What keeps most small groups from experiencing real life change? The breakdown is application: the point where the rubber meets the road.
Our churches are filled with smart and isolated people who don’t change. We’ve addressed the isolation issue by getting folks connected to a small group, but they still seem to know about the bible and know what’s required for Christ-likeness… but they still don’t change. The solution is application.
Defining Application
Application often refers to a process of surface treatment… paint, decals, or make-up added to a house, vehicle, or face to dress it up. In our high-tech culture application also refers to a bit of software intended to fulfill a very specific and limited purpose (“There’s an app for that”).
Our definition of application is more like the latter and hopefully not at all like the former. Application is the process of allowing the truths of God’s word to actually influence our thinking and ultimately, to change our behavior in specific and tangible ways. Application is where truth meets life.
Overcoming the Head Culture
Back in the 60’s a new retail niche called a Head Shop emerged. Amid psychedelic posters, macramé, and incense you could find all the paraphernalia you would need to care for your joints, deal with roaches, and cultivate your grass (so I’ve been told.) In fact, most Head Shops had everything you needed… except the key ingredient.
Excuse this bizarre metaphor, but I believe that many of our churches are glorified Head Shops. We cater to the head… knowledge… and create a culture, an expectant atmosphere, a specialized language, and even paraphernalia… without the key ingredient: application.
I grew up in a religious tradition that functioned as if knowledge alone would transform people. Truly serious believers immersed themselves in the Head culture: Sunday morning teaching of the Word, Sunday school (age graded instruction), Sunday Night and Midweek Service (more teaching). Any gathering… a youth event, choir practice, or deacon’s meeting was invariably marked by a devotional (mini-sermon). Small groups were called “Bible Studies” for good reason. The radio provided a steady stream of world-class bible teachers who systematically added content to our overflowing skulls.
We operated on the premise: “If we just teach people the right things they will change.” If we are going to move past the surface, the first thing we will need to do is change a culture that believes knowledge alone is enough.
