Urban Idealist

How to Kill a Movement Part 2:  Demand Conformity in Methodology

When driving in your car, have you ever thought how many different ways there are to get to the place you are going? Sometimes I sit in my car nearly paralyzed because I’m strategizing the best way to get from point A to B. Sometimes I take off in the direction I think will be the fastest just to get stuck in traffic. Or other times it’ll end up taking way longer than I thought. But if I just keep on driving, I get there eventually.

Movement thinking is a lot like this…and so is the art of church planting. There are many ways to get to the same place. There are many ways to make a difference in the Kingdom. When we begin to believe that there is only one right way, we fool ourselves, especially when we are the author of THE way. There may be the fastest way under certain given circumstances, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only way for all of time. 

So, if you want to kill a movement, here are some ideas to building conformity that will help you on your way to nowhere:

1. Control the big box.

Trusting other leaders is the last thing you want to do. This will show them that you believe that God speaks to them…meaning not only you. So, if you start letting some people think outside of the big box you run the risk of losing all control. You don’t want that. You want to give people smaller boxes to think outside of, while you control the big box. He who controls the big box wins the battle of conformity. 

2. Make sure everybody knows the right way 

Forget the idea of values. Values schmalues. Rules are what you want. You want people to know clearly there is a right way and wrong way. And you want people to look to your rules to know what the difference is. You need to know what the right way is…but don’t be clear what that is because it’s fun to watch people squirm trying to figure it out. They just need to know that you know. And you are watching. Period.

3. Lastly, and most importantly, never admit failure.

In order for people to continue to trust your ways, you can never admit anything remotely close to failure. People can not lose faith in the system. There should be no room ever given to doubt the Master Plan. Even if you feel like the world is falling down around you…smile, use lots of Christian sounding words, and stick to the Master Plan. (I even recommend calling this the ‘Master’s Plan’ as that makes it sound cleverly spiritual.) Never, ever, ever do anything to make somebody think that there needs to be a solution, because, of course, there was never a problem with the Master Plan. Remember, smile…a lot. If somebody is not really looking, it can go a long way.

Ugh…Even though I laughed out loud typing this, I now feel sick as this goes against every fiber in my being. I really, really hope nobody read this and thought I was serious!