Here’s the principle: Whatever an organization or organism is actually producing, that’s what it’s optimized for.
Some options:
- We can optimize for the delivery of religious products and programs
- We can optimize to minimize the complaints of stakeholders
- We can optimize for the job security and financial well-being of the lead pastor (concealed as concern for the financial well-being of the church)
- We can optimize for coolness, for acceptability in the larger culture, or for status in the church world
At least those are some of the options I have considered and perhaps even temporarily embraced in my leadership.
What is the church you are a part of optimized for?
If we are optimized for something other than making disciples, and if disciples aren’t being made, we’re likely facing a situation where things don’t just need to be “tweaked” a little…