Every computer has an operating system, the software that enables your computer to perform all the tasks you take for granted like searching the internet, playing games, and checking email. You don’t notice it and may not be able to name it, but you depend on that operating system every day.
Similarly, every church has an operating system. It may not be defined or documented, but everything in your church from the nursery to the preaching ministry is impacted by the operating system. Once you realize this, it becomes important to create an operating system that leads to a healthy, functioning church.
I remember being frustrated when I began implementing an operating system in the business where I worked. I was introduced to the Entrepreneurial Operating System, which is a set of simple and practical tools designed to help organizations execute their vision for the future. It is a people-operating system, a way to harmonize and orchestrate all of the moving parts that often feel like chaos.
The frustrations that I was feeling in business were the same frustrations that I had felt for over 20 years serving as an elder, staff member, and pastor of the church. Churches experience the same frustrations as businesses because churches exist in the same broken world and are made of the same broken people. The church needs an operating system too.
As I started to implement an operating system in my work running operations for a manufacturing company, my frustration transformed into hopeful excitement. As we clarified our vision and began to execute that vision, our teams became healthier. I couldn’t wait to apply this in our local church.
I started to see how operating systems could help the church fulfill her mission in the world, to join God in his mission to fill the earth with disciples of Jesus who proclaim his glory and grace. When a church has a healthy operating system, everyone knows where the church is headed and their roles in helping reach the goal.
Although applying an operating system has helped in many ways, here are two of the biggest benefits I have seen.
An operating system provides vision clarity.
While the universal church has the same overall calling to make disciples, each local church has particular ways they are doing so. The mistake that many churches make is to try to be all things to all people.
In his book, “Good to Great,” Jim Collins says, “A great company is much more likely to die of indigestion from too much opportunity than starvation from too little. The challenge becomes not opportunity creation, but opportunity selection.”
The same is true of the church. A clear vision allows a local church to make decisions that focus energy and maximize resources.
A clear vision also promotes unity. In Psalm 133:1 David proclaims, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” Unity is beautiful, but the church, like many organizations, struggles to establish and maintain unity. Too often churches find themselves distracted with politics and infighting because of the many individual “visions” that members bring to the table.
A clearly defined vision keeps everyone aligned, working toward a common goal, promoting peace among the leaders and members. A clear vision minimizes distraction and focuses energy towards a singular focus.
An operating system establishes and promotes health.
For a church to realize its vision, it must be healthy. Paul repeatedly encourages the church to live and serve together as one healthy body. Connected to Jesus the Head, the church is “joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly,” which makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love (Ephesians 4:16).
It is no coincidence that Paul uses the human body as an illustration. God created the body as a system. The system is healthy when the multiple connected parts are working together. An operating system helps define the structure of the organization and how each of the parts works together properly.
An operating system assigns roles and responsibilities so everyone knows what they need to do to be healthy and productive. When roles and responsibilities are clear, each person understands where they fit and what is required of them to be successful in their work.
One of the most loving things we can do as a church is to clearly define and communicate what each part of the local church body is, and what it must do to be healthy. This is especially true for volunteers. When we are asking someone to give their precious time and energy to serve, we must communicate exactly what is expected and how to be successful in their work.
Too often churches desperate for volunteers settle for anyone to fill a position. This results in poor outcomes and frustrated volunteers. Churches fail to first clarify the functions they need in the structure and then find the people uniquely gifted to fulfill each function.
This “structure first, people second approach” is a game changer for the local church. When used properly it promotes a healthy organization where everyone clearly understands their roles and how to be successful in their ministry responsibilities.
A clear vision and a healthy body are just two benefits of using an operating system in the local church. Vision becomes reality when everyone is working together. When this happens, the world has the opportunity to experience God’s beauty through his people. This is good news.
Josh Kwasny serves as pastor of Soma Valley Church in Lewisville, NC and is a Certified EOS Implementer.