“Last time I hired you, it was for all the wrong reasons. This time, I absolutely wanted you for the right ones.” Rebecca to Ted Lasso, Season 4
Every organization has a culture and I’ve been obsessed with the culture of religious institutions for a long time. Although it’s usually the Head of Staff, the CEO, the President, or the Chief of an organization who sets the culture for an organization, I’ve seen powerful culture shifters among – in a church context – a single elder, a Christian educator, an organist, or an Associate Pastor.
I’ve witnesses church cultures in which:
- There was no energy (because the lead pastor had no energy)
- Everybody walked on eggshells (because the church bullies might unexpectedly explode if they don’t get their way )
- Office doors were rarely left open (because the staff didn’t speak to each other)
- Door slamming was the norm (because everybody was angry)
- People loved “coming to church” (because the leaders were clear about the mission and the mission was lifechanging)
- Staff members regularly help each other when somebody’s plate is too full (because they were a team more interested in building the Kingdom than tending to egos)
- Generosity was the standard (because people saw the concrete difference their generosity made)
Many of our congregations are hiring/calling new leaders these days. For the love of God please hire/call them for the right reasons (vision, energy, imagination, joyfulness, collaboration) and don’t hire them for the wrong reasons (appearance, special relationship with a church member, pedigree, resume, in order to sabotage the mission.)
Rebecca hired Ted originally to sabotage the mission. She hired him the second time for his ability to create a life-giving culture. We can still learn from Ted Lasso in Season Four.
A Church for Starving Artists 