Richard Marcinko, founder of Seal Team Six, was always battling Naval bureaucracy. He had the heart/mind of a warrior while the bureaucrats had the mind of… well, bureaucrats.

Once while venting his frustration to a superior who “got it” he received some insightful feedback… feedback that applies in most organizational contexts.

The superior said, “Large organizations have trouble dealing with unprecedented efforts. They like going by the book. They live by a set of hard-and-fast rules. But in your case, Dick, there is no book. In Spec War, there are no rules – or at least no rules that are comprehensible to anybody whose whole career has been spent thinking conventionally.”

The superior then made reference to a particularly anal, “By the books” administrator that had been giving Dick Marcinko a hard time. “Ted [the anal officer] probably views you the same way staff officers look at anything or anybody who’s out of the ordinary – as some rogue elephant trampling all over his turf. He deals with your requests the same way he handles memos about ordering more toilet paper or ballpoint pens. People like that have no vision – they can’t see why the mission you’ve been assigned gives you any priority. They want you to wait in line with the rest of the [people].”

Let me make some application. In the church world denominations are the “large organizations.”

Innovative, creative, mission-driven pastors and church leaders often feel the same frustration with denominational bureaucracies that Marckinko felt with the naval bureaucracy… handcuffed, restrained, sat-on, etc.

Denominations MUST recognize that times are changing and consequently what is needed is the heart/mind of warriors… leaders who will lead “unprecedented efforts.”The people/leaders who are on the front lines doing the work that the mission calls for must be heard and accommodated to the fullest extent possible!

David Putman and Ed Stetzer, in their book Breaking the Missional Code, identify “four core issues” that all denominations must grapple with if they are going to maintain influence in this new era of church:

• What is their basis for cooperation? If specific programs, methods, etc. are the “glue” of the denomination then it is most likely seen it’s better days. Those denominations, however, that are defined by a set of core values and mission are most likely to be a force in the church of the future.

• How effectively will they stay out of the headlines as champions of things that do not matter? I recently heard a “spot” on the radio by a pastor who was fighting and leading a campaign against establishments that serve alcohol on Sunday! Give me a freaking break! Is that what you want to be known for… the dude that doesn’t want us to drink on Sunday. Denominations that put their “stake” down on Mt. Silly will continuously contend with decline.

• How effective are they at developing meaningful partnerships with churches, networks, and parachurch organizations? The Kingdom of God is bigger than a denomination and the denomination that “gets” this and shares resources (intellectual, personnel, financial, etc.) with other Kingdom-minded organizations will be an organization that maximizes its influence capital in the years to come.

• How effective are they at adding value to the mission of the church? Denominations that are going to be effective must begin viewing themselves as resource centers rather than “command central.”

The Navy and many denominations (not to mention many secular organizations as well) are struggling to streamline and even eliminate bureaucratic structures that worked in the past. In today’s fast-moving, ever-changing world we must give more credence to “the guys on the ground” and allow the mission to determine the course of action rather than some policy written in days past.

Disclaimer: there are some non-negotiables on this mission… in this case of the church, the Scriptures stand as our non-negotiables.