like a fire

According to Seth Godin, people associate themselves in Tribes. He lists several a lot characteristics that make tribes sticky to others. I don’t think tribes have to have all of these qualities, but here are some that are most common in church:

Invent rituals
How you speak and the daily rituals build connection. From the sacraments, to liturgy, to daily prayers, the church has this covered.

Create a goal
Define something people want to rally around achieving. For the church, usually evangelism, but individual churches have centered on other things like worship, missions, etc.

Build the Story of the Tribe. Set the Vision
The diversity of the Bible incorporates enough story into every person who participates.

Identify the shared values that unite the tribe
Christianity has been the basis for morality for so many years it is taken for granted. This is breaking down in the past couple of decades.

Educate
Some consider it the main mission of the church. I would say, to its fault.

Invent language

Great corporations have their own lingo, and the church is no exception. From “are you washed in the blood” to “saved” to “missional” there is no lack here.

Give Peoples’ Lives Meaning

One thing that the church has always strived to do is provide a reason for all.

Have ‘particular’ experiences together

Activities that become ‘rites of passage’ that members experience together, whether it’s worship, meeting at Panera or just praying together..

Have a Common Enemy
Yup Satan, but also other religions and sometimes just people who are different.
These are just some of the qualities that are listed among successful tribes. I wonder, looking at the list, how many of these were intentional for the church, especially the early church. The rituals, the common enemy and giving life meaning seem to be inherent in faith. All of these things are fairly consistent within the church.

I would say that most of the other qualities seem to have developed over time. Setting goals, “casting” vision (I always wondered why it was cast. Cast away, cast like catching a fish?), sharing experiences, inventing language seem to have become a part of church through culture, though I think you can make a case for each of them being inherent in the early scriptures.

What this means for those who follow the tribes ideology, is that the church is and has become a natural tribe that gathers people and gives them a sense of belonging. What it also means is that the church can’t rest in these qualities if it wants to thrive. There are too many other tribes out there these days for the church to not consider what it does and how that affects the people who make up the church.

I just started reading Tribes after watching the latest presentation by Seth Godin over here. I have been a big fan of his since Hash over at White African turned me onto him. His book, The Ideavirus, changed the way I look at evangelism forever. This book is about something completely different and yet very close to the idea.

According to Seth, the days of interruption marketing are long dead, and even the days of word of mouth and viral marketing. What he describes in the book is the idea that people associate themselves with group based on affinities. That is, they hang out with people who do like things. Their association becomes a tribe that has its own rules and language. They develop a macro-culture based on their shared experiences. Evidence of this is everywhere from Trekkies, to swing dancers, to the people who hang out in churches. It’s churches that I am thinking of.

What are churches doing that makes them like this phenomenon that Seth is showing? They are definitely associated by what they do, but some would say even more by what they are. They surely create a culture unto themselves, yet, at least in some regards, remain open to outsiders (not necessarily the mark of a tribe according to Godin). Certainly they have their own language and rules. But what about all of this is a good thing ro a bad thing. Is there anything we can learn from this that will help churches? I think there is and I plan to post some thoughts in the next few days or weeks as time allows.

If you are looking for a good read about culture and people management, check out Tribes.

I saw this video a while back and really was moved by it. It probably was the first time I considered Obama something more than just another candidate. It was so well done and provided such a different message that I was astounded. I immediately started researching Obama and what he stood for. What I found was startling. Obama was tied to this very fringe, extremely liberal church. Later, he would publicly distance himself from that affiliation.

I wondered about that. How could such a great message of hope come from that? I thought about how most of my friends would say that I am in a liberal church right now. The Anglican church I serve, is in no way liberal. They do try to hear people and love them as best we can. People from churches I have served would consider it liberal because a lot of people came from churches they would consider liberal. I guess what I am saying is that some of my friends would now consider me liberal and this post would probably confirm their wonderings.

I don’t think I am liberal. I will say that it has become obvious to me. I would rather be considered liberal if that means that I love people well, than be considered conservative and be limited to loving people the way I have been taught by some of my previous affiliations.

It is sad to me that Obama and Will.i.am have summarized in this video what I think the message of the church should be known for yet isn’t. It’s sad to me that a man who is considered extremely liberal can inspire more hope through this speech than the church has. It makes me want to get to know Obama and hear his story. Maybe, as some of my friends point out, he is just a good statesman and extremely smooth. Maybe the whole thing is just words. Probably people said the same thing about Jesus (not to equate the two). I just wonder about the whole ordeal. So I am really hoping that I see more of what made me like Obama.

I could follow this post with the things I don’t like about Obama, but there is no shortage on those posts from others I know, so I will refrain.

I have been astounded during the last months of this election. I think it was clarified watching a comedy bit that was a lot more truthful than it was funny. The interviewer in the bit went to both camps during their campaign rallies and the predominant feeling was one of fear. Both sides issued claims that if the other candidate one, it was pretty close to the end of the world, or the country at least. It was ridiculous.

And unfaithful.

Since the election has been over, I have heard more and more from Christians and Christian leaders about how God’s judgment is going to come down on the United States. REALLY??!?! Like it came down on Rwanda? Like it came down on Darfur? Can one guy in the right spot really cause that much trouble?

I just don’t think one man can do that. As a Christian, I don’t put my faith in what men can do anyway. Even if I did, there’s not much I can really do about it, except spread the fear. But Christians are not supposed to be people of fear. We are called to be people of Hope (isn’t that what Obama has been using as his platform?).

I don’t think either candidate would have been anybodies first pick. But that doesn’t really matter now. What can do is believe in God and ramain hopeful.

I hope that Barack, as our next president, can move people away from fear and towards hope. But I don’t think he can really do that. Maybe God will.

People of faith, please let go of your fear and through faith in the God we call sovereign have a little hope.

Kent Shaffer over at churchrelevance.com has an interesting article about the differences in teaching each gender of teens. According to the article, boys are more apt to hear and listen to a more matter of fact and stressing tone, while girls are more put off by that and prefer something less confrontational. Also, girls prefer 75 degrees in their environment and boys respond better to 69 degrees.

David Letterman, I hope this comes to your attention. Please turn up the thermostat!