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Archive for June, 2014

Informational Silos

Posted in Ministry, tagged on June 17, 2014|

I was reading a recent article in Time magazine talking about the problem at General Motors (GM). In the final report on the breakdown of communication, they identified a problem of “informational silos”. The report talked about the idea that the engineers who designed the air bags did not talk to the engineers who designed the ignition system. If both had communicated, they would have known that once the ignition switch went to the “off” position, the air bags were ineffective.

Silos are a common site in my neck of the woods. As with many things in the country, they have changed. Most farms now put all the silos or grain bins in the same area. This allows a more effective way to monitor your storage and prevent spoilage. Each bin or silo contains one type of crop. In our area, they either hold corn or soybeans. Farmers also have to be careful of the moisture content they place in each bin. If they are going to “dry” the corn, they add wet corn into the bin. If the bin is composed of dry corn, they do not want to add too much wet corn. The idea is to keep everything regulated and separate.

I started to wonder about our ministries. For GM, this mentality produced a number of problems, even leading to death in some cases. I started to wonder if our church had “informational silos” within it. I know that many times, the pastor can be the last one to know, so it is very possible. What is the impact when the adults don’t know what the kids are learning in their classes? What is the impact when I do not share my preaching theme with the worship people? Could my silo be hurting our effectiveness?

I struggle, because I have been able to see the hand of God when I don’t share and I actually build informational silos. It is amazing to see what the worship leaders choose to sing and how that theme fit perfectly with the message. It is encouraging to see how the Holy Spirit brings the whole thing together. In those situations, the “silos” allow me to see the hand of God at work.

THOT: I am not sure how I feel about this one. I can see the importance of breaking down “informational silos” for an effective organization. But I also see the value of allowing the Holy Spirit to be the one who communicates effectively between the “silos”. Going to be pondering this one for some time.

farm-silo

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“It is what it is”

Posted in Ministry, tagged , , on June 4, 2014|

On the way home from a service at the local cemetery on Memorial Day, my wife and I were admiring the new sign that had been erected in town. My home is located 6 miles from the church and passes through “our town” of Climbing Hill. Climbing Hill has less than 100 people and 1 stop sign. The town has spent the last year raising money to erect a new town sign. The built a nice brick wall and had someone make metal letters that were attached to the brick. Below, they added a slogan. We didn’t know the town even had a slogan. The new slogan – “It is what it is.”

My wife and I could hardly believe what we saw. We started laughing and could not stop until we got home. We could not believe someone actually put that on a sign. They actually took great pride in the fact that they were VERY comfortable with who they were. They were not trying to be the big city with a gas station, grocery store, etc. They were a small town and they were happy about it. They were not trying to be anything other than who they were.

I have mixed emotions as I think about our little town. I wonder if they see the possibilities of anything more. Can they envision a small town cafe? They had one years ago. Had they given up on being anything more than just who they are? On the other hand, it takes so real courage to realize your limitations. They are an unincorporated town, so they get no monies from government or outside sources. Maybe they are just being realistic in acknowledging who they are as a town.

Regarding ministry, I face the same tension. I want to have a vision for larger future, but I also have to be realistic about limitations of people, time, location, and money. It is a delicate balance, but a healthy balance is essential to our future. If my vision for the future is too big, it becomes overwhelming and discouraging to the people. If my vision is nonexistent or too small, it can breed apathy. My “little town” that has a slogan of “It is what it is” has got me thinking about my “little” church.

THOT – Are you maintaining a healthy balance between vision and reality?

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