A friend of mine mentioned recently that he’s frustrated when he goes into new church environments because, rather than just experiencing the worship and teaching, he always finds himself critiquing the teacher, the music, the facility and everything else. Do you know that feeling?
I do. I used to feel guilty about that. I thought it was sin. I avoided voicing my opinion. I found myself constantly trying to fight my instinct.
Then, a number of years ago, I heard Andy Stanley talk on this very topic. I think I may have heard it at one of the early Catalyst Conferences when the event was still held on the North Point campus. Here are some of the thoughts Andy shared:
- “Change is preceded by challenge, and challenging the status quo is where leadership begins.”
- “As a leader, there is something in you that leans toward evaluating and critiquing everything you bump into organizationally.”
- “Deep in your heart you feel that if you were in charge, things would not only be different, they would be better.”
- “When you stop challenging, you have stopped leading and begun managing.” And that’s a problem!
In other words, that tendency to evaluate and critique environments and experiences is part of what distinguishes you as a leader. When God is in control of your life, he can use that gift powerfully to further his Kingdom.
I couldn’t find the original message online. Here are a couple of articles, though, that summarize Andy’s thoughts on this topic:
Do you know what I’m talking about? Have you found yourself trying to fight this instinct to evaluate and critique?
(Is there anyone out there that can point us to where this message is available online?)
i can’t point you to where that message is, but i do have to say thank you for putting this out there.
like anything else, critiquing can be sinful if it’s done in excess, but if we’re ever to improve, it starts here.
by evaluating everything that someone might experience.
if someone is going to be turned off by the parking lot, then we need to critique it.
and it’s ok to bring an issue to light, lovingly, to improve situations for the kingdom.
great post!
Tony, I sat through that same talk. I felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders that day. I think it’s a fine line but we have to walk it. At Cross Point we believe we must critique and evaluate to create the most God honoring environments we can. Thanks for the great post and reminder.
Tony, I do the same thing. I went to a church for the first time in the town that I’m about to move to and start a church in. It was (and is for me every time I visit a church – but especially in this situation) a struggle to mesh critiquing what they do and being thankful that they do it. I just have to remind myself that even though I think I could do it better, we’re still on the same team! same team!
Thanks for the post. I needed to hear it.
Tony,
Thanks for the incredible insight. I’ve struggled through these feelings for the past several years. Just got through reading Andys articles and I’m now on my way to print them off. Thanks for sharing. You Rock!
Tony:
This month I am celebrating my 20th year of ministry as a church leader. I struggled personally with this issue in the early years. Partly because I was insecure and wanted others to approve in my leadership.
Something changed about 10 years ago. I had a friend help me understand the difference between being “critical” and being a “critical thinker.” He affirmed my leadership as a critical thinker. This was liberating to my personal development and understanding.
Being critical is about seeing what is “wrong” and declaring what seems inadequate. Being a critical thinker is about viewing the environments around us and constantly asking how things can be improved. Critical thinkers are problems-solvers. Critical people just point their finger at the problem.
I challenge our team to be critical thinkers and invite them to share what they are seeing.
this is SO helpful. last night our church launched a new service on sunday evening aiming for 20somethings. it was SO tough to try to get into the service because i am critical AND a critical thinker. i left asking myself this same exact question. my challenge now is to be encouraging to the leaders of the team and then express my thoughts in the right moment.
Hey Tony
I don’t see where to listen online, but I think I found this talk over on Catalyst’s website under a Best of Andy Stanley CD offering…. here’s the link… http://estore.injoy.com/shopinjoy/product.asp?memid=31&pagevarid=163&pf%5Fid=CDC0707&dept%5Fid=700
It’s only 39 bucks for 6 messages…
Hope that helps!
larryboatright
It’s in a boxed set of cds- Andy Stanley’s “The Best of Catalyst” – available through North Point – really great stuff! Not sure if it’s online or not.
Wow. You have given me hope – all this time I thought it was just me (Ok, not really – but I do find myself in the minority). Thanks for sharing all those resources. On my way to read up.
I couldn’t have read this at a better moment. As with Bill Simmons, I too am both critical AND a critical thinker. If an environment has not fostered a culture of critiquing, or if one does not have some positional authority or relationship, then offering up one’s critical thoughts may be perceived as simply being negative or critical. Sometimes it is the presentation of information and the spirit in which it is delivered that makes it perceived as critical/negative. When I am critiquing, I am usually looking at the big picture and trying to figure out the how and whys, the connections and the outcomes. But honestly sometimes I am just frustrated at the lack of critiquing in churches and that makes me critical! LOL.
On that note, I just want to add a big thanks to Willow Creek in pioneering the evaluation/ research of church! Way to go!
I am not a member of the catalyst filter subscription website, but I wonder if it would be there. it is supposed to have a lot of the archived messages.
Hi I am Buddhist and we have a great insight on this: One should not peer into another’s ricebowl trying to find faults.
You’d think differently if you ate my rice.
tony