{"id":624,"date":"2013-10-17T21:52:46","date_gmt":"2013-10-17T21:52:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/beta.dminlgp.com\/?p=624"},"modified":"2014-08-13T22:02:05","modified_gmt":"2014-08-13T22:02:05","slug":"church-shopping-dont-let-the-door-hit-you-on-the-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/church-shopping-dont-let-the-door-hit-you-on-the-way\/","title":{"rendered":"Church Shopping – Don’t Let the Door hit you on the Way Out!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Exit and Voice are expressions of two ways to affect change within an organization.\u00a0 However, I tend to disagree with Hirschman in his book Exit, Voice, and Loyalty<\/em>.\u00a0 He states that within many organizations including churches, voice is almost the only way to be heard when dissatisfied with a situation (p. 76).\u00a0 Perhaps this highlights the age of the book or the reality years ago with smaller churches in rural communities.\u00a0 Today, few would argue that voice is the only viable method in church settings.<\/p>\n

In America, \u201cchurch shopping\u201d has become a Christian pastime!\u00a0 As I host a Q & A meeting each week after our church services, a phrase I often hear is \u201cwe\u2019re just church shopping and heard about KCC.\u201d\u00a0 These are Christians who were dissatisfied with their church and expressed their displeasure by leaving \u2013 exiting.\u00a0 Many times we don\u2019t even know it\u2019s happened until a call goes unanswered or we see an absence in an area of responsibility.\u00a0 Most times there is no consultation with a pastor, they just vote with their feet.<\/p>\n

Hirschman speaks of loyalty as a precursor to either of the exit options and if loyalty exists, generally voice is a first option.\u00a0 But then he continues by saying that when members are unsure of their voice altering the deterioration of the product (service) or when they realize there is little ability for influence, voice is replaced by exit.<\/p>\n

This is very common in large churches which are \u201cpastor driven\u201d and the lead pastor or a small leadership team or elder board makes the decisions.\u00a0 In these environments I empathize with those members that would like to be part of change but unable.\u00a0 If a small church experienced a downturn and just a few families or important givers suggested a needed change, there would generally be an ear to hear the complaints because of the threat of exit.\u00a0 And form that \u201cvoice\u201d potential alterations or changes may take place.\u00a0 But in a large church in which hundreds can leave without perceptual financial or leadership damage, voice is often overlooked or in extreme cases, scorned.<\/p>\n

I have even seen boycott used to exercise change \u2013 but only in small churches.\u00a0 Again, in a large church, a majority would have to threaten boycott of monies or leadership before their complaints or suggestions would be heard.<\/p>\n

Hirschman makes the most sense when speaking of Spatial Duopoly.\u00a0 He understands that most decisions and most changes for the better, or to increase quality, will please and displease some.\u00a0 When it is know that there will be happy and unhappy customers, or members, then the organization needs to reflect a decision that that will increase their quality or in economics, the bottom line.\u00a0 Hirschman speaks of the need of \u201cearning goodwill\u201d or reducing the hostility when contemplating a direction.\u00a0 Compromise can be built gauged by the strength of the discontent of either group.\u00a0 This balancing act can use voice as an instrument to determine the point in which the company will cease its plans for change.<\/p>\n

If a company or a church is experiencing decline, the most equitable response would be to be sensitive to both exit and voice.\u00a0 Sensitivity can be the key in church situations.\u00a0 Hirschman acknowledges that in many cases, allowing voice a place in the mix can be a valve to \u201clet off steam,\u201d and once that\u2019s done, the issues is resolved.\u00a0 As voice or exit can be used to help rectify a decline, the key would seem to be the sensitivity that we as leaders employ.\u00a0 When decline happens, dissatisfaction will occur.\u00a0 Members or stake holders have two options: to leave and exit or to voice complaints and suggestions.\u00a0 Both can or won\u2019t have an effect, depending on the reception of the power group.\u00a0 As leaders in churches, we can\u2019t eliminate either, but we can be sensitive to both and learn as people react to the organization.\u00a0 What shouldn\u2019t be said is, \u201cdon\u2019t let the door hit you on the way out!\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Exit and Voice are expressions of two ways to affect change within an organization.\u00a0 However, I tend to disagree with Hirschman in his book Exit, Voice, and Loyalty.\u00a0 He states that within many organizations including churches, voice is almost the only way to be heard when dissatisfied with a situation (p. 76).\u00a0 Perhaps this highlights […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[253,2,251,35],"class_list":["post-624","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-church","tag-dminlgp","tag-hirschman","tag-leadership","cohort-lgp3"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/624","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=624"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/624\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1958,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/624\/revisions\/1958"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=624"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=624"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=624"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}