Truer words have not been spoken than those from Colleen Burroughs upon accepting the nomination as moderator-elect of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
“It’s much easier to have an opinion about how someone else should lead than it is to actually lead yourself,” said the gifted vice president of the wonderful youth camping organization, Passport, Inc.
Colleen, who was raised in a missionary family in Africa, is right that standing on the sidelines and looking for every possible weakness in a program or organization is not nearly as challenging as jumping in and seeking constructive ways to serve.
Her observation applies to so many situations, but she was being specific about the one in which she will assume a new leadership role. She added to her comment: “…especially a group of Baptists.”
Moderate Baptists in particular, who reject hierarchy and have a distaste for authoritarianism, seem to be a highly critical group. So my prayers and best wishes go out for her and all leaders — in all situations — who willingly leave the sidelines to join the game. Be careful in there.
Director of the Jesus Worldview Initiative at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee and former executive editor and publisher at Good Faith Media.
