I had an interesting conversation with a local church minister who expressed frustration about his congregation’s failure to live fully into its possibility. That’s not an uncommon frustration for pastors and local church leaders. But I’ve found it helpful to make a distinction between possibility and potential, between what is theoretically possible and what is potentially viable.
In my thinking possibility refers to a future prospect. In a sense, to say “anything is possible” can be true. A congregation that is in its establishment phase has open-ended possibilities. That translates into an almost palpable sense of hopefulness, lots of energy, and a sense of adventure that facilitates risk-taking. But it does not take long for a new church start to move into its next lifestage of formation and formatting.*
It does not take long for the factor of potentiality to overshadow possibility. Potentiality has to do with the inherent ability or capacity for growth, development, and agency. While all congregations may be equal at their inception in terms of possibilities, very quickly the reality of their potential becomes evident. Not all congregations have equal potential. The numbers of factors that influence potentiality are numerous: location, culture (values and practices), socio-economic and educational level of members, the capacities of its leaders, social and economic context, etc.
Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Some factors related to potentiality are difficult to quantify (like values, attitudes, willingness)
- Some factors may be outside of the control of the congregation (context, location, economics)
- Potentiality may not be related to effectiveness. Some congregations don’t grow or develop because they’ve reached the stage (or conditions) where they are effective enough for their needs and desires.
- Potentiality requires capacity—in other words, “the talent must be in the room.”
Distinguishing between the ideals of possibilities and the realities of potentiality may at least get us unhooked from unrealistic expectations.
*See Galindo, The Hidden Lives of Congregations (Alban, 2004) for more on congregational lifespan and development.
