by Dan Kimball
http://www.vintagefaith.com/artilces/20-80.html
If you attend enough church growth conferences, you eventually hear the Pareto Principle taught in regards to church growth. Basically, it states that 80% of results flow from just 20% of our efforts.
Considering this, I would say that in church leadership we’d generally agree that 80% of true discipleship and spiritual growth occurs from mentoring, from home groups, from smaller group gatherings, and so on. I’d also bet—if we are brutally honest—that we’d agree that probably only 20% of true discipleship is a result of our weekend services. So why then, do we focus 80% of our time and effort in what produces 20 percent of what we should be considering as results—becoming disciples?
I know that the larger worship gathering is a part of spiritual formation. But what concerns me is that the more I talk with church leaders, the conversation generally revolves around the weekend service. We focus so much of our discussion about the style of music we use, the atmosphere, and our preaching style. We spend lots of time and many meetings coming up with ideas for the weekly event: creative team meetings, band rehearsals, PowerPoint, and tech meetings. The larger the church, all the more time goes to this. Our sermons take 10 to 20 hours a week to prepare. When we evaluate our budget, my guess is that in terms of staffing, where we use volunteers, and money, a great percentage goes to what happens on Sundays at the “big event.” The big event comes, people come, sit, and then go home. But is what we spend 80% of our energy, conversations, and thoughts on producing 80% of what makes disciples?
Sometimes I wonder if Jesus were to look at our time, our focus, what we think about, and what we talk about, what would he say we should spend most of our time doing? If we generally agree that 80% of our results of making disciples come from what we do outside of the weekend event, then what are we doing (for those that do this)?
You may think you don’t do it, but what do you spend the most time on in your week? What do you think about the most? What do you desire to improve the most? I know we desire to make disciples, but could our time be spent in an inverted way, according the Pareto Principle, where we spend 80% of our time on what produces 20% of true spiritual growth?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Interesting stuff to think about, Joyce. Wild horses couldn't keep me away from Sunday service. It's like a taste of heaven (and I have the best pastor in the whole wide world:) but yeah, what gets me through my days are my friendships, the sisters in Christ who encourage me and pray with me, even the on-line community of believers-- I see cool things happening there. God isn't just at work on Sundays; that's for sure.
Love what you are having us all think about. We so often get so into what other people are doing and what seems to work that it can be hard to hear the still small voice of God...I go, with Janet, to Joe's church and feel blessed to be there. My prayer is as a universal church(I really liked your comments on Joe's Pope blog entry) that we all hear what the Lord is saying and let Him out of the box we can put him into. Thanks for this Joyce!!
Thanks, Janet & Christa!
I totally know what you mean about being at service on the weekends -- it's like fresh breath and power being breathed into me. I couldn't stay away either. But what this really got me thinking about was ... ok. We've attracted people to come, and to come again. That's great and HUGELY important. We've given them truth and encouragement -- but now what?
And truly that is the challenge that Kimball gave to me here. Lives change and growth happens in community with each other. Am I putting more energy into pouring into others and my personal spiritual life than the "high" I get from Sunday service? Are people around me growing? If they aren't, what am I doing about it? Am I growing? Am I engaged with others on a regular basis?
I'll be looking forward to seeing you both on the 19th -- I'll be in New London visiting Joe and the rest of my family! Wooohooo!!!
Oh I will be sorry to miss you. I will be in Maine visiting my family. Yeah, growing up in other churches I saw many that did not bring that personal intimacy with Jesus into daily lives and activities...Brother Lawrence has a good little book on this topic called, Practicing the Presence of God. Also I read a small one by Chuck Swindoll called Intimacy with the Almighty. All good stuff! I will have to catch you, Joyce, here another time. Have a great visit!
Aww. I'll have to catch you next time. We're trying to figure out if we can arrange a Thanksgiving trip this year as well.
Have fun in Maine!
Post a Comment