I recently came across an essay called ‘Welcome to Holland’ that really moved me. It was written by Emily Kingsley in 1987 to describe her experience of raising a child with a disability, and while it carries enough power in that context, I was also struck by its relevance in capturing some of the challenges of living and leading in the very different times in which we find ourselves.
When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum, the Michelangelo David, the gondolas in Venice. You learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes and says, “Welcome to Holland.”
“Holland?!” you say. “What do you mean, Holland?” I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy. But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay. They haven’t taken you to some horrible, disgusting, filthy place. It’s just a different place.
So you must go out and buy a new guidebook. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met. It’s just a different place. It’s slower paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around, and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills, tulips and Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy, and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life you will say, “Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.” The pain of that will never, ever, go away, because the loss of that dream is a very significant loss. But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely, things about Holland.
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When the Kingdom looks different As you lead, minister or serve in the church at this time, does it ever feel like you signed up for Italy, but have ended up in Holland? If so, what now?
In a way, Jesus’ disciples might have felt something similar in the aftermath of the resurrection. They had witnessed amazing miracles, received incredible teaching and had joined Jesus on mission, but at the start of the Book of Acts, Jesus tells them that he’s putting the task of his mission into their hands and ascends into heaven. This didn’t look like what they had signed up for. They had experienced Italy and perhaps it felt like they were being abandoned in Holland.
It’s clear that Jesus’ disciples already had some preconceived ideas of what this mission would look like. Their focus was on how Jesus would restore an earthly kingdom, when Jesus’ vision was of something bigger than that:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8
While their minds were on a single location, Jesus broadened their vision by helping them see beyond the restrictions of their earthly circumstances and renewing their focus on his kingdom mission. He also promised them a companion to help them in their journey in the form of the Holy Spirit.
Living and leading in a new landscape So how can we live and lead in the new landscape in which we find ourselves? Perhaps the following suggestions offer some pointers.
Resist restoring before reflecting
Don’t move too quickly to try to restore normality. Allow space for lament and for people to share their experiences. In a changing picture, also take time to reassess previous goals or visions to help ensure you realign priorities.
Frame a positive story
There is a need for leaders to gently help others to see the positives rather than just what they are missing. People tend to focus on what is lost rather than what is gained. This challenges leaders to inspire others and offer hope.
Don’t just do something, sit there
There are times to build and times to be still. In a changing landscape, leaders need to adopt steady, achievable, sustainable work-plans. De-prioritising non-essential activity will help build capacity for this. Time off is vital to replenish energy stores. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Rediscover the power of the phone call
It is so basic that we might miss it. We can get fancy with creative modes of connecting, but we should also remember the power in personal conversation. One leader told me how he calls one person on his walk each day. Even short conversations can count for a lot.
Pray
Does our desire for prayer match our impulse towards activity? Dedicate yourself to praying afresh for your church. Create a rhythm of doing so and invite others to join you. Biblically and historically, the one non-negotiable universal ingredient in times of spiritual renewal is regular rhythms of united, kingdom-centred prayer.
Surprise people with thanks
Earlier this year my wife and I received a card from the clerk of session in our congregation to say thank you for how we had been serving. Later in the year we received a home-cooked meal delivered to our doorstep. Both were gratefully received and we felt remembered. Consider how to thank and encourage those who regularly and quietly serve in your church. Post someone a book as a surprise gift. Write a thank you note. Buy donuts!
Develop a new initiative
Try something new. Consider one gap in the life and witness of your congregation just now and aim to do something practical to address it. Not lots of new things, just one. A congregational Bible reading initiative to develop spiritual habits. A Zoom catch up after your online service to increase fellowship. Online Alpha or Christianity Explored to help those outside the church explore faith. By limiting yourself you can establish a rhythm to embed something fresh that can spark the engagement of others.
Take a walk
Whether it’s breaking up the monotony of days at home with fresh air and stillness, or taking advantage of the opportunity, if permitted, to exercise with one person from another household, get outside and take a walk. Breathe deeply. Pray for things you spot on the way. Invite someone who might appreciate conversation. Pray for them as you walk.
Rick Hill is PCI's Discipleship Development Officer.
This blog is part of the digital programme series, Refined, to help move our denominational conversation on from what was needed to initially respond to the Coronavirus pandemic, to seeking God’s leading and guiding for this next season of church life together.
Visit the Refined hub here.