Everyone talked about moving to a digital future. Even Walter Cronkite back in 1967[1]showed the digital home of the 21st century[2]. While we laughed and scoffed at dear Walter, he really got a lot of it right.
But now, things are moving at warp speed, or faster. Things keep changing more rapidly. The pressure to keep up with technology and digital communications puts lots of pressure on small groups and their leaders.
You might be thinking that only large, well-financed churches and ministries have the money, time, and resources to adapt. That you need big bucks just to keep up. And that it will only take up more time from your already overwhelmed schedule. You can’t even imagine being ahead of the digital curve.
I would argue just the opposite. If you’re part of a smaller congregation, you have a greater chance of moving faster, and staying ahead of the pack. You have fewer people that need to be convinced. Less organizational baggage to respectfully moved aside, allowing you to lighten your load and move more rapidly.
Here are three digital classes for your Small Group Digital Academy.
Class 101 – Digital Proficiency.
This is the easiest skill to develop, that’s why it’s the 101 class. Learning how to use your phone, which app to use, which option to choose, which icon to touch, and which social platform to exploit is the easy part. Once you make a choice, you need to abandon the past and go all-in on what’s going to be used going forward. Don’t look back, only look forward and become skilled with the new.
Class 102 – Digital Bravery.
You’ll need more than skill to move forward digitally. You’ll need courage. While being humbly bold, you’ll need the strength of your convictions to leave the current and comfortable. There may be a better, easier way to do things. A more convenient, lower-cost way to communicate. And that will require you to be brave and move forward with change, even in the face of resistance.
Class 103 – Digital Practicality.
Don’t waste your precious time and energy looking for the absolutely perfect solution. Your biggest challenge is getting people to onboard and leverage it to the max. So, make it all about what’s easiest for people on the fringe to use. It’s always, always, always about adoption and less about what’s cool and on the cutting edge. Remember, it’s easy to get cut and bleed when you’re on the cutting edge.
And oh, by the way, there is a Master Class that you’ll need. It’s perhaps the most difficult skill imaginable. It’s hard. It’s demanding. It’s scary. But, when done well, it’ll give you and every one greater freedom and energy.
Master Class – Digital Intentionality.
Or, to put it another way, how to say no. No is the most important and underused tool on your leadership toolbelt. Saying no usually isn’t about right vs. wrong. When you say no correctly, you desire to choose something better. Since you can’t do everything, you’re looking toward the future by saying no to something that’s going to hold you back. It’s really about what’s better for everyone.
I recently has a situation within one of my small groups where saying no was the last option. The only option. One member wanted to solve a particular problem that they thought was holding back the entire church. And there was nothing short of their solution that was going to move them.
It didn’t matter that some people considered their solution invasive, or that it was going to create lots of work for someone else. They want their solution because that’s what they grew up with. And any answer, logic, reason, or observation wasn’t going to change their mind.
After listening patiently over a two-week period and trying to openly and graciously responds to their needs, I had run out of answers and patience. With loving concern, I looked at them and said, “We’ve known each other for a long time. We’re one in the body of Christ. We’re friends. So, I’m asking your permission to say something to you that might be difficult to accept. May I have your permission?
After receiving their permission, I continued. “I understand what you want, but I’m afraid that I’m going to have to disappoint you.”
My Paul Harvey Moment
Paul Harvey always ended his shows with, “And now you know the rest of the story.” Well, here’s my “rest of the story.” My heartfelt and open answers seemed to do it. The person actively participated in the rest of the small group discussion. Yes, they were disappointed, but they didn’t shut down for the rest of their time together. No resentment or anger was expressed. They moved on. I called them up during the week and it was a very friendly conversation. I gave them several openings to bring up the topic again, but they didn’t seem interested in it anymore,
This reminds me of Acts 6 when there was “complaining” and a “murmuring” within the young church. Rather than just keep trying the same old thing, the Twelve got everyone together and set up a plan. They assigned leaders and laid hands on them to take care of their need. The results were nothing short of astonishing.
So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
Acts 6:7
There were three direct results.
- Word of God spread – The living truth about the living word of the universe spread and grew. Jesus was lifted up through what was said by the disciples, and what was done by the average Christian.
- Number of disciples increased – Numbers are important because there is a soul behind every one of them. More people moved from hearers to people being disciplined in the faith. They grew in Jesus.
- Priests became obedient – In light of the change in people and their attitudes, even the hearts of the cynical religious professionals were melted. They put aside their religious traditions for living faith in Jesus.
I can’t think of a single church in this country that couldn’t use a little bit of these three results.
[1] https://youtu.be/V6DSu3IfRlo
[2] The 21st Century, March 12, 1967, CBS
