The Conscription Model of Church Service — Is there a better way?

Fortunately another thing my ward doesn’t do. I am rebellious enough that I wouldn’t do it just because I was assigned and for no other reason. We do the sign up sheet thing, and I get it, nobody signs up. Frankly our missionaries aren’t busy enough as it is so splits are in that sense a detriment, spreading the already little work even thinner. Besides, I’d have to be really careful what I say sometimes.

What was your SP doing there? Ours made it clear we were to be in our own wards unless we were out of the area – it is Mother’s Day after all. (He says the same thing about ll the holidays, including Father’s Day.)

What was your SP doing there? Ours made it clear we were to be in our own wards unless we were out of the area – it is Mother’s Day after all. (He says the same thing about ll the holidays, including Father’s Day.)

He and his second counselor were there. I think they were scouting for a new Bishop. Our BP has moved his business to another state but is managing it from afar until the SP can find a replacement. Drat. I had a safe haven there and I have a small circle of people who I enjoy working with in my little assignment. There is positive regard from my current Bishop, and he is largely a good man, not bound by excessive rules and dogma.

We have a weak ward when it comes to top level leadership. Lots of of young families and people trying to just get by, some older folks, but no really strong people for the long term.

I think this was why my BP, in attempt to inspire me when we had our last round of interviews, told me he thought I could be a Bishop. Then he looked surprised (jaw dropping shocked) when I told him I’d already been approached about it twenty years earlier. At one time I really wanted to do it, but now, I can’t, for obvious reasons.

We shall see. I will say this — my experience discussing church matters here leaves me well-prepared to talk to priesthood leaders of all kinds — at least, so far, when we get a new Bishop.

Back to the conscription model…here is a better way for consideration and feedback.

First, find the people who have passion for the various tasks that need to be done. This means having an inventory of what people really enjoy doing in the church, and make sure there is alignment between their passions and the work they are asked to do in the church.

Second, I think having a very caring attitude toward people encourages participation, as people will give of their time due to the relationship they have with you. The lack of caring from my past leaders is a big reason I am on the bench now. Leaders who put people ahead of programs and cultural norms and conditional love, get more from their followers than leaders who do not.

Third, the non-profit I started, I have a number of day-of volunteers help me (10) at one point, and they were all students. A few mentioned the reason they did it was because I had helped them so much out of class time even though they weren’t in my classes. Service breeds love, and love breeds cooperation.

Fourth, I think asking people to take on bursts of service and then allowing them a break from it helps. I would be inclined to ask some members of the Ward if they wouldn’t mind going out on splits weekly, or twice a week for the next five weeks, after which you won’t ask them to do it for another X months or a year, unless they want to volunteer. Of course, the timing and frequency is matched to their life circumstances, so that was just an example. It’s the lack of light at the end of the tunnel that seems to breed cynicism and non-cooperation.

Fifth, be judicious about how much drudgery you impose on your Ward, and at times, this may mean asserting yourself with the Stake.

Sixth, be realistic about what you expect to get done in the Ward. The Ward will move as fast as the Ward will move…don’t slow it down with overzealousness and be happy with what you do have.

Last, as far as missionary work goes, I had so many innovative ideas that were shot down by our previous by-the-book Bishop that I stopped trying. Encourage innovation. I have several right now that have the potential to fill up splits nights with positive experiences, but our last Bishop wouldn’t let us do them.

I would like to know what others think of these ideas…and any new ones you might have.

The Conscription Model of Church Service — Is there a better way?

Sometimes, not always.

I’m a broken record but it feels like the members were created for the programs and not the programs created for the members. Programs could be presented as opportunities that are available to people for them to follow their passions, explore interests, or to be with friends but programs feel more like obligations, expectations placed on every member.

I’m not trying to say that all programs can be blown off but I am saying that we should think long and hard as to whether a program is “mission critical.” Movie trailer voice: In a world without janitors… cleaning the chapel on Saturday (even if only once every other week) might be mission critical but missionary splits, indexing genealogical records, being the 8th man to staff the temple baptistery, and getting home and visiting teachers (doubling up the effort) into every home each month may not be as mission critical. Not every church program has a priority of “one,” which I think is reflected in practice, we just feel guilt for the stuff that doesn’t get done or even press so hard as to “conscript” people to do things.

I think one of the reasons conscription exists is to share the load, take some of the burdens off the same 12 people that do everything… but here’s the thing:

We’re talking about how to get people that are prone to not do much (sometimes we call these people “lazy”) engaged in church programs. I think it would help to recognize that some people just aren’t going to be passionate about doing stuff. Of the people that would do things but aren’t, what’s at the heart of the issue:

1) The people are deficient in some way. Sinners, lazy, deadbeats, etc.

2) The programs don’t generate any interest… at all.

I’m going to be completely honest here… there’s not a calling in this church that interests me right now. Not one. But I want to contribute to my community so I suck it up and do something I have zero enthusiasm to do, maybe even loathe doing, but I do it because… loyalty, responsibility, or to alleviate the burdens of the same 12 people.

From that part in Nacho Libre where the priests are complaining about Nacho’s cooking (while giving him no support with buying ingredients):

Señor Ramon: Your only job is to cook. Do you not realize I have had diarrhea since Easters?

Nacho: Ok… Maybe I am not meant for these duties. Cooking duty. Dead guy… duty. Maybe it’s time for me to get a better duty!

So is the problem members that can’t cook or is the problem trying to turn every member into a cook? Do we need some lucha libre programs in the church? …if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree…

Reading through Nibbler’s post, I just came up with a GRAND idea. What if we conscript those reliant on fast offerings (within reason) for activities such as chapel cleaning, setting up for activities, church groundswork, etc? That way, it’s not feeling like a handout; the families are “taking responsibility” for their finances, even though they’d be getting a substantial “hourly wage”. And it removes the burden from the members who pay tithing/fast offerings.

Come to think of it, why doesn’t the Church (or the State for that matter) just hire the poor and the needy for a reasonably short community service project on a weekly basis? I’m sure there are plenty of members in every ward who would willingly sign up as a janitor, rather than going through the humiliation of asking the Bishop for a handout. I know I would.

I don’t know how it works church wide but people that receive fast offering monies in our area are expected/required to show up to clean the chapel and do other service projects on church grounds.

I’m not opposed to that idea at all, but it doesn’t work that way in my ward. For building cleaning we have “teams” that work on a rotational basis. The positive part of that is that our team assignment only comes up about every 10 weeks. Those receiving welfare assistance are just on a team like everyone else. I’m not aware that there are any “extra” expectations for them, some aren’t active at all.

I also agree with Dande, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for that to happen. We wouldn’t want anybody stealing any blessings from the rest of, now would we? :problem:

Let me ask you this — if we have an organization where, as Nibbler puts it, the vast majority of the jobs are not fulfilling, are drudgerous, and unwanted, then why commit to such an organization? Happiness is the object and design of our existence isn’t it? So, why not go somewhere where the work is fulfilling with your service hours, rather than dedicate them all to the church?

Anyway, I find there are still things I enjoy doing at church — I like working alongside people freely of my own will on non-doctrinal projects. I like service projects, socials, certain activities involving socializing and food. I like speaking and training in ways that I find meaningful. If asked to work toward a continuous improvement of the church experience, I would be all over it.

But I had someone who finds it all distasteful, then perhaps that person needs a check-in every now and then while they sit on the bench for a while, for assume creative assignments that align with what they want at church.

I know from this discussion forum, many of us would like a calling where we help leaders and TBM’s understand the perspective of people in faith or commitment crises.

Tough spot to be a bishop or SP. You’ve got these endless programs and little that is new over your term as a Bishop or SP…and the tools passion, guilt, duty, quid pro quo, love, spiritual teaching — those are the tools of motivation, and not all are effective with all people.

This isn’t the best plan for low church membership density areas or areas where the stakes are large but I’ve often wondered if some of the programs that take place at the ward level couldn’t be handled at the stake level, like instead of having a scout troop for each ward where there’s an expectation that every boy of scout age participate – do one or two scout troops at the stake level where only the people interested in scouts participate.

I like this idea a lot. It might work well for the remaining BSA participation the Church will have because (as I’ve read) normal BSA troops have 50 members or more. Also, and this is key for youth, people would be more likely to find others with similar interests. Organizing and carrying out the programs’ functions would be easier because the participants would be more invested. Fewer callings overall would be necessary. It could even be done at a multi-stake level in some situations.

A couple of possible issues: