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Explorer Archives
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EXPLORER...field notes for the emerging church
An e-publication of Leadership Network
Number 61, July 12, 2002
IN THIS ISSUE...
Chrome and the innovative Church:
So, LN created Learning Adventures for these advanced, pioneering leaders. Learning Adventures address problems facing church leaders using best practices from a totally different field, such as management or sports. At the end, there is plenty of time for theological reflection and discussion - what did we learn that we will use and what did we see that is "corporate" but should not be applied to "church."
This May, it was motorcycles. The "best practice" was Forbes 2001 Company of the Year "Harley Davidson." The problem we were addressing was, "How do you build new leaders when your current raving fans are so excited about what you are doing now, they don't let the leaders of the future create changes?"
We were drawn to Harley-Davidson because they have "raving fans" - perhaps even a "cult" of leather and dew-rag wearing fans. They sell every bike they make for the US market every year. But several years ago they realized the age of their customer was increasing every year. They were not doing a good job of reaching new generations or women. Yet, that supposedly had changed in the last few years. So, we showed up in May, skeptical but grinning at the Kansas City plant that assembles several motorcycles, including the new V-Rod. We listened to several company leaders, toured the factory, and walked around a successful dealership in the area and learned the difference between a "Fat Boy" and a "Road King."
Women Harley Riders - "I am NOT a backrest"
The numbers of younger riders and women riders added to the Harley-Davidson family in the last few years is impressive. This was not by accident. The company started by asking the question: "What barriers of entry are keeping this new group of riders from buying motorcycles?" The answer for them was that these groups did not know how to ride.
So a rider training program was developed called the "Rider's Edge Program." They hired younger leaders to design and implement it. Many of the program developers were women who were initially inexperienced at motorcycling. They created a learning experience for potential new motorcycle riders that helps these students learn the basics of not only riding but familiarizing themselves with the dealer, the mechanics, as well as the lifestyle of motorcycling.
As a result, this weekend, in cities throughout the US, you will find parking lots full of biker "wannabees" riding a lighter bike in the Harley family called the Buell. The Buell brand also has some new technologically advanced "sports" bikes for younger riders who value speed and performance. "No pressure, let me show you how this works." "It's OK to be afraid at first, I sometimes still feel that way." "Let me tell you a story about the time when I...."
On the last day of the Harley-Davidson Learning Adventure we asked church leaders these questions:
- What barriers of entry do you have in your church?
- How can these be turned into opportunities?
The answers they found in themselves after seeing Harley's example surprised all of us. Many are working on their solutions even as you read this.
Are you fake by accident, or on purpose, and why does that matter?
Another question that opened up for us was the issue of community and authenticity. Those who fully imbibe the Harley-Davidson experience often ride every weekend in a pack of friends; have a "second-home" at the Harley dealership discussing chrome, and even tattoo the Harley-Davidson logo on their bodies. If you see them on Wednesday, they look and talk about the same as they look and talk on Saturday morning.
In contrast, there are many, many more Harley-Davidson owners who rarely start their bikes. Many of them only wear leather on weekends - sort of like a costume. They may envision themselves as tough-guy road warriors, but in reality, they are Dockers-wearing weekend garage watchers (opinion of the editor, does not reflect management, see address below to register complaints). Jim Gilmore, the author of The Experience Economy, who is working on a new book that explores issues of authenticity, led us through a fascinating discussion that provided insight into the variety Harley experiences, and much embarrassing conviction about the experiences we are creating in our own churches.
His framework included a four quadrant chart detailed below.
His thesis is that there are elements of experiences that fit into these categories. In the upper quadrants, "Real" is defined as being true to what it says it is. In the lower quadrants "Fake" is not being true to what it says it is. In the first column the word "fake" means that it is not true to itself, while in the second column "real" means that it is true to itself.
As we toured Harley, Jim wanted us to ask the question: How REAL is this?
For example - even though Harley-Davidson calls itself a "motor" company, what they really are selling is a unique lifestyle experience. Sure there is a motor attached to it, but the Harley lifestyle is much more than a bike. In this instance it is "Fake-Real."
After this, we asked the church leader participants: Where do the components of your church fit into this framework? What is really REAL in your church?
The discussion involved some loud, biker-like conversation:- We are called a "church," but for many we look like "a building and a Sunday morning program." Are we what we say we are?
- What "attitude and behavioral" costumes do we unwittingly encourage people to wear on Sunday?
- What is our equivalent of people who see themselves as rough and tough Christ-follower but in reality they are "church watchers." What do we do that might accidentally encourage them to have a "fake" self-perception?
- Think about your "raving fans." Is what they are so excited about more "real" or more "fake." So why don't they tattoo our CHURCH logo on their bodies?
There is much about this learning adventure that we can't capture in Explorer. However, Carol Childress is compiling a magnificent set of notes that you will be able to access at www.leadnet.org in the near future. Also, Dave Travis is designing new learning adventures and would love to hear if you have some input on how your church is responding to these questions at dave.travis@leadnet.org. Please send complaints about the "Dockers" comment to Brad Smith at explorer@leadnet.org.
We would like to thank the Harley-Davidson Motor Company, The Kansas City Plant and the Worth Family of Dealerships for their help in this experience. We also want to thank Jerry Wilke, Sue Laubenheimer, Jenne Meyer, Karl Eberle, Gail Worth, Roger Fleener and our friend Jim Gilmore for helping in this experience. They were fantastic learning adventure leaders for all of us and they became great friends during the experience.
Harley-Davidson Learning Maps
Learning Maps are a unique way to synthesize many streams of complex ideas and dialogue into a single, graphically-based training tool. Tom McGehee has drawn a learning map for each of the six sessions at the Harley-Davidson Learning Adventure and posted them at www.leadnet.org/lcn/imagemaps.asp.
LN Recommends:
Jim Gilmore's web site is: www.customization.com
The Official Harley-Davidson Motor Company site is: www.harley-davidson.com.
September 16 - 19, 2002 Large Church Forums
Leadership Network is holding a large church team forum on September 16-19,2002, at Wooddale Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. To make sure everyone on your team has a place to learn, there will be 23 forum groups for churches of 1000+ and 3000+ in average weekend attendance. Church leaders have consistently told us that these FORUMS are their best place to:- Meet other leaders of pioneering large churches who are facing almost identical challenges.
- Work up a learning sweat after they had written off church conferences (unlike conferences, forums require active conversation - no "take out your pen and turn off your brain" allowed)
- Bring a team for a fresh shot of ideas and late-night conversations to propel your church to new levels of vision.
To make your learning muscles hurt even more, in addition to the forums, the week will begin with five fast-paced advanced 24 hour BREIFINGS for churches who are:- Updating and building new COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION ministries
- Developing MULT-SITE WEEKEND SERVICE
- Exploring the emerging new strategies for church-wide STEWARDSHIP
- Proactively helping GOVERNING BOARDS stay ahead of common problems of being overwhelmed in the busy-ness of leading a fast-growing church
- Looking at the new world-wide trends in MISSIONS.
Go to the following link www.leadnet.org/store/Events.asp?sort=bydate to obtain additional information about each event and registration.
About Explorer
Explorer is published once a month. It is intended to provide a quick read of what the scouts (staff, partners, and participants including the readership of this e-letter) are finding as they look for where God is causing innovation in the North American church. Explorer was created for church leaders who wanted to vicariously visit other churches, focus their reading outside their own discipline, and reflect on how larger trends in the culture might affect their church. Please send any comments, ideas about innovative practices or resources, or even article contributions to explorer@leadnet.org.
We also have two other email publications:
- Into Action. Best practices and tools of innovative churches
- Church Champs Update. A bi-weekly trend and idea update for teaching churches, consultants and advanced leaders.
To subscribe to these, visit www.enn0.com/i.cfm?DID=202358&UID=45540876&MID=244213 and click the "Sign Up" button in the left-hand navigation bar.
If you find EXPLORER useful, forward it to your friends.
Brad Smith, editor
P.S. You may complain about the "Dockers-wearing garage-watchers" or any of the tattoo related comments to "Brad" at the email address: explorer@leadnet.org using an appropriate Christ-like salutation in the subject line.
Leadership Network
Advance Scouts for the Emerging Church.
www.leadnet.org
800.765.5323
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