Projecting our Experience on Others
In this process of church launching I’ve noticed something that has happened more than once. As I talk to potential donors, other church planters, and church leaders I have noticed that lots of people have been projecting their experience on us and our plans and hopes in launching a church. And this experience has caused me to reflect on 2 things: 1) How often do I do this sort of thing myself - do I project my experience on others. And 2) How can we keep from doing this as we set out to become a church launching church.
The experience has gone something like this. I talk with a church leader who reflects on how our process and plan and hopes are different from how they did it in their past. For instance, we’re not going to be a “mission” of some “mother church.” And as they reflect on this the implication is that we are not doing things the way we ought. Sometimes this is subtle but more often than not it has been quite overt with lots of judgment coming through in their tone and questioning (not questions for information but questions of accusation calling for a defense).
Now I understand that I can learn from people’s experience. If I didn’t believe that would I subscribe to so many church planter blogs, read as many articles as I do, pour through the number of books I have, or be in conversation with the people I am? I am seeking to learn everything I can from people’s experience.
But is there a place where something can be…different? Not right or wrong but different? Does my plan and experience have to look like others? Is it okay to say, “You are doing things differently than we did and that’s okay?”
I mean its interesting to me that there is no set program for church planting listed for us in the NT and yet I will get the question of, “How many do you have on your team? I wouldn’t think you could consider launching until you get X many.” And, interestingly enough, “X” is typically what they had in their experience. I’m glad you had 50 from day one as you started meeting in preparation to launch but is that really a mystical and magical number? It’s also interesting that the other also also happens, we had zero on our team when we dropped into our community. Implication, we bootstrapped it from the beginning so you must too.
“How old are your team members? I wouldn’t think you could operate a church with such youth. You need people who are more settled to become your giving base.” Man, it’s great that you have a relational network of 30 and 40 and 50-somethings but my experience has been in collegiate ministry, so our team is early to mid-twenties. That’s all I got. So if that’s a strike against me in your mind then I don’t know what else to tell you. But I’m confident God can and will use the people he has called to take part in his mission, regardless of age.
The list could go on a lot longer than this. But my question is ultimately, “Can’t we do things differently than you and be okay?” Does it have to be a right or wrong in every detail? Do we have to project our experience on others making our experience normative.
See that’s the philosophical issue involved here. What is normative and what is descriptive (and by normative we mean this is way things ought to be, that means this is how it should be done)? I think this might be part of the reason the NT is so vague and open on ministry models and methods. Principals should guide us not experience. We learn a lot from experience and the experience of others, this is why I’m convinced we need to look to best practices wherever we find them. But my experience is not the norm, the scriptures are.
So I hope to learn from this experience. I want to become the kind of church that allows for diversity in experience and methodology as we set out to launch future churches. We want to be open handed in this regard.
April 7th, 2007 at 7:40 pm
It’s fresh. It’s good. Lead out in what the Lord is giving you. Sometimes it’s hard for people to think outside the box.
April 8th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
it’s interesting that these ministry-minded folks you’ve talked to subscribe to traditional business models moreso than Guy Kawasaki. [Mark stops typing to forego a nasty rant.]
April 8th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
Nice restraint Mark.
April 9th, 2007 at 9:39 am
Biblically, how many characters followed the system as everyone else did? I think a lot of times people are skeptical of new and different ideas and that’s fine and dandy. But ultimately, you have to choose to go your own way and if you stumble, you get up and try again. I’m trying to remember that in my insecurities of needing everyone to affirm every decision I make. The natural tendency is to try to prove them wrong and I don’t think that’s a smart way to go either. We don’t need to prove anything to anyone. My 2 cents.
For every person that’s not supportive, there is someone who is an innovator who’s willing to jump on board and try something new.