The simple implementation of the Monday rule can significantly change the climate of your church for the better.
NVC has worked, unofficially, at creating a “Monday Rule” culture. We’ve never stated it officially, but is understood by most of our people nonetheless because we have encouraged it from our beginning.
Staff abides by it, as well. It has never been stated explicitly, but we do coach it as we can.
It’s the Monday rule, which might be stated this way:
“If you have concerns or the feel the need to complain, do it Monday (or another day of your choice). Please don’t do it Sunday—or when the church is gathered for worship.”
To clarify, we aren’t saying people should never complain or voice concerns.
We are saying there is a time and place for it—and that’s not Sunday mornings during or around the time the church is gathered for worship. What we are doing when the church gathers is cherished by God and important for the building up of the Body and calling our church to mission. Every Sunday, we have guests come searching for God, not a solution to the complaints of Sister Sue or Brother Bill.
The Body needs strengthening and encouragement. She needs her mission clarified and her calling reinvigorated. She needs to hear from God. That’s what the weekends are for.
One of the greatest services leadership can provide the church is the effective handling of the church’s concerns, which includes the timing of such dealings—not just making sure they are heard.
Implementing the Monday rule will do more for your church’s weekend assemblies than nearly anything. It keeps the air fresh. It honors God over our temporary concerns.
A couple of assumptions can be made reasonably about people who complain chronically on Sundays.
First, they lack a sense of the impact of their comments on others—especially staff or those whose spiritual frame of heart impacts others that day.
Second, they lack spiritual focus during times that are unique in the practice of the church—and their complaining will spread this across the Body if not checked.
Third, they likely do this because of proximity. They want to get it dealt with right then—because it could consume their time and energy to do it another time. So, they’d prefer to use yours on their terms rather than deal with the problem another way.
Implementing the Monday rule shepherds a person on all three fronts, and accomplishes the following as well:
1. It keeps God at the center.
It is easy to allow a “concern” to become the predominant factor of the morning in your heart, or the heart of the person you jabbed with it.
All days are God’s days … but Sundays are special. It’s when His people gather together for a unique time of honoring him.
If the music is too loud for you, that’s not the most important thing going on that morning. If you think the youth minister shouldn’t wear shorts to church, it can wait until Monday.
Don’t let that consume your mind or that of others for the morning. Keep God at the center. That’s why we are all here.
