I came across an interesting quote: “There are people who prefer to say ‘Yes,’ and there are people who prefer to say ‘No.’ Those who say ‘Yes’ are rewarded by the adventures they have, and those who say ‘No’ are rewarded by the safety they attain.”

I’m still inclined to run many things through the filter of the Missionary Church vote. That’s the biggest “No” I’ve encountered for a while: when my denomination said “No” to joining forces with another highly like-minded denomination. It would definitely have been an adventure. And yet, the No vote pretty much forced us to launch into a different kind of adventure, an adventure in remaking ourselves, an adventure in survival. And I must admit–it is kind of adventurous.

But I suspect that as we go, we’ll get increasing resistance. Because the vote, I’m more and more convinced, was not against joining the Missionary Church. It was in favor of existing comfort zones. People didn’t want to be yanked into the unknown. If they felt comfortable with the world they were inhabiting, they wanted it to remain that way. And so they were saying, “Let it be. I’m happy. Don’t force me to leave the Shire and go on an adventure.”

Not everyone held this attitude. So Anthony, don’t scold me here. But many did.

Nevertheless, we’re on an adventure as a denomination. People seem cooperative right now. But when the bishop starts stretching people with accountability and continuing education and evangelism and other things, there will be resistance. Because people don’t like being nudged out of their comfort zones, out of the safe worlds they inhabit. And they’ll start finding new things to criticize in their efforts to preserve their comfort zones. They’ll crititize the process (“process,” I’ve observed numerous times, is always an easy target, and usually the first target), and the leaders chosen, and “the way things are being handled,” and other things. So the seasoned cynic in me says.

This is the adventure which lies ahead for the bishop–dealing with the people who prefer to say No, who prefer to remain safe. Fortunately, he knows they’re out there.