Yesterday’s book: The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. (I know, I know, the book is 9 years old, and I’m so far behind. Ask TK about my ‘discovery’ of The Master Plan of Evangelism.)
This book is insanely interesting. If you are trying to see something (a belief, a product, a movement) take root, Gladwell has some very helpful information for you. He talks about Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen (all necessary people in translating messages to the masses), and gives characteristics of epidemic movements that have swept across huge groups of people.
As I think from a church context, essentially all of this information is important. While the idea of ‘selling’ Christianity makes my skin crawl, it is clear that we, as churches, need to be well aware of how to make our message ‘sticky’ in the midst of all the other messages clamoring for people’s attention.
One of the things that really has me thinking is the rule of 150. This is a rule that has been observed in countless studies and organizations. The rule of 150 is, simply, that people function and relate best when they are in groups of 150 or less. Our social capacity reaches its limit at 150 relationships; beyond 150, it’s hard to know people, to know how they fit in the social network. However, when we are in groups of 150 or less, we are able to
know [everyone in the group] well enough to know what they know, and know them well enough so that you can trust them to know the things in their speciality. It’s the re-creation, on an organization-wide level, of the kind of intimacy and trust that exists in a family.
This makes sense to me. And when I think about a church family, I think this is ideally how we would want to function: to know people well enough to know what they are able to do, to know what their gifts are, and to trust people to use their gifts and take leadership in the areas they are passionate about. When church families are bigger than 150, it becomes very difficult to know people well enough to know their gifts, their passions, and what steps of leadership they are ready to take. And so the leadership of the church stagnates, as the same people hold positions for far too long (because they don’t trust people to step up). Or, the leadership opportunities are passed around within a small group of the ‘insiders’ – people who are close to the core, who are known well enough to be trusted.
Now. I’m not staying no church should ever be bigger than 150. Not at all.
But I am asking the question: how to we intentionally create communities that are 150 or less within churches?
I know the obvious answer: small groups. And maybe it really is as simple as that.
But I think there is more to it. There needs to be a way that the leadership of churches is able to maintain connection down to the grassroots level, so that as people are joining our churches, meeting Jesus, and becoming committed disciples, they are able to move into leadership. We have to know them and trust them for that to happen. We can’t just create a system of small groups, shove people into them, and then be content that they have a ‘community.’ Church leadership needs to maintain a pulse on these groups.
How do we do that? I think the answer is in well structured, well coached small group communities. Gosh that sort of connection and investment has to be so intentional…
- small group leaders have to work to really know their small group members
- the overseer(s) or coach(es) over small groups need to be intentional to stay connected with the small group leaders, shepherding their hearts, and also asking questions about the development and gifting of the members of the groups
- the pastor needs to cultivate relationships of trust with those overseers or coaches. Not only to encourage and shepherd them, but also keep a pulse on the health of the groups, on the people who are developing, and on the leaders who are currently developing.
The rule of 150. How are you going to implement better strategies so that people are really known and trusted to the point of being empowered in your church?
