Values Shape Culture

Dear Pastors

Values Shape Culture

If its true that “culture eats strategy for breakfast” (Peter Drucker) as I noted last week then it may be profitable to consider this topic some more.

Values describe the desired organisational culture you want to create. As Coca-Cola puts it, they serve as a behavioural compass. Coke’s values include having the courage to shape a better future, leveraging collective genius, being real, and being accountable and committed. Google’s core values include ‘Focus on the user and all else will follow, Fast is better than slow, Democracy on the web works, You can make money without doing evil, There's always more information out there, and great just isn't good enough’. Values determine the culture of your organisation. Values state what is valuable to you, the things that really matter. Values are about those things you will die for.

To be clear when Drucker said this now famous statement he didn't mean that vision and strategy are unimportant – rather that a powerful and empowering culture was a surer route to organisational success.

I thought today I would share three (out of 6) core values¹ that I ran with when pastoring a local church and would again if I was in that role today.

1. You are accepted here. This value is about how we will view everyone and anyone that visits our church. In other words modelled on the life of Jesus we accept you as you are regardless of your past, your socio-economic background, your current lifestyle or the sins you committed this week.
   Explainer. There are no perfect people here. This doesn’t mean we necessarily condone everything you do but we will accept you as a person made in the image of God. Further, if it is known to us that you have a personal problem that puts you and others at risk we will put some measures in place that will keep us all safe.
2. We love your kids. This value is about how we view children, teens and family life.
   Explainer. Children and teenagers are a part of todays church and they are the leaders of tomorrow’s church. On that basis we will provide age appropriate high quality programming so that all children will receive excellent biblical teaching, have fun and make life long friends. If we spend money on upgrading our rooms and facilities we will consider the spaces the kids meet in equally to the spaces the adults meet in.
3. Big decisions are made by competent people. This value is about good stewardship of the resources God has entrusted to us.
   Explainer. Churches are not known as places where the big and complex problems are tackled by competent people. Somehow in churches people can quickly assume everyone is an expert therefore everyone can say. That results (very often but not always) in sub-par problem solving and decision making. It certainly results in convoluted decision making processes. Here at XYZ Church we believe in transparency and open communication of all matters pertaining to our church but leaving the ultimate responsibility for the big decisions with those who are competent. In other words we will strive to have the right people at the decision making table.

Note: This was a particularly ‘controversial’ value in a Baptist Church where typically ‘Congregational Government’ is still to this day a strong value and intrinsic part of denominational polity. To this end I had to spend extra time carefully explaining this value to allay people’s fears that I was not introducing an autocracy. I also had a separate paper that outlined exactly how (the process) big decisions will be made².

So if you showed up at this church you should observe and experience a diverse group of people gathered together including some pretty rough looking individuals, where people are warmly welcomed and accepted (but not gushy) and there are heaps of excited kids because they just can’t wait to get to their programme and hang with their friends. You will see older teens actively involved in serving you and If you stay around a while you will (hopefully) notice that everyone loves this church, are well led, and feel both happy and confident toward the pastor(s) and elder board especially in their decision making ability.

Blessings
Alan
¹ My other three core values were around 4) Everyone is a minister….I know it is cliché but so important, 5) the priority of reaching people far away from God, and 6) the role of music.
² I have an updated version of this paper available on request. Just ‘hit’ reply.