadership. Visionary leadership has taken a backseat to managerial leadership, thus creating a vacuum in which divergent groups within the organization compete for power and influence, as well as philosophical superiority.

This lack of progressive vision has opened the door for opposing parties to focus upon their own visions and ideals. The various networks within the district have begun to create their own gatherings where their personal beliefs and agendas are promoted, such as; camp-meetings, conferences, youth conventions and youth camps that are held separately from already existing meetings that are both promoted and run by the District. In an attempt to correct this rise of non-sanctioned meetings taking place throughout the District, the Western District Board (of which one of the authors of this paper is a member) published a position paper that strongly admonished the ministerial constituency not to create or participate with any meeting which is held in direct conflict or with the intent of replacing an established District meeting. This position paper issued by the Western District Board—seemingly with little thought or debate—has been viewed by many as threatening and reactionary, and in spite of its veracity, did not address the real issue; which is a burgeoning lack of leadership. The growth of these non-sanctioned meetings appears to be symptomatic of the much-needed paradigmatic shift confronting our District; it is time for a shift in power.