Missional Metrics VIII
How long people remain at our weekly gathering after the formalities are over.
For the sake of full disclosure, I do want to remind folks that these "metrics" are not to be attributed to me. Though the commentary is my own, the metrics themselves are originally the work of a very creative and dynamic missional thinker/practitioner by the name of Hugh Halter. He just released his first book, "Tangible Kingdom" and it provides a breathtaking introduction to the practical realities of missional church. Having said that, I will be adding my own metrics to this list as we continue to think about how we evaluate missional faithfulness for the North American church. I will let you know where Hugh's thoughts end and my own begin.
With that disclaimer out of the way, let's talk about relationships...specifically how do we relate to one another when we gather and what does it signify? Imagine for a moment that you are attending the worship gathering at your church for the first time...what do you see? When you enter the building are people engaged in relationships? Are they talking? Catching up on life? During worship itself, are they engaged? As you look around, what is the energy level like? After the worship gathering finishes, do people stay around? Do they hang out and chat? Or do they rush to the parking lot to get home?
I think this metric reveals a lot about the spiritual vitality of our relationships both with God and with the Body of Christ. It certainly may be more fuzzy, more subjective, more difficult to pin down...but it is absolutely essential that we pay attention to this if we are going to be able to evaluate the breadth and depth of our relationships as a community. In my own experience, I have found that people relate to the church and to God in one of two ways. Actually, I would probably label them "trajectories" (signifying the general direction one is headed) rather than "ways" (which seems a little to static and definitive for me) because we all know that as human beings we are never perfectly consistent. The first trajectory is more formal, contractual, even transactional. One can recognize the folks on this track because they subconsciously act like religious consumers. They show up on time to the worship gathering and when it is over beat a swift retreat home. They pay their dues (tithes) and serve on the obligatory committee or two. They get grumpy if any kind of change is introduced or if the worship gathering goes "over" its appointed hour. Their relationships with their brothers and sisters in Christ are superficial, they never let others see them "sweat", never share their struggles or pain, and believe the church exists to meet "their" needs. (Again, they will have more authentic moments where the cracks in their armor appear, but these are more the exception rather than the rule.)
The second trajectory is less formal and much more relational. Again, one can identify the people on this track because of how relational they are. They are often the first to arrive and the last to leave worship gatherings. They understand that the purpose of the exercise is not primarily institutional or organizational but more primal, more relational and so they cultivate an attitude of openness. They don't get caught up with time or changes or anything else that might "disrupt" the experience. They understand, again subconsciously, that the diversity of the Body of Christ often requires such "disruptions" in order for the person sitting next to them to connect with God. They work hard to make space for those who don't look like them, think like them, or experience life like them. If you listen to their conversations, you hear them sharing in depth what they are facing or dealing with in life. They are not content to keep conversations, even with new people, on superficial levels. They see the church as a living, breathing organism of which they are a vital part rather than an institution they have to service. (Yes, these folks have their moments where they attempt to systematize or institutionalize their way of life, but again, these the exceptions.)
So which trajectory are you on? Which trajectory are the majority of the members in your community on? How often do people stay after worship? How deep are their conversations? How well are they connecting both with God and with one another? When you stand up to preach or when you sit in the sanctuary what do you see? Are people engaged? Is there life and vitality and spiritual energy? And BTW, this has nothing to do with whether we are liturgical or non-liturgical, classical, traditional, contemporary, or emergent...all of these are merely pathways we take to engage in relationship. The missional call is to evaulate the quality of such relationships and to work hard at creating environments where depth and breadth can be nurtured and grown.
With that disclaimer out of the way, let's talk about relationships...specifically how do we relate to one another when we gather and what does it signify? Imagine for a moment that you are attending the worship gathering at your church for the first time...what do you see? When you enter the building are people engaged in relationships? Are they talking? Catching up on life? During worship itself, are they engaged? As you look around, what is the energy level like? After the worship gathering finishes, do people stay around? Do they hang out and chat? Or do they rush to the parking lot to get home?
I think this metric reveals a lot about the spiritual vitality of our relationships both with God and with the Body of Christ. It certainly may be more fuzzy, more subjective, more difficult to pin down...but it is absolutely essential that we pay attention to this if we are going to be able to evaluate the breadth and depth of our relationships as a community. In my own experience, I have found that people relate to the church and to God in one of two ways. Actually, I would probably label them "trajectories" (signifying the general direction one is headed) rather than "ways" (which seems a little to static and definitive for me) because we all know that as human beings we are never perfectly consistent. The first trajectory is more formal, contractual, even transactional. One can recognize the folks on this track because they subconsciously act like religious consumers. They show up on time to the worship gathering and when it is over beat a swift retreat home. They pay their dues (tithes) and serve on the obligatory committee or two. They get grumpy if any kind of change is introduced or if the worship gathering goes "over" its appointed hour. Their relationships with their brothers and sisters in Christ are superficial, they never let others see them "sweat", never share their struggles or pain, and believe the church exists to meet "their" needs. (Again, they will have more authentic moments where the cracks in their armor appear, but these are more the exception rather than the rule.)
The second trajectory is less formal and much more relational. Again, one can identify the people on this track because of how relational they are. They are often the first to arrive and the last to leave worship gatherings. They understand that the purpose of the exercise is not primarily institutional or organizational but more primal, more relational and so they cultivate an attitude of openness. They don't get caught up with time or changes or anything else that might "disrupt" the experience. They understand, again subconsciously, that the diversity of the Body of Christ often requires such "disruptions" in order for the person sitting next to them to connect with God. They work hard to make space for those who don't look like them, think like them, or experience life like them. If you listen to their conversations, you hear them sharing in depth what they are facing or dealing with in life. They are not content to keep conversations, even with new people, on superficial levels. They see the church as a living, breathing organism of which they are a vital part rather than an institution they have to service. (Yes, these folks have their moments where they attempt to systematize or institutionalize their way of life, but again, these the exceptions.)
So which trajectory are you on? Which trajectory are the majority of the members in your community on? How often do people stay after worship? How deep are their conversations? How well are they connecting both with God and with one another? When you stand up to preach or when you sit in the sanctuary what do you see? Are people engaged? Is there life and vitality and spiritual energy? And BTW, this has nothing to do with whether we are liturgical or non-liturgical, classical, traditional, contemporary, or emergent...all of these are merely pathways we take to engage in relationship. The missional call is to evaulate the quality of such relationships and to work hard at creating environments where depth and breadth can be nurtured and grown.
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