Ashoka
Shifting roles to spread power
“Americans are searching for wholehearted belonging and not finding their needs met — the phenomenon, in short, behind the phrase ‘spiritual but not religious.’” " The future resides with lay leaders and houses of worship that support innovation, focus on empowerment rather than power, and seed (or become) their own successor organizations. It resides with people absent from our biggest pulpits because of gender, country of origin, mother tongue or skin color. The future resides in clarity of purpose that can unite people and bring them together in hope, not in fear of damnation, judgment or social ostracism. It resides in organizations that bring people together for a reason, but keeps them there by fostering a sense of communal belonging.”
Ashoka insight
This article invites us to reflect on the changes of attitudes and structures that are required to recognize the power of every person as an agent of change (Everyone a Changemaker). Being a changemaker means that we can leverage our curiosity, skills, and ideas to propose solutions that create positive outcomes for everyone. Spiritual and faith communities have the unique opportunity of relying on their sense of communal belonging to spark waves of change and empower individual spiritual changemakers toward collaborations that address the most critical issues of our times.
How can I lead my community to address the changing ways of spirituality in practice?
What are the trends in my spiritual community telling me? What does my community need?