Two days after Xmas a “trojan” program installed a piece of “malware” on my heavily guarded computer called “HDD Low”. It’s schtick was to try and convince me I had all sorts of harddrive problems and needed to use my creditcard to download a scanning tool. I have both the Microsoft and McAfee scanning, anti-virus, and malware tools already installed and always running, but neither detected or stopped this program. Had to go on to the web to download a removal tool. Morale of the computer story: It can happen, even if you’re shields are up.
Which raises the thoughts in my mind:
How and When do we “scan” the church for things that are wrong? …before the problems get worse?
What kind of anti-virus or malware “software” do we have in place to do EARLY detection of potential problems in committees, attendance, programs, and staff members?
Opinion: Too often, “malware” protection is left to the very people who are part of the problem.
The chair of a former church’s personnel committee once came to me asking me for advice about what she thought was wrong in the church. I was a minister-in-the-pew but not on staff. She detected the problems, -which I agreed with, but she felt powerless to remove them, in part, because others didn’t want to stir the pot. And she was the chair of the committee!
One of the “removal” tools she didn’t realize she had was the option to meet in “executive session” where the pastor/staff was not present –and would allow commiteeand they could then speak more freely. She didn’t want to offend the pastor. Indeed, she didn’t realize that the Personnel Committee had that power or option.
In his bestselling book “Blink”, author Malcolm Gladwell looks into some of therecent research into “how we make decisions”. One of his chapters deals with how people choose mates and what makes a relationship go south. The researchers found that “contempt” is the #1 marker for a marriage that is statistically doomed to failure. Anger and other problems are markers too, but when one partner begins to hold the other in contempt, good luck. I’ve seen and experienced this in pastoral, staff and key leader relationships as well.
Where does it all get started? …with Trojan Horses
A “Trojan” is a malicious software program that appears innocously- but eventually spells big trouble. And it’s often an ENTREE for other problems to follow. In fact, Trojans help download all sorts of other problems. In addiction, you might call them “gateway drugs.”
In church terms, a “trojan” might be any of the following:
- modestly bad behavior on the part of some staff
- a failed program (which people are afraid to kill, or address)
- a festering disagreement or dislike among staff or leaders
- leaders who don’t seem to be addressing fundamental issues, such as membership slide
- financial mis-management
- active members going inactive or slipping away
- the pastor/leaders stocking leadership positions with their friends
Each of these is a “trojan” that can lead to bigger problems.
How to Scan for Trojans…
Nobody likes to deal with problems, and in many churches, the “scanning” is often left to those who have a vested interest in NOT reporting problems (ie, the staff/leaders and their friends).
In many big businesses, the role of “scanner” is assigned to an independent leader, sometimes to an “ombudsman”, …someone who’s job is to not drink the koolaid, but to actively listen, respond, and report.
This person’s job is to report to all the leaders, and not through the “CEO” (ie, the pastor) –because the leader is sometimes part of the problem.
One of the most critical places that pastors exert their control, for better or worse, is through the nominating committee and council assignments. To achieve REAL SCANNING, the scanner has to be independent of the pastor, and their reports have to be discussed.
Look for things that aren’t right, but also look for “markers” of something you may have been missing, such as contempt.
Left undetected, or unaddressed, small problems turn into big ones on the computer and in the church. Word to the wise.