Stop Being Nice at Church

by William Cowles

Wait, aren’t Christians supposed to be nice to each other and go along to get along? Isn’t that what Jesus wants? Well, ask a Pharisee. Or, ask a selfish rich man. Jesus was a boat rocker. Jesus asked tough questions and issued strong challenges. Jesus’ ministry wasn’t at all concerned with protecting the established order. Jesus was an innovator.

Lisa Bodell, founder and CEO of futurethink and author of “Kill the Company” (www.killthecompany.com/), suggests that leaders stop being nice at work. Her tag line articulates the challenge: “End the status quo. Start an Innovation revolution.”

For all of us who lead and serve at a church, her advice is equally applicable and perhaps even more powerful. “Nice” isn’t the word I would have chosen to pick on, though. I’d prefer “content.” Churches need to stop being content. Too many churches have drifted and coasted into stagnation and decline because they like where they are and exactly what they’re doing. And, why shouldn’t they? They created it – many, many years ago. Contentment feels good. The status quo is safe and comfortable; innovation isn’t.

Here are five of Bodell’s points that effectively cross over from corporation to church – I have adjusted some of her phrasing and terminology to reflect church culture and organization:

1. Move from one way to two. When you foster a feedback-driven culture, servant leaders will come to expect thought sharing. Rather than having people give one-way status updates, encourage a collaborative dialogue where everyone feels comfortable responding to the information that's given to them and asking probing questions. Creating an atmosphere where your fellow ministry volunteers can voice opinions is simpler when you don't have to constantly worry about hurting someone's ego.
2. Ask killer questions. By questioning why things are done a certain way, it encourages people to question longstanding beliefs and opens the door to new possibilities. Encourage your team to ask open-ended questions that lead to creative, groundbreaking solutions. Give teams the chance to think differently, and move forward with more radical ideas.
3. Recognize leaders and volunteers for making waves. When people take the risk of creating a productive disruption, give them positive reinforcement. Share their innovative ideas at team meetings or in the church newsletter to show how their opinions are valued.
4. Shake things up. Discipline yourself and your team to tolerate periods of discomfort in the name of progress. Get yourself and your team out of normal routines and encourage everyone to think differently. Be more open to change and provoke positive dialogue within your church.
5. Kill stupid rules. In a world where meetings often govern our every move, it's important to schedule time with your ministry and leadership teams to question norms. Rather than operating on autopilot, make time to regularly assess whether your routine tasks are worth the effort.

Innovation isn’t something that can be fostered by being “content” and going along with the status quo – in business or the church. Innovation has to be inspired by leadership that practices open involvement.

When people – pastors, staff, leaders, and volunteers – know that their ideas and contributions are valued by their colleagues, they engage more fully, commit more deeply, grow more spiritually, and serve more unselfishly.

Thanks to our friends at RDC, Inc. for tipping us off to Lisa Bodell’s work. www.rdcinc.com