Aside from days of smoke from forest fires, how often do we think about the air we breathe? It’s so pervasive that we don’t even give it a thought. It’s absolutely essential for life, but only a few climatologists spend time analyzing it. Church culture is like the air; it’s all around us, shaping every moment of every Sunday and Monday to Saturday, but we seldom notice it at all.
Healthy or Toxic?
If the air is clean and healthy, people thrive and a church succeeds, but to the extent that it is toxic, energy subsides, creativity lags, conflicts multiply, and community influence declines.
Toxic culture is like carbon monoxide: you don’t see or smell it, but it will kill you.
Do you know the toxicity level in your church? How healthy is the air you breathe in Board meetings, Bible studies or coffee klatches? Pastors need to spend at least as much time analyzing their culture as they do crafting their vision, strategy, promotion plans and yes, even praying.
What is Church Culture?
The following are some easily observable aspects of church culture.
A church’s values (stated and unstated), beliefs, assumptions.
What and how success is celebrated.
How problems are addressed.
The manifestations of trust and respect at all levels of organization.
The way guests are treated.
The way people treat their peers.
Response to and respect for leadership.
Take a Culture Snapshot
To see a few snapshots of your church’s culture, ask these questions:
Who are the heroes? What makes them heroes? Who determines who the heroes are?
When someone inquires, “Tell me about your church” what stories are told?
How much does the average volunteer feel she or he has input into the direction and strategy of the church?
Who has the ear of the top leaders? How did these people win a hearing with the leaders?
What are the meaningful rituals? What message do they convey to those in the church and those outside it?
Who is rewarded, and for what accomplishments?
What is the level of loyalty up and down the organizational chart?
What factors build loyalty?
What is the level of creativity and enthusiasm throughout the congregation? When an objective observer spends an hour watching people interact, what mood does he or she pick up?
How are decisions made, deferred, or delayed?
Who are the non-positional power brokers, the people who have authority based on the respect they’ve earned but who don’t have authoritative titles? Where are control problems and power struggles most evident?
How is “turf” defined and protected?
Are You Reaching Your Goals?
A strong, vibrant culture stimulates people to be and do their very best and reach the highest goals. The intangibles of respect and trust empower a church culture for thinking, creating, and working together to accomplish godly goals.
Culture problems, by their nature, are never solved quickly. They require a clear understanding of the problem, a commitment to systemic change, and patience and persistence to see change take root.
If your vision, mission and goals are off track or stuck, check your culture. Culture eats strategy for lunch.
Do you smell the smoke of BBQ’ed vision?
It’s time for a culture check before you don’t have a prayer.
Bob Jones is the founder of REVwords.com, an author, blogger, and coach with 39 years of pastoral experience. Bob is also an Advance Coach with the ABNWT Resource Centre. You can connect with Bob here.