Follow Your Conscience or Follow the Rules
Transforming Trends in the Modern World
Eight years ago, a leading entrepreneur in the marketing world published a list of 14 trends he foresaw as revolutionizing the business environment. Today Seth Godin wrote a post updating his prophecy.
We’re going to look at them one at a time to consider whether or not they apply to Church.
1. Direct communication and commerce between produces and consumers.
This is so prevalent that it is today’s expectation.
Several times recently I’ve witnessed customers getting rough treatment from a salesperson. They are incredulous. So are the onlookers. They are mumbling to their companions.
What gives? Haven’t they heard of customer service?
There are still a few that haven’t. Sadly, they will always be with us. For the most part, corporate leaders know that they can’t simply ask employees to cite “policy” as a way to dismiss a disgruntled customer. The disgruntled have new power. Their story will be told around the world before nightfall.
The ability of everyone to tell their story to a vast audience has changed the business world. It’s made the business world a better place, I think!
What about Church?
Church relies on storytelling. It always has! Today, the storyteller is truly powerful. The filters are gone.
Church publications were once controlled by the people who could pay the enormous expenses for printing and broadcasting. No one outside an elite circle had a chance at being heard.
The costs are negligible today. That changes the nature of storytelling.
There is tremendous power in storytelling—whether the story is benevolent or critical. The Church can no longer rely on unhappy parishioners going home to sulk unnoticed.
That puts the same burden on Church leaders as business leaders carry.
We MUST deal with the problems and sensitivities that are raised among our members.
The Church has very little practice at this!
The standard reaction from the structured Church is to cite rules (which can be fickle) and expect the faithful to obey. End of story.
One of the strongest and most traditional hierarchies in the world is having trouble with this. Roman Catholic religious leaders are beginning to respond to world problems with their own sense of right. They are pledging their obedience to God more than to man. They have the attention of national media.
Hierarchical pronouncements carry far less weight and there is really no way in the modern world to stop it. But the Church will keep trying. They’ve been in this business a very long time!
They will be slower to realize what business is already recognizing.
The average church member increasingly expects his or her voice to be heard. Christians will be far less likely to accept “Because I’m the Father” reasoning when they start to weigh important decisions.
By the way, this is the topic of next Sunday’s Gospel. Read Luke 13:10-17. Compare Jesus reaction to the Church leaders who cited rules in response to his Sunday ministry.
This very same dialog is going on in today’s Church. And that’s a good thing. A godly thing.
More to the Story
There’s more to this story however. Denominations used to put a lot of money and effort into providing resources for their member churches. They expected their constituency to buy their publications and curriculums without question.
Congregations now have easy access to publications and services from an endless array of sources—many of them FREE!
Denominations will have to compete for market share. They will have to see their constituency as reaching beyond the faithful—who may be more faithful than loyal!.
Could be daunting!
Could be fun!