Messy Networks

The older I get the more I realize that I need a network of people, agencies and institutions to get me through life in an imperfect world. Yet the give and take of networking that is so often messy and uncomfortable, remains essential.

Recently it happened again. I needed help. Help was available…eventually!

As I turned off the highway toward my evening appointment I noticed the temperature gauge in my car was registering on the high side of the dial. My routine service appointment earlier that day had told me everything checked out fine. Just as I determined to turn around my temperature light turned a bright red. A few minutes later I was parked on an access ramp ready for my network to kick in with much needed assistance.getting help requires a network of people

Since I pay for a previously unused membership in a roadside assistance program, I started my networking there. While the phone was still ringing three Good Samaritans and one police officer spontaneously joined my network. Unfortunately all they could do was confirm my diagnosis of an apparently ruptured radiator hose. They helped me push the car to a safer location on the highway shoulder. By this time I was in touch with my official network for roadside assistance, but one of the helpful strangers insisted on staying until help was on its way.

Networking became messy at this point. I touched the right buttons and responded to the verbal prompts to reach a real, live person to arrange my needed assistance.

After he determined that no one was in a life threatening situation we started our networking. “My car has overheated and I have an obvious radiator problem”, I explained. “Can you help me arrange for a tow truck?”

“I’m sorry you’ve had a problem. What kind of car are you driving?”

“It’s a small Oldsmobile. Can you help arrange towing?”

“Now what color is your car?”

At this point I was puzzled. How can the color of my vehicle be mission-critical to getting it towed to the garage?

The networking became even more difficult when I had to verify my location. Apparently the information form being completed on the other end of my call asked for landmarks and a visual description, along with the street location I had already given.

As we confirmed other details he kept coming back to the need for a landmark to pinpoint my location. It probably didn’t help that I responded in frustration “I’m at the intersection of US 60 and Missouri 25 near Dexter, Missouri just where the police car is driving away.”

Despite my obvious frustration and his obvious obligation to provide a complete description of location, help did arrive in a timely manner. The messy business of networking seemed a lot more worthwhile once the car was loaded up for delivery to the repair shop.

Networking within the church often becomes messy, too. It happens on the local level with competing preferences for programming and space. It happens on the national and international level with an almost endless list of concerns, missed opportunities or failures in communication.

I believe, however, that networking can be less messy if we follow 3 basic principles included in the Bible.

1. Talk with not about people. Jesus advises that when networking goes awry the first response should be to talk to the people involved (see Matthew 18:15).

2. Be realistic in expectations. Everyone cannot do everything. It seemed to me that my roadside assistance was taking entirely too long until I looked back to realize that my tow truck was on its way within about 20 minutes of my call and that it arrived on schedule.

3. Be patient with your network. Mind reading has become a lost art among denominational officials. Information flow to them often is very, very delayed. This often postpones the start of the response time. Generally, however, once the response process begins it proceeds rapidly.

Networking really is messy business. The more I network, however, the more I realize that a network can do together what could never be done alone.

How well does your network function? What steps do you take to insure your networking is optimized?  Click on ‘Leave A Comment’ at the top of this article to join the discussion!

Not Getting the Picture: 3 Ways Churches Confuse

By Franklin Dumond

William was confused by a new experienceAt 18 months old our grandson William recently spent one of his afternoons with us. We did all the usual stuff: playing outside chasing birds, playing inside with toys, and reading books. Then while I was preparing a healthy supper (Grandma had already baked cookies for him) William chose to color.

Grandma strapped him into his chair, pulled him up next to the kitchen table, and with crayons and markers in hand he began the creative process of coloring.

The vegetables were on and the meal was sizzling so I decided to listen to Garrison Keeler’s Prairie Home Companion. Often on Saturday evenings I listen to parts of this classic radio entertainment.

In our kitchen we have a replica radio that mimics those classic styles of cabinetry from the radio heyday of the 1930s and 40s. I switched it on just as a song concluded and one of the comedy routines began. William looked up from his coloring. He turned in the direction of the sound. He looked puzzled but turned back to his crayons. The sound changed again when the comedy routine concluded.William was confused by the radio He turned again toward the sound. He looked puzzled. Then Grandma figured it out. “There’s no picture!” she announced, “No wonder he is confused.” In our house, sound from a box had always been accompanied by a picture.

Because I spend a great deal of my time working with churches, William’s concern over a missing video component to the sound he was hearing causes me to wonder if a church ever puzzles first-time guests by what happens before, during or after worship services.

Here are three things I think become confusing:

1. While casual is the new norm for worship it is possible to become careless and even haphazard to the point of distraction. If casual becomes careless and haphazard it is likely that the newcomers and the old timers may conclude that the content is about as important as the level of attention it seems to be getting.

2. When technology is underused or misused it becomes confusing and puzzling to participants. I get especially concerned when spelling errors show up in song lyrics displayed on screen and when the technician uses a mirror image rather than a presenter’s view with the result that the audience sees every move of the mouse and every set up feature that is clicked.

3. Language that is dominated by code words or a religious vocabulary that goes unexplained is puzzling. E.S.A.T (enough said about that).

What do you think confuses newcomers and old timers in our worship?

How would you go about correcting these puzzles?  Click ‘Leave A Comment’ at the top of this article to join the conversation.

266,781 Miles…and Going Strong

By Dr. Franklin Dumond

My 2005 Chevy Silverado now has 266,781 miles logged in its lifetime of service to me.  It primarily lives in my driveway now and serves as reliable transportation inside town limits.  For several years it frequently hauled large boxes of training materials when I traveled around doing 2-3 day workshops.  Trailers loaded with supplies for the annual Mission & Ministry Summit were pulled with ease.

Even with almost 300,000 miles logged, this truck is still going strong.

Even with almost 300,000 miles logged, this truck is still going strong.

All in all my tan truck has held up well to the rigors of life on the open road.  It boasts a dented rear fender where a branch blown from a maple tree in the front yard was tossed down the driveway.  A couple of winters ago my wife accidentally struck Rudolph as she was driving one December evening.  He limped off in the darkness so Christmas was not cancelled, but the truck was left with a front bumper that is sort of twisted on the driver’s side.  Because of the low retail value of the vehicle I have determined not to spend a great deal on cosmetic repairs.

One snowy afternoon I thought the windshield wipers sounded funny as they slapped against the snow.  I assumed the frozen accumulations were temporarily impairing normal operations.  From the corner of my eye it also appeared that the passenger side wiper was out of time with the driver side.

As I parked in my driveway I decided to work smarter rather than harder to clear the ice and slush from my wipers.  I pushed the switch to spray fluid on the windshield and turned my wipers on high speed.  I thought by melting the slush and ice I could then use my rapidly waving wipers to toss it aside.

My passenger side wiper made one slow, feeble pass and then simply fell asleep at the base of my windshield.  Remembering my vow to not spend money on my truck unnecessarily, I wondered if it would be practical, or even legal, to operate with only one wiper.

A quick Google search and a couple of e-how articles later I discovered that a flat screwdriver to remove the cover of the mounting bolt and a 13 mm wrench quickly solved my problem.  With the mounting nut securely tightened I now had the luxury of two functional windshield wipers.  This worked so well that a few days later I even pre-emptively tightened the mounting bolt on my driver’s side wiper.

It really is amazing what a little corrective maintenance can do to restore a 266,781-mile truck into working order.  Churches can be that way.  Life cycles can be reversed and new life discovered.  Here’s a short list of those corrective maintenance issues that probably need attention in every church whether that church is new or well-established.

1. Dust and clutter will show up again and again unless some attention is given.

2. Signage, both indoor and outdoors, needs to be obvious if we expect new folks to find their way around.

3. Code language that uses specialized terms or abbreviations must be avoided if we expect new folks to understand what we are doing.

4. Contact information on the church sign, the weekly bulletin and the church web site must be current.

What do you think?  What routine corrective maintenance would you suggest for new or established churches?
Click the ‘Leave a Comment’ button at the top of this article and share your experiences.