The Power of Contemplative Action
Most leaders feel a heavy weight on their shoulders: the pressure to make things happen. Whether it’s growing a congregation, fixing a budget, or launching a new ministry, the burden of “doing” can quickly lead to burnout.
But what if the most effective way to lead wasn’t to work harder, but to look closer?
In a recent episode of the Illumin8 Podcast, we explore a concept that has the power to change the culture of churches: Contemplative Action.
What is Contemplative Action?
Contemplation is often used as a means to incorporate silence and solitude in one’s life to help relieve stress and anxiety as well as increase focus and intentionality. But when partnered with action – contemplative action – it can help fuel a healthy response to God’s presence and action in the world.
Contemplative Action is a bridge. It is the active practice of noticing where God is already moving so we can join in. It’s moving from being manager of ministries to a spiritual detective.
“Instead of coming up with ideas and praying for God to bless them, let’s figure out what God’s up to and participate in that.” — Pastor Doug Hill
The 4-Step Framework
Contemplative Action can be broken down into a process of four practical movements that any leader (or individual) can practice:
Showing Up (Presence): Being fully present to yourself and your context. This starts with the body – checking in on your stress, your emotions, and the needs of your local community.
Paying Attention (Discernment): Asking, “Where is God showing up in the midst of this?” Look for where peace, hope, and love are already being generated in the people around you.
Participating (Decision): Making an intentional choice to align your resources, time, and schedule with God’s active work. This often requires sacrifice – stopping one thing to start another.
Surrendering (Trust): Releasing the outcomes to God. We are participants in a long arc of history that bends toward justice, but we aren’t the ones who have to force the finish line.
Why It Matters for Culture
When a church moves toward contemplative action, the culture shifts from dogma and fear to curiosity and invitation. Instead of trying to “bring God to people,” leaders start “finding God with people.”
At Abiding Hope (Littleton, CO), this has been a game-changer. By equipping the congregation to notice God in their daily lives – at the dinner table, in schools, and at work – the primary narrative at the church has become stories of life transformation rather than about the numbers and “successful” programming.
Want to Learn More?
This post only scratches the surface of how Contemplative Action can positively impact the culture of your congregation. You can hear more in our podcast episode where we discuss:
- Real-world examples of meeting community needs (like the suicide epidemic in Littleton).
- The “Original Wound” and how to lead with vulnerability.
- How to move a “stuck” congregation from a mindset of scarcity to one of abundance.
[Listen to the full episode of the Illumin8 Podcast here]
Let’s keep moving toward a healthier church, together.
The Illumin8 Collective Team
