Maybe That’s the Point
Towards the end of our time living in Kenya, my family and I were deep in the muck. Truly, we so stuck in the swampy mess that we did not even really realize where we were at. We had become a bit disoriented, struggling to keep finding our way through the mess. We were unhealthy mentally and physically, yet we kept going. How else were the Digo people to hear about the saving work of Christ? Who else was going to take this task on? What helped us navigate the difficulty was having people come alongside us, enter the swamp with us, and help guide us to a safe space to exit.
In the book, Exploring Wicked Problems by Bentley and Toth they describe in detail dealing with the wicked problems found in the swamp. They write, “No matter what takes us into a swamp, once there, we face three major challenges: how to survive, how to flourish, and how to find an exit.”[1] Their book describes how wicked problems are just a part of being human and even “define the human condition.”[2]
In this program, we are all working on projects that address a wicked problem of some sort. It is good work to do yet at times feels almost futile. It was a helpful reminder to read, “Wicked problems were never solved. At best, they said, wicked problems can only be solved over and over again.”[3] The projects we take on and work to iterate this semester will not solve the issue we are focused on, but we are doing our part to make a conscious effort. We have entered the swamp and are working hard. A challenge of being in the swamp is hearing those on the sidelines offer opinion about what we are supposed to be doing in the swamp. I want to offer a reminder to all of us, including myself, that those people who stand on the edge, tackling tame problems of their own, might offer good insight. However, if they do not enter the swamp at times and navigate wicked problems then they might not have a complete picture of what is going on. Instead, they might simply be offering a “siren song.”[4] Bentley and Toth state, “Conditions in the swamp are dramatically different. There is no firm place to stand; people feel they are in over their heads.”[5]
This NPO project has led me to enter a different swamp than the one I exited in Kenya. This swamp has swamp creatures labeled: immigration, racism, apathy and recently Christian Nationalism. In the book, What’s Your Problem? The author helps coach people through navigating difficult problems, or wicked problems as Bentley and Toth write. Of difficult problems, the author writes, “accept the discomfort, our capacity to recognize painful truths can at times generate some of the most liberating solutions.”[6] When President Trump took office, the swamp I am in got murkier, bigger, and more dangerous. There are still plenty of people on the sidelines offering insight into how I might solve the problems. Yet, it was Martyn Percy who noted, “churches have changed and have become more apolitical, and socially, politically and theologically conservative.”[7] Many conservative Christian friends on the sidelines of the swamp want to offer me a lifeline out of it. They view the swamp as murky and scary, and they do not want me to uncover any monsters hidden below the surface. But the monsters are there, below the surface and I have experienced them. The advice of my conservative friends is just a call to retreat, a siren song at best. They don’t want to admit to any racism in our institutions. They don’t want to admit that they might have an anti-immigrant attitude. They certainly don’t want to challenge their own assumptions and come to terms with their Christian Nationalist leanings. Instead, they offer advice on how I should get out of the swamp and keep the swamp monsters hidden. I simply can’t do this. I can’t ignore the monsters that are there. I realize that I will never kill the monster. This monster won’t go away until Jesus makes all things new.
Maybe the point is simply for me to stay in the swamp, inviting others to join the murky journey. Maybe this whole project is about inviting others to join in swampy work. Bentley and Toth define success in the swamp as:
“Acting with confidence and competence as we grapple with wicked problems…requires us to show up in the middle of the storm, fully present and alert, with a calm and confident manner, get down in the mud and muck, begin the process of figuring out what is happening, recruit and enlist others to work with us, formulate an idea of the problem, then move on, taking appropriate action to deal with the newly defined situation.”[8]
Maybe that’s the point.
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[1] Joseph Bentley PhD and Michael Toth PhD, Exploring Wicked Problems: What They Are and Why They Are Important (Bloomington, IN: Archway Publishing, 2020), 163.
[2] Bentley and Toth, xiv.
[3] Bentley and Toth, 27.
[4] Bentley and Toth, 70.
[5] Bentley and Toth, 129
[6] Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg, What’s Your Problem? To Solve Your Toughest Problems, Change the Problems You Solve (La Vergne: Harvard Business Review Press, 2020), 102.
[7] Martyn Percy, The Humble Church: Renewing the Body of Christ (London, UK: Canterbury Press Norwich, 2021), 119.
[8] Bentley and Toth, 140.
About the Author
Adam Cheney
I grew up in California, spent five years living along the beautiful coast of Kenya and now find myself working with refugees in the snow crusted tundra of Minnesota. My wife and I have seven children, four of whom have been adopted. I spend my time drinking lots of coffee, working in my garden, and baking sourdough bread.11 responses to “Maybe That’s the Point”
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Great blog mate. Love hearing about your adventures. Two questions. 1. How have you found effective ways to invite others into the swamp with you, especially when fear, discomfort, or differing worldviews keep them on the sidelines? 2. What have you learned about sustaining resilience when the monsters in the swamp seem overwhelming?
Glyn,
1. I have found a way that is helpful. It is helpful to encourage people to enter the swamp a little at a time. Almost like entering the kiddie-pool before jumping into the deep end. I bring volunteers with me and help them learn a little at a time. Before I know it they are in deep.
2. I have seen the presence of God show up in powerful ways when I thought I was drowning. This memory keeps me moving forward.
Thanks Adam. Your post is encouraging and a great reminder. How has naming the swamp monsters helped you in navigating the swamp?
Ryan,
I think that learning to name the monsters is helpful as it helps give ideas of how to move forward. As I work towards better integration with Somalis and Christians I can name that anti-immigration is a monster. But if I don’t recognize that racism is also a monster then I am going to miss something.
Hi Adam, I like that you are pretty clear about the difficulties you experience after the recent election but that you call the people who might have polar opposite political leanings your friends. My sense is that it one way to take a bite out of the wick problem, be in relationship with others who may think differently that ourselves. Do you have people in the swamp with you in your work world? Hang in there.
Diane,
Thank you. Yes, I have a few friends in the swamp with me. In fact, I was able to go and visit with one yesterday for a while. We connect on a weekly basis and help encourage each other in this hard work. I told my co-worked yesterday that she was wading through the swamp with me and though she had not ever read the book she knew exactly what I meant.
Hi Adam, I have not had the same experiences, but your stories from Africa resonate significantly with me. I also resonate with your question, “Who will tell them?” I think back to Illuminaire and the article on transition. Yes, it takes courage to exist in the swamp, but it also takes a lot of courage to exit. You and your family are courageous. The swamp is also a place for growth and learning. What did you learn in Kenya that has helped you flourish in your current swamp? Make sure to keep on your rubber boots!
Elysse,
One lesson from Kenya that I have learned is that there is a time for everything. A time for suffering. And a time for healing. The swamp is not really a place one can stay without ever setting foot on solid ground but it is the place to go and fight the good fight.
Thanks for staying in the swamp on this problem, Adam. What do you find most receptive to joining you in there? Why?
Graham,
Honestly, the people I find most receptive to joining me in this problem has been two groups of people. First, the empty-nesters. They have more time and a desire to help others. Secondly, Gen Z (or zed). They don’t have kids yet, and have a desire to change the world. My volunteer base lacks those in Gen X and the Millenials. There is a huge 30 year gap in those who are wanting to enter the swamp with me.
Adam, you’re doing important work and you have challenging situations to deal with.
You discussed the perspectives of your conservative Christian friends regarding the challenges you face in the swamp. How do you approach conversations with them about these issues, especially when their views may conflict with your experiences? What strategies have you found effective in fostering understanding? Or at least in opening up a conversation?