Because Chemistry's team is spread out across the country, I split my time working out of a home office and in more public environments like coffee shops and co-working spaces. I have found that my extroverted side needs the buzz and random conversations that happen in these places. It also gives me the ability to overhear what other people are working through.
Yesterday I overheard a team working through the following question "how does a single millennial woman make decisions?" While I have no idea what the team is working on, I think it is a worthy question. As I continued my eavesdropping adventure, I began to notice something intriguing: all the voices were male.
As Todd and I discuss the hopes and dreams that a church has for its next staff hire, churches often discuss a desire for diversity, in age, economic status, and race. I think that this is an important goal... one that Jesus himself longs to see happen in the church. But achieving this goal will not happen by maintaining mono-cultural leadership structures.
After two decades of studying the church, I have come to the conclusion that churches don't like change or discomfort (shocker!). I have sat in meetings where church leaders have mourned the lack of millennial participation. In the same meetings, I have watched as millennials make suggestions on how to better engage their generation... only to be told the reasons why it could not be done.
If we truly seek diversity. If we truly seek to reach those who are different then us, we need to be willing to invite others into our conversations. We must also be willing to make ourselves uncomfortable when their suggestions call for making changes.
P.S. It is hiring season in the church. If you are preparing to find your next staff member, I'd love to talk. Click here to schedule a free, 30-minute consultation.