Commit to Consistency
This one doesn’t mean have every gathering look ezxactly the same. Far from it. We celebrate diversity and enjoy experimenting with new forms. So when I use consistent here I mean have the experience be consistent with what you described when you invited people to participate.
If you invite someone to a relaxed evening, don’t stress them out with rigid agendas and leading questions. If you’re hosting a training, make sure the purpose is clear, and get to the point. If you invited people to a workout, don’t serve donuts. Consistency matters. People need to trust that the invitation you’ve extended is genuine and one of the ways they subconsciously test if they can trust your message is is you’ve delivered reliably so far up to that moment. This isn’t perfection in every dimension of planning, but is a clear effort to deliver the sort of experience you invited them into.
Imagine showing up for what you thought was a casual hike, only to see the person who invited you has a full overnight backpack ready to go- I fear we sometimes do that to people with our invitations to a “chill night” that just so happens to be a DNA group with a group of strangers. Yeah, I’d rather go all night backpacking unprepared as well!
When our environment aligns with our purposes, we tend to feel at at ease and able to get past survival mode a lot quicker. A relaxed night is more relaxing when you aren’t waiting for a bait and switch sales moment. A focused training is more productive when everyone has their phone off and came with pre-work done.
Different kinds of gatherings weave together to form a fabric of a community over time and our hope is that we consistently lead these gatherings in a way that reflects the heart of Jesus to be with people where they are and invite them into an increased experience of his love and kingdom life.
Questions To Keep Processing
Which sort of meetings do each of your team leaders lead with more consistency?
Are there personal areas of growth that could lead to more consistentent execution of environments?
What are some experiences over the last six months where you feel as a team you led others into a coherent and consistent environment? Any where you know you missed that opportunity?
What is your current means of communicating what different environments for your community will be? Does it feel successful in setting expectations?