The Wrong Game

In 2000, Blockbuster was offered to buy Netflix for $50 million. Thinking Netflix had no future, they turned down the offer. In 2018, Netflix revenues were $15.8 billion. Blockbuster no longer exists.

In 1986 James P. Carse published a book that Simon Sinek has revisited regarding a concept about “Finite and Infinite Games.” A Finite Game has known players, fixed rules and agreed upon objectives. An example is baseball and the goal is to win. An Infinite Game has known and unknown players, changing rules and the objective is to stay in the game. An example is marriage. Whereas any metaphor falls short, I think there is a lot we can learn about making disciples in this idea of finite and infinite games.

I would suggest that making disciples is more like an infinite game in that our task in making disciples always involves known and unknown influencers, it always functions in the evolving playing condition of social systems and the task of making disciples never ends on this side of eternity. However, most of what we measure in making disciples is finite - how many people were in class, worship, how many churches did we plant, etc. - none of which necessarily is directly related to making disciples.

What then do we need to do?

  1. We need to recapture a vision and passion for making disciples. This begins with being able to clearly define what a disciple of Jesus is and does. We then can share our excitement for making disciples. A clear sign that you are changing culture is when people begin to sacrifice for the cause of making disciples.

  2. We need new metrics in order to determine if we are succeeding in our goal of making disciples. Worship and giving may play a role but in no way are those two the primary metrics in the call of a disciple. A clear sign that you are changing culture is when you celebrate new metrics for making disciples, even when district or denominational leaders may not recognize those same wins.

  3. We need to think smaller in order to think bigger. A lot of our goals are driven by percentages and numbers. This can result in dehumanizing people and turning them into objects. Our “goal” has a name and we need to know that name in order to disciple them. It is only in succeeding with the one that we will succeed with the many. A clear sign that you are changing culture is when people pray for their neighbors and co-workers then sit at a table with them regularly.

  4. We need to learn new internal motivators. I will confess my personal struggle to undo feeling better or worse based on finite measuring posts, especially on Monday. We need to commit to taking the messy internal journey toward an infinite approach to making disciples. A clear sign that you are changing is when you measure your own pastoral successes and failures differently.

  5. We need to learn the rhythms of Christians in secular society in order to enter into that space to make disciples 24/7. Disciple-making that is tied to the church campus is no longer sufficient for the task of making disciples. A clear sign that you are changing culture is when you provide Monday-Saturday disciple-making opportunities that are embraced by the congregation.

There is a great deal that I have left out in this short blog but I hope this is the launch of a new way of thinking when it comes to making disciples. I have a lot to learn about making disciples in this rapidly changing culture but if Jesus and the first century disciples were successful in their efforts, we can be also. I am hope-filled for the future of the Church.