Yesterday I watched a really fascinating video for my class on leadership. The lecturer was explaining a principle that is something to consider. A group of researchers wanted to determine how changing the lighting situation in a factory would affect the productivity of the workers. The lights were brightened, and the measured productivity increased by 10%! The results led the researchers to increase the brightness of the lights a second time. Once again, productivity increased by 10%. Perplexed by such a result, the researchers determined that such an increase in productivity couldn't be exponential. They lowered the lights back to the middle level, and the measured productivity once again increased by 10%. Ultimately the level of the lights didn't make a difference – the changing of the levels did. The Church is an interesting animal because change is something that it doesn't seem to like. I'm still formulating my opinions on some of this, but I think that churches should change frequently enough that people don't get in a rut and yet not change so frequently that people leave because they don't like all the change.
Yesterday we started a new series with our junior high and high school students called The Battle Within. Since the series has a boxing theme, we moved the stage to the middle of the room and created a "boxing ring" sort of environment with chairs on all sides of the stage. Following the high school service, I had more students tell me they appreciated the message than ever before. I'm not patting myself on the back because I didn't write the message… I often use curriculum called XP3, and this script was written by Andy Stanley. Sure, I had to deliver it and make it my own, but many, if not most, of the words were his. What made people connect so well? I think part of it is that we created an environment that was different. It was memorable. It helped people to connect personally. We changed things up.
If we don't create a culture that changes, people will get into ruts. When people get into ruts, they begin to worship a culture rather than the God who transcends the culture. What are your thoughts? Have I hit the nail on the head, or am I WAY off?
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