2. The church is utterly voluntary.
But in the final analysis, we have little or no leverage, no real power over anybody we lead. At Willow Creek we've had people attend our services week after week, create trouble throughout the church, and tap every resource we have. Then, when they cross one too many lines and the elders bring correction or discipline, they bail out of the church or even sue.
To mobilize an utterly volunteer organization requires the highest kind of leadership. We cannot compel people; we must call them. One great writer about leadership says, "Most people are just waiting for someone to call them out so they can rise above their petty preoccupations."
I used to play on a park district touch football team led by Don Cousins, my associate pastor for 17 years. We played against construction workers who came after work, semi-inebriated, with the sole purpose of hurting people. In one game, my job was to try to sack the quarterback; I lined up across from a guy who was supposed to prevent me from doing that. I thought, I'm going to run right over the top of you. I was breathing hard, getting all pumped, when I looked up. This guy's eyes were bloodshot, and he was drooling. I thought, Maybe I'll just drop back in case the quarterback passes this time.
We were smaller than most of our opponents, but we won almost every game we played. Don Cousins led that team. At the end of the season, if we had said, "Anybody want to play next season under the leadership of Don Cousins?" every person in the league would have signed on.
