Just last week I attempted the impossible, teaching my 4 year old Lillie how to ride her bike without training wheels. Even though you the reader and I the parent know that it is entirely possible to ride without training wheels, my daughter does not. So after 10 attempts, and many more than 10 tears, the wheels went back on. To understand why we are here at the young age of four you have to look at my family dynamics. Lillie has 2 older siblings and one younger sister. We have taken up riding our bikes in the afternoon to the park. I pull the youngest in a bike wagon so the older siblings can ride ahead on their bigger training wheel free bikes. Lillie and I lag behind because the training wheels that hold her upright also slow her down by adding extra friction. While she sees them as necessary to being able to ride, I see them as something that is keeping her from riding up to her full potential.
Some churches I visit are just like Lillie. They are using out dated processes and software for ministry. When they first got this software they thought it was terrific. Previous to their current software they were completely manual with filing cabinets full of paperwork. For Lillie, these were her walking days and she will tell you that riding with training wheels is much better than walking. Then along comes Dad, the Senior Pastor, Executive Pastor, or just someone on staff and tells you that there really is a better way. They have heard of and seen in action this new product that will take their ministry to the next level and they are FIRED UP! You would think at this point that the staff would all jump up and down and scream hallelujah! But you forget fear, probably because you know that “Fear Not” is in the bible 51 times. Fear of the unknown, fear of not being able to learn a new product, fear of being obsolete because these tedious duties in the old system is the only reason you think they keep you on staff. I have implemented Fellowship One at over 90 churches now and I can say that no one has lost their jobs because of Fellowship One.
Once the training wheels have been removed and Fellowship One is in full force everyone is riding full speed ahead with the wind in their hair and nothing slowing them down. That would be nice if it were true. Sure there are the people who were born with a computer in their hand and a pocket protector for a bib, but most people have to work to learn. I would say there is at least a 2-3 week process to become proficient at Fellowship One. It was at this point in the process when I met an amazing Senior Pastor at a church in Houston. He pulled the staff together because he had heard some of the grumbling. He launched into a sermon on Moses and the Israelites. While listening to this impromptu sermon I was quietly thinking to myself “where is he going with this?” That is when he hit us with how the staff was acting like the children of Israel. Moses had taken them out of captivity where they were being brutalized and forced to make bricks. Shortly after being set free and while on the path to the promised land they decide that they would rather go back to being slaves and making bricks than continue on because the road was difficult. The senior pastor then said we will not go back to making bricks.
My approach to teaching my children how to ride a bike is similar to how I approach implementations at most of my churches. It would be impossible for me to teach all 4 of my children to ride a bike at the same time. Each needs special attention because they are unique. Each ministry needs special attention because it is unique. This also allows the Fellowship One Champion time to address any issues the new group might have with process changes unique to their situation. I usually say it will take up to 6 months for the entire church to fully utilize Fellowship One. This is not to say that day one they are not all using Fellowship One to some extent. The key element to successfully implementing Fellowship One and learning to ride a bike is prayer. I pray for my kid’s safety almost every night I tuck them in. I pray for my churches implementation and success almost every implementation.