I once heard someone say that joy is one of the most punk rock attributes a person can have. That it rebels against the world\u2019s system. That it is the ultimate alternative to the cynicism we are so easily sucked into.<\/p>\n
When I was reading Cascades by Greg Satell I couldn\u2019t stop thinking about that statement. Satell told the story of the Serbian resistance group Otpor, and their penchant for satire and fun as part of the attraction of their movement[1]<\/a>, and he shared the winsome way Polish people protested by taking their TVs on a walk when the state-sponsored news propaganda came on.[2]<\/a> He weaves this theme of joy as an agent of change throughout the book.<\/p>\n One of the principles of transformational change is pulling in people who are not already faithful followers towards the cause, and not pushing them away by setting too high a bar of participation. Joy is one way of accomplishing that.<\/p>\n I also thought a lot about small groups while reading this book. Repeatedly, Satell states that \u201csmall groups, loosely connected, united by a common purpose\u201d[3]<\/a> are essential for creating and sustaining transformational change. And he gives many examples of this principle, from revolutionary movements, to organizational leadership, to Rick Warren and Saddleback church, and more.<\/p>\n I started wondering what could happen when we intentionally mash up the two: Joy, and small groups.<\/p>\n Because I think for there to be change in and through the church, there must be both.<\/p>\n A growing congregation may bring all kinds of diverse people together through its primary gatherings. At least in the church I lead, the participation advantage[4]<\/a> is that there is a very low bar to attending our weekend services. We believe the gospel is actually<\/em><\/strong> good news that can bring great joy for all people (Luke 2:10). While elements of that message<\/em> can and will offend (Gal 5:11), we<\/em> do all we can to not be offensive in sharing it.<\/p>\n There are people in every stage of their spiritual journey who are with us on a Sunday, and our job is to help them encounter Jesus, who loves them and came to bring abundant life, and to keep providing clarity about how they can take the next step in their relationship with Him, not push them away for not doing so on our timeline.<\/p>\n Satell writes, \u201cClearly, deep commitment is essential for any change effort, however before you have commitment, you must have participation.\u201d[5]<\/a><\/p>\n Some churches have high barriers to participation: In those churches deep commitment\u2014as evidenced by getting in line with the rules\u2014is the step that opens the door to participation. Other churches like ours who have a low bar to participation struggle sometimes with helping people move from participation to deep commitment (or, discipleship). And that\u2019s where small groups come in.<\/p>\n Small groups, whether short term classes and home bible studies, or long-term life-groups, are often the lifeblood of a healthy church of over 200. Once people truly connect to a group, they very often become more connected to the cause of the church. But the barrier to participation in small groups is much higher than attending a Sunday service: Small groups are where accountability, growth, and a deeper understanding and commitment to the cause of the gospel happens.<\/p>\n As I read between the lines, there was so much gold in this book for my context, including, but not limited to, how (and why) to inspire participation from new attenders and new believers; how to discover keystone changes that impact everything else (this reminded me of Patrick Lencioni\u2019s call for organizations to adopt a \u201crallying cry\u201d every season[6]<\/a>); and how to get movement-wide buy in on values. This last point is where it all came together for me.<\/p>\n I started to wonder how we can infuse the value of joy in our small groups. Certainly, there are other values we will want to teach in and through those groups, but I think joy can be a non-negotiable part of each of our classes, studies, and groups. And I think the leaders of those groups can be trained to look for creative, winsome, and sometimes even irreverent (not towards God but towards ourselves) expressions of life together.<\/p>\n The model I have in my head is my peer groups time in Cape Town. We spent a whole day together having fun, goofing off, having new experiences, and talking deeply. It was joyful. And it quickly integrated us into each other\u2019s lives and into the program. That day, more than anything else, solidified my commitment to this program.<\/p>\n So, I wonder if joy was a huge value in our groups, whether the bar for participation in the groups would be eased for more people to want to join the movement of The Church On The Way that is making a difference in Los Angeles, and the world?<\/p>\n Lastly, in the spirit of not having a backstage life with you all, I\u2019ll end the semester with a confession that there was one more gratuitous reference in my post: The person I heard talk about joy being a true punk-rock value? Bono.<\/p>\n Thank you, and goodnight.<\/p>\n \n \n [1]<\/a> Greg Satell, Cascades: How to Create a Movement That Drives Transformational Change <\/em>(New York: McGraw Hill Education, 2019), 9.<\/p>\n [2]<\/a> Satell, Cascades, 195.<\/p>\n [3]<\/a> Ibid., 19.<\/p>\n