In the coming issue of Conversation, freelance writer and iServe Africa alumnus Elizabeth Adisa takes a hard look at Christian organisations, asks some probing questions and finds a very powerful truth.

Today, talk to several people who have previously worked or are working under an explicitly Christian, “gospel minded” enterprise (whether para-church bodies and churches for that matter) and ask them just one question about their preference of work and boss and you will be shocked at what the majority think or are persuaded.

From close friends and elders who have worked in these “gospel minded” places for some time, talking to them, I somehow began to hear the same thing over and over. They actually would prefer working in a secular work setup than cocoon themselves in the so called “Christian” organizations which to them have disturbing undercurrents and so much insincerity.

During my years growing up, I always wanted to work in a Christian setup with people loving one another, studying the Word together and growing through encouragements and so listened to these people’s sentiments with curious eyebrows. What are they trying to imply?

I often meditated on this issue in my silent times of reflection. Often, I would take time to deeply assess myself and the questions pondered on could be summarised as these:

• Why are some people who have grown and served in “gospel” organisations more than often not willing to go back there and prefer secular workplaces?
• Is it that sometimes we go to these places with strange expectations from the leaders forgetting that they are mere men and mortal like we are?
• Could it be that all this arises from the leadership approach?

Continued in the April print issue…

(Elizabeth blogs at Reaching The Women.)