Have you ever had one of those moments when you realized you were using a tool the wrong way? Or maybe you had a board upside down when you were building a bookcase? Starting a project or a program only to realize you’ve been doing it the wrong way is beyond aggravating.
When we become comfortable with using something, even when it’s not the most efficient or effective way to use it, it’s really hard to change our approach and relearn how to use it properly. Today I want to think through a common process that we may be doing all wrong. Admittedly this realization comes from my role as a pastor but is very much transferrable on many processes.
In the church world, we focus on something we call discipleship. This is the process of being transformed into the image of Christ for the sake of others. The idea is what can we do at the macro (church wide) level that will have an impact on the members as a whole thereby leading them into a deeper relationship with Jesus. The approach we take is very much a silver bullet approach.
So many churches and pastors don’t really know what to do, so attempting a church-wide program is appealing. The programs are often well thought out and very much worthwhile but the results are lackluster at best. It’s like pouring a ton of effort into something and what comes out is more like a slow trickle. What gives! Why does this program not seem to be working the way we wanted it to work?
Think of this approach like a funnel. You pour lots in the top of the funnel but the bottom is narrower and less comes out? We pour so much effort into the process. We spread ourselves thin in an effort to reach every single person and be available all the time.
But what comes out of it is not the return we had predicted! For all that is fed into the top end of this funnel it’s easy to have the effort overflow and not make it completely through the funnel.
I mean have you ever used a funnel and not paid close enough attention? It can be messy to say the least and destructive at worst. The problem is, along the way the effort meets resistance. As the funnel narrows less and less of what goes in can actually make it through.
The programs we establish and programs we start are wide necked and get a lot of traction at first. Everyone wants to be part of the easy part represented by the wide open top. But fewer and fewer people want to be squeezed through the small opening at the bottom so they fall out the top.
So if that’s not the best way then what is? What happens when we flip the system on its head? Simply turn the funnel over.
In this new approach, you will invest heavily in a smaller group. But these people get a lot of your time and attention. You will spend considerable time with them. You will meet with them regularly. You will invest heavily into these key people. They’re not better than anyone else. They’re not stronger or even favorites. They’re just people who are willing to grow and learn and be changed through the process.
As a pastor it’s best to look to the example of Jesus when talking about discipleship because well he did it and told us to do it as well. Jesus called twelve guys to come and follow him. Then of the twelve, he called 3 to be part of an inner circle. He invested a great deal in these three men. The cool part about investing in these men was that they turned around and invested the same with in other followers. So when Jesus reached three people very intentionally, he was able to use their extended reach to connect with even more people.
Think about it. If you put water in the little end of a funnel, when it comes out the wider end it will fall everywhere hitting much more area. The same is true in our discipleship approaches. If we would follow Jesus’ lead and invest intentionally in a few people, we might end up getting a little different kind of result.
So who are your three? Who are the people you can drop everything to go serve? Who are the ones with whom you can walk and help grow through this process of discipleship?
