Before I am deemed as an insensitive heretic, I admire and commend Gary Collins for his compilation of motivational limericks in his 2001 publication, Good to Great. The book has been widely publicized by both the public and private sectors, and it could even be said that Good to Great is one of the most widely read books making it one of the most influential texts within the business world. There are many motivational phrases throughout the book, and even my old tattered copy has a few highlighted pages with notes scribbled in the corners; however, Good to Great isn’t very great, and in fact, it isn’t even all that good when it moves into church leadership. I agree with Collins’ driving quote, that “greatness is not a function of circumstance, greatness is largely a matter of conscious choice, and discipline” but what is the cost of such a philosophy? What really troubles me about Collins’ work is the way in which it has trickled into the evangelical church. Somewhere, at sometime, a philosophy of business performance bled across lines and into our church homes.
Business Pundit, a business-book review website, notes that Collins’ book is dominated by poor research and the ever present *Barnum Effect.”First of all, the good-to-great principles are true in the same way a horoscope is true. They are fairly generic and thus we all apply them from our own viewpoint to make them true. I believe that some "Good to Great" readers that love the book may be suffering from the Barnum Effect. The principles Collins proposes aren't bad ones, but they are ambiguous and open to interpretation, which in effect decreases their usefulness. For instance, Collins says good-to-great companies (churches) practice ‘First Who, Then What,’ which basically means ‘hire good people.’ Its influx within churches may translate that as a need for pastors who can deliver flashy performance. I'm willing to bet no one read the book and said ‘Eureka! I've been hiring slimy weasels when I should have been hiring top performers. That is why we aren't a great company (church)!’ My guess is that most people think their way of hiring or interviewing is the best way to get the ‘good people’ and so they liked hearing Collins say this. They ignore the fact that after reading the chapter, you really don't have a better idea of how to do it.”
Though I am young, I have seen and experienced many things beyond my years: some good, and some bad. What I have found in church, is that many times it’s not the one with the greatest heart or even the most humble who is chosen to be a part of the team, but usually the one who glitters the most. Those churches following the good-to-great principles get caught in the rat-race for excellence and end up finding something much worse: a wounded staff and congregation. The sting of unwantedness….the sting of being just good is universally experienced, but is often forgotten when the tables are turned. Others perceive our “great” features due largely to opportunity and chance, and purpose where to place us within the church. For example, there may be a need for someone to build the website, and there just so happens to be a marketing developer at the church; therefore, he will be the “greatest” for the task, despite his real passion being for counseling and teaching music. Another scenario might involve a woman who is truly a great singer, but is not perfect, and is ultimately pushed from her passion when someone “greater” comes along. And so the fantasy of good-to-great claims another victim in its results-driven movement, and the church burns another relational bridge.
I imagine a church where good is good enough. Where the parishioners, and even the pastors, choose where they should minister based upon their passions rather than what they accomplish with “greatness.” The late shepherd and theological, Henry Van Dyke said “use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best.”
*Barnum Effect is also known professionally in psychology as the Forer Effect, named after psychologist Bertram R. Forer work in the subsequent field.
Thanks Miranda, I have seen many of these things ring true in my life.
ReplyDeleteI think perfection is tied closely to pride, and pride is tied closely to fear for many of us.
ReplyDeleteI think perfection is tied closely to pride, and pride is tied closely to fear for many of us.
ReplyDelete