I had to make a pretty major change to our summer calendar this week. It was something I never really considered until I had to give it some serious thought, and we pulled the trigger.
As I thought about the leadership principle that drove the decision, I realized the decision itself is not something that applies to most leaders, and really probably doesn’t apply to most churches. But, there’s a larger principle that luckily provides a thought for the day: Context is key.
What works in Bronte may not work in the next town over. We have a unique culture. We are different from other communities, but other communities are unique and different as well.
Part of your role as a leader is to understand the context and culture where you are leading. What things are sacred cows in your community? What things are highly valued? What quirks exist?
Think of it like this: if you and I were to sit down for coffee and talk about your leadership journey, what would you feel like needs an explanation? What aspect of your surrounding might seem strange to me?
So, take some time today and evaluate the context where you are leading. If you serve a church, what barrier are you bumping up against that is a result of context and culture? If you lead outside the church, what obstacle are you facing today because of the unique context around you?
I am not saying that we have to accept the context around us as being unchangeable, but sometimes accepting reality is the first step to making a change.
This is really good. I remember moving from a small town church to & larger city church. On a Wednesday night in the small town I could pass the word that we would have pizza on a Wednesday night. Easily 100 to 120 students would show up. The larger city it didn’t make a lot of difference. There are so many options on a Wednesday night from sports, to jobs, school meetings, etc, it really want a draw.