We can overanalyze church. I’m prone to solve problems that haven’t even become problems yet. My pastor constantly has to rein me in and back on task.
In fact, I was about to write a blog post about helping singles connect during the service. I was going to “solve the problem” of single people having to sit alone in church. This comes out of a love for singles and for people, but over analysis means over controlling. And it’s not our jobs to keep everything under our control.
“Organic” is an overused word in church leadership. But it’s a very good word. We need to allow room for the organic in our churches. Organic means life. Life is all about letting people solve their own problems. Let people find their own solutions. Otherwise we run the risk of becoming nothing more than a well-oiled machine. And church is not meant to be a machine.
So next time you find yourself trying to solve all your congregation’s problems, take a step back. Is this a problem that actually needs solving? Or are you trying to over-manage your church? Are you controlling the life out of your organization?
Do you struggle with church narcissism? Are you tempted to overanalyze problems at your church?
Good stuff! Can’t even count how many times I have gotten myself into a mess by trying to solver others problems when I should have just minded my own business. Not to mention the fact that my wife often tells me, “I don’t want you to offer a solution, I just want to know that you care!”
Guys do tend to want to solve all problems.