Computers

Yesterday I read that Microsoft might be coming out with Windows 8 sooner than anticipated.  My first thought was why?  They haven't got Windows 7 working right so why would they come out with a new version of Windows?  Maybe they've given up on Windows 7 and instead of fixing the problems with that version they are going straight to Windows 8.  Isn't that what they tried when they went from Vista to Windows 7?  How well did that work????  Over the past several years I've owned 10-12 computers, both desktop and laptops.  All have been Windows based, and most of them have been disappointing in some respects.  XP has been my favorite system so far by a long shot.   I bought a new computer with Vista just before Windows 7 was released.  Several months after the release I installed 7 on the computer, and both Vista and 7 have been major disappointments.  I can't even use any but one of my USB ports, and from the multitiude of complaints about that problem on the Internet it's a common problem with 7, and it's obvious that months later Microsoft still doesn't have a fix.  Don't even get me started with the problems I'm having with Microsoft Office, especially with Publisher.  So, instead of fixing their problems they are thinking about releasing a new system early so people can buy it.  My daughter-in-law recently bought a new Mac laptop, and I'm seriously thinking of taking the Mac plunge myself.

Why this rant about computers on a blog about bivocational ministry?  Microsoft's problems come when they rush to introduce something new before they have the bugs out of it, and I see the same thing happening in some churches.  For instance, a church decides it needs to have a contemporary worship service to attract younger people, and they announce that a month later they will begin the new service.  The problem is that they may not have the musicians with the talent to have such a service.  Or they may not have taken the time to consider what a contemporary service should look like in their situation.  In some churches I've attended they've printed off a booklet of 1970's praise songs and put them in the pew racks behind the pews.  In about a month they look like a stack of ragged papers that should be thrown into the trash.  I've sat in a number of "contemporary" worship services and wondered who the church hoped to reach with what I was experiencing.  They had great goals, but they didn't take the time to do it right.

I see the same thing happen sometimes when a church decides to start small groups.  Since the other churches in the town has small groups, and because the pastor read about small groups in one of his magazines, the church forms small groups.  Six months later these groups shut down.  Most of the pastors admit to me the small groups didn't work in their church because the church either wasn't prepared for small groups or because not enough planning went into the small groups before they began.  Either way, it leaves the church with the sense that small groups are not a good idea, and they will be reluctant to try them again in the future.

As I often tell church leaders in my workshops, small churches can accomplish more oftentimes by doing less.  Instead of trying to offer everything the other churches in your community offer, focus on just 2-3 things that your church can do with excellence.  Take the time to think through and pray through the new things you feel led to introduce into your church.  Make sure you have the people who can pull it off, and that they are on-board with your ideas.  Count the cost, and ensure you have the resources to pay the price.  Remove as many bugs in your idea as possible before launching anything new.  Doing these few things will ensure a better quality ministry that will have a much great impact on your community than jumping on the flavor-of-the-month every time a new magazine hits your office.