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Systems thinking

Systems thinking. Looking at Congregations holistically Bass School of the Laity 2011. < pre> . The Challenge to the Quick Fix. The disciples wanted to rely on their usual methods. Jesus challenged them: Look at the faith community as a whole and its resources

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Systems thinking

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  1. Systems thinking Looking at Congregations holistically Bass School of the Laity 2011

  2. < pre> The Challenge to the Quick Fix • The disciples wanted to rely on their usual methods. • Jesus challenged them: • Look at the faith community as a whole and its resources • Be prepared for the surprises of change! Feeding the 5000

  3. A Theo-Ecological Perspective • Thinking spiritually, with discernment instead of “problem solving.” • Seeing things whole, get the overall pattern of how “all things work together…” interconnectedness. • Recognizing the roles of change and identity in flourishing churches

  4. Thinking HolisticallyGarden-Brain

  5. Garden Brain versus Machine Brain Do you think of church as a garden? Or a machine?

  6. Using Garden Thinking to Attend to Congregational Culture • This is a major element in “reading the context” • Attend—bracket usual ways of seeing things. • See things whole—from a “God” perspective, get the overall pattern of how “all things work together…” holistic approach • Instead of taking things apart—analysis, diagnosis, medical model. • No single problem or quick fix. • THIS WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE AS A MINISTER!

  7. To fully understand a system, look for:

  8. The need for Order to cope with CHANGE • Every Church is an eco-system with balance and instability • Needing to be organized—balanced with chaos. • Avoiding top-down, control/command • Seeking decency and good order • Structure as “immune system”

  9. # 1. Healthy Order: How the system has organized itself

  10. Systems and Subsystems

  11. BOUNDARIES • Invisible, emotional borders to sub-systems • More or less permeable • Limit access to • Relationships • Information • Decision-Making

  12. Roles, Rules and Rituals • Subsystems are established by roles, rules & rituals • Formal and Informal • Explicit or Tacit

  13. Responsibility Patterns • Overfunctioning: assuming responsibility for others… — “savior” • Underfunctioning: refraining from own responsibility… -- “victim” • Complementarity:‘ • the basket cases and basket carriers of the world will find each other.”– Celia Hahn “I Heart Basket Cases”

  14. MAPPING (Plotting)(see p. 47)

  15. Plotting a congregation • See definitions on pp. 44-45 • See mapping symbols, p. 47 • See maps on 48, 116. • Take a case that you know about. • Draw a map of its structural patterns • What did you learn from this exercise?

  16. Thinking Systems atKirksdale • High visibility in growing neighborhood • Rob • Wendy • Robin • Brendan • Re-development?

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