Your church / organisation's culture is constantly growing and changing. It grows relentlessly and will define your church whether you want it to or not. When you go out for dinner, shop online or attend a church service culture is what you feel during those experiences. Were you made to feel special, welcome, valued, cared for, understood etc etc... This is all down to the culture, or behaviour, of the organisation. Why does Starbucks put your name on your cup rather than just using an order number or shouting the drink? It's not faster or easier; it is because it's more intimate and how it makes you feel that when they shout your name. Why when out for dinner and the owner walks over and asks about your meal and then offers to buy your table coffees does it make an evening so much better? It's not because you couldn't afford a few coffees, it is because you feel the generosity, care and appreciation of the owner. You're made to feel valued.
Culture is what you feel...
When people interact with your church they make their choices about the place long before the sermon. Sure you have time to preach a blinder and hope that this is enough for them to choose to make your church their home. However, the reality is the way they feel about the place will have already got in first and will have the longest lasting memory. When someone arrives they will feel if the culture is 'inclusive' and 'welcoming.' They will be able to pick up straight away if there is a positive or negative vibe by how people 'honour' one-another and so on.
Culture will grow by default or by design, but it will grow.
In the creation God made mankind to be the keepers and curators of the earth: to fill it, subdue and form it. We are made to be gardeners; the Bible is full of gardening analogies. Culture will grow. Culture grows by default or by design. Your church right now has a culture. You may not think about it but it most certainly does:
How is someone treated when they come as a first time guest?
How is someone treated when they ask for help?
How is someone treated when they sin big?
How is someone treated when they win big?
These sort of questions will instantly highlight the sort of culture you have a present. They may be what you believe is Kingdom culture or they may not.
Setting a Kingdom Culture
'The church I see' - this type of thinking is not new. However many leaders have not sat down and thought about 'the church I feel'. It maybe helpful to you as a leader to sit down with a blank piece of paper and think through how you would want people to feel when encountering the church. Then think about what behaviours generate these feelings.
Leaders ask what is the Church I see but do we ask, what is the church I FEEL?!
This is a valuable exercise. However, rather than doing the work in a silo I would suggest opening the question as wide as you can. Ask the congregation to get involved. Try asking some simple but powerful questions;
Here at 'Example Awesome church' we want to have the very best values and culture that permeates our lives and those around us. We have been thinking about what behaviours or characteristics best define us now and where we want to be.
What characteristics do we have that you think is great? How does it make you feel?
What characteristics do we have that you think are not good? Doesn't feel good?
What 10 characteristics would you want us to have (can include things we already have)?
Once you have asked the congregation or church members what they think you as a leadership can digest where the culture is and where there can be improvements. You can also start to see some of the values being spoken about that represent who you are on your best days.
“Every spiritual growth metaphor in the Bible is agricultural, not technological. Agriculture takes time.” - Perry Noble
If vision is seeing the destination and spelling out why it's important, strategy is the mission of what you are going to do to get there then culture (values/behaviour) is how you are going to travel. How does our tribe behave!?
Giving language to the desires of how we want behave is so important. It makes it easier for people to be both encourage and corrected. When there's a church language for behaviour it improves unity and makes decisions much easier and quicker.
My prayer is that God helps you in the cultivating of good healthy culture. If this has been helpful please do share it with others. Keep up your Zeal for the House!
Big love
Joss
P.S - Article to be posted soon on 4 easy things to remember to help protect and promote the right culture. Sign up to FREE newsletter and follow Socials so you don't miss out!
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