An Alternative to Planned Obsolescence

Remember when Detroit changed its automobile designs on an annual basis to encourage consumers to buy the latest thing off the production line? This was a common marketing tool and other industries adopted this planned obsolescence approach as well to drive sales. It continues today as we anticipate the next new thing from Apple!

I was reminded of this tactic while talking to a pastor friend in another denomination. He commented that his denomination had just thrown the next “big program” at the churches. His experience was that practically every year the denomination found a new program that was going to ”turn the denomination around.” My friend saw some good in several of these programs, but his concern was that the judicatory leaders did not give a new program time enough to take hold and be effective before changing to something else. They were grasping at straws.

Those of us who grew up as Baptists in the south identify with this approach. Each year it seemed that “denominational headquarters” came up with a new program that was going to bring in the Kingdom. It was fed down the pipeline—national agency to state convention to local association to the church. This consumerism approach was meant to inspire, motivate, and sell product.

In Missional Renaissance, Reggie McNeal urges the church to move from this program development idea to people development. We should spend less time coming up with new programs and more time investing in people. Exactly what does this look like?

One type of people development is spiritual formation. Every believer needs to know how to approach, experience, and learn from God. Whether one pursues this path individually, finds a spiritual director or joins a group, each of us can benefit from learning and practicing some of the classical spiritual disciplines like centering prayer and lectio divina. The Companions in Christ materials from the Upper Room such as Exploring the Way would be a good place to start.

Another form of people development is disciple coaching. This combines two approaches—disciple development and coaching—to encourage individuals as they take responsibility for their own spiritual development. Mark Tidsworth of Pinnacle Leadership Associates has developed a process called Disciple Development Coaching ©. He defines it as “a focused collaborative relationship, resulting in the disciple living out his/her calling more fully.” The coach works with the individual believer to discover his or her growing edge, determine the steps to move in that direction, and walks with the person through the process.

Other people development processes are available such as mentoring, peer groups, and learning communities. What all of these have in common is a commitment to invest in people rather than programs. Programs become obsolete and must be replaced but the investment in people endures. Programs come and go, but when we help men and women grow in Christ, we are helping to bring in the Kingdom of God.

Comments

Check these out

Confessions of a Recovering Southern Baptist

I am grateful for my heritage as a Southern Baptist. I was exposed to the Bible and worship from a very young age. I grew up in a church in south Alabama that supported the Cooperative Program of missions giving. This meant that our church had the benefit of being part of a supportive group of local churches and the educational opportunities that afforded. Our state convention provided varied and effective ministries with groups like orphans, ethnic groups, and college students. We supported missionaries at home and abroad. We had good Bible study and training literature (which we paid for, of course). I went to an accredited seminary and paid a remarkably low tuition. Wherever you went on a Sunday morning (in the Southeast and Southwest, at least), you could find a church that sang the familiar hymns and studied the same Bible lesson. In hindsight, I realize that this Southern Baptist utopia was imperfect. There were significant theological differences, often geograp

The Bible Tells Me So

As I read the story of the Good Samaritan during my devotional today, I was reminded of the times that I have heard the story in the Christian education setting of the local church--as a youngster in primary and intermediate classes (old terminology), as a young adult in college classes, and then as an adult, often teaching the passage myself. The characters and story line are very familiar due to these experiences of Christian education. These are challenging times for Christian education in the church. Like so much of what is happening in the church today, the old forms do not seem to support present needs. What once worked no longer seems to be effective. Christian education or the formation of believers is in a state of flux. In an article on ethicsdaily.com , retired professor Colin Harris addresses this issue. He points out that the period of the 60’s and 70’s “saw the beginnings of a loss of vitality within the educational dimension of church ministry, as the

Metaphors of the Kingdom of God

In a recent blog , consultant Seth Godin addresses the power of metaphor. He points out, “The best way to learn a complex idea is to find it living inside something else you already understand.” In other words, “this” is like “that.” “When you see a story, an example, a wonderment,” says Godin, “take a moment to look for the metaphor inside.” Jesus turned this around. In the use of parables, he told a story or provided a metaphor and challenged his hearers to see the truth within. For example, in his teaching on the Kingdom (or Reign) of God in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus compares the Kingdom to such things as a mustard seed, yeast, a hidden treasure, a net, a king, and a landowner. His hearers are encouraged to use their imaginations to understand something that they had never experienced. He also attempted to shift their perspective so that they might see signs of the Kingdom breaking into their present reality. These are metaphors for the Kingdom. Where do w

The Tragedy of Willow Creek Community Church

File photo of Steve Carter, Heather Larson, and Bill Hybels As Christian brothers and sisters, we need to pray for Willow Creek Community Church. On the eve of the Global Leadership Summit, a worldwide conference sponsored by the church in cooperation with the Willow Creek Association, church leadership imploded as a result of further allegations against former pastor Bill Hybels. Last year, Hybels introduced the team who would assume church leadership upon his retirement--lead pastor Heather Larson and teaching pastor Steve Carter. Although the founding pastor planned to stay on to assist in a time of transition, reports of sexual impropriety involving Hybels surfaced early this year. He accelerated his departure from the church and left the board of the Willow Creek Association. When other charges emerged last week, teaching pastor Carter resigned. On Wednesday evening, Larson and the entire elder board--lay leaders who provide accountability on behalf of the congreg

A Future for the Global Leadership Summit?

Craig Groeschel, the founder and senior pastor of Life.Church. The Global Leadership Summit which began as a project of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, and its founding pastor, Bill Hybels, over 25 years ago was held this week without Hybels. For several years, the GLS has been now produced by the Willow Creek Association, a spin-off organization and a loose network of churches but Hybels has been its driving force. Attended by thousands at the church facility in South Barrington and broadcast to thousands more at satellite locations, the annual meeting brings together not only evangelical leaders but outstanding speakers from business, charitable organizations, politics, and business. For the first time, Hybels did not appear due to allegations of sexual impropriety brought against him over the past year by former employees, staff members, and business associates. He has already left the church and resigned from the board of the association.

Barnabas File

Search This Blog