Last time I introduced the “Empowerment (Trust) Matrix this week we will briefly look at the first quadrant “entrenched in bunkers”.
The Empowerment (Trust) Matrix
Low trust Entrenched in bunkers Caged Eagles
High Trust Flying Blind ~ Empowered Individuals
Low Enablement High Enablement
As leaders within the church we need to recognise those who appear to be in entrenched bunkers and begin the engagement process. These individuals are recognisable as they hide within the church, they may have been hurt by others in the past and their behaviour is perhaps viewed as marginal not able to offer or expected to do much and thus they are left on the fringes.
Let’s begin by remind ourselves of two key words ‘entrenched and bunkers’ and put them into context (taken from the Oxford dictionary)
Entrenched
(of an attitude, habit, or belief) firmly established and difficult or unlikely to change; ingrained: an entrenched resistance to change
Bunker
a large container or compartment for storing fuel
a reinforced underground shelter
a hollow filled with sand
Those in ‘entrenched bunkers’, have two main problems. Firstly, the person(s) loses self-confidence, their self-esteem and self worth suffers. Secondly, they may lose their fulfilment in the church where they worship and leave.
Entrenched, dug in, fixed rooted totally resistant to change the bible explains to us in Matthew Ch 8 v 10-12 that many religious Jews who should be in the kingdom will be excluded due to lack of faith and being entrenched in their religious traditions, as they could not accept Christ and his new message.
We must be careful not to become so set in our religious habits that we expect God to work only in specified ways or indeed the church or its leaders who do not conform to your view of how things must be achieved.
However, people as we know do get entrenched in their views, attitudes and behaviours for whatever reason, the church being busy sometimes individuals get left out or stand on the fringes of things and therefore not noticed.
What happens to these people? Well they inadvertently dig themselves a bunker (a dugout, fortification shelter) from all that is going on around them. Their self talk becomes slowly negative and nothing will apparently shake them, from what they think or believe eventually they leave the church battered, bewildered, hurt, dissatisfied etc.
How can we as the church help?
Well I believe not every church has a pastoral leader and perhaps this is where a team of pastors may help as they will understand and mediate? No doubt there are other solutions, simply put the leader of a church cannot be expected to do everything ‘many do’ which leads to burnout.
Key to success:
Building relationships understanding a person finding out what inspires them, nurture, facilitate and develop the person to be who they can be in Christ. Enabling them to utilise their giftings to help others within the church or in the community enabling the individual to build a step ladder out of the bunker.
Removing Barriers Releasing Potential 