Over Coming Passivity in Church Services

As part of my work for the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds I get to take the sermon slot in church services and also run training events for churches and other groups.

Rather than standing at the front and talking for a long time I have developed an approach that gets people involved in the learning process and then to respond in some way and the results have been very encouraging

I was recently encouraged, when I was congratulated on my approach and the suggestion was made that I ought to bottle it, so others could benefit. This is my attempt to bottle what I do to facilitate participation. Please don’t take it as a magic formula but I hope it provides you with some ideas for developing your own style.

My approach stemmed from my concern that people can develop habits of passivity when attending church or similar events; coming to listen, but not actually to engage in the process.  

I was concerned that people are going home having been entertained but not actually learning from the experience of attending church. There was, however, some evidence to suggest that people wanted to engage and put questions or a counter argument to me as they shook my hand as they left. Unfortunately the traditional talk does not make it easy for either the audience or leader to make or manage contributions from the floor.

So often in the bible when Jesus is communicating we see him asking questions to encourage discussion around a meal table or over food.

Some authors would suggest that the stand up and talk method of teaching we see in so many churches was learnt from the Greek culture rather than a Judaeo-Christian culture. I have also been told that adults learn best when discussing and working on a problem together rather than listening to someone else’s voice as in a lecture.

It’s also the case that when we involve a multi-sensory approach to learning that many people connect better with the material. Some trainers even include highlighter pens, which smell of fruit, and good visuals and activates also help people learn.

In my work I have been experimenting in finding ways to encourage people to be involved in discussing a question and to then facilitate a response.

Part of the problem is the fact that a leader is often asked to come and speak rather than to facilitate learning and therefore naturally drops into a speaking role rather than adopting a more creative approach to teaching and facilitated learning.

The architecture of many of our churches certainly doesn't help and further discourages active learning, with rows of pews or chairs lined up to face a pulpit, lectern or raised dais, which is similar to a cinema or theater where people go to be entertained.  This seating layout is different from other areas of our lives.  For example when we get together socially in pubs, restaurants and cafes we usually sit in groups around tables. In our schools the children are also seated around tables so the children can work together in groups.

So when running a training session I always insist that people sit around tables in small groups so that they can discuss what we are looking at. I also try to divide the session in to a series of 15 minute periods, each period looking at a different aspect of the topic with representatives of tables giving feedback after each period.

In groups of around four it’s also easier for people to make a comment or ask a question rather than in a larger group. It is also much more difficult for people to sit passively and not to contribute. I can then ask representatives from each table to feedback to the larger group and groups are nearly always willing to contribute in this way.

The other things that I have discovered that works really well is to ask people to draw or write on a specially cut out paper symbol such as a leaf or piece of fruit and then to stick this on to a larger diagram or chart.  This is a form of the old post it note idea but the specially cut out symbol gives a greater emphases to the process and the act of sticking it on the chart subconsciously reinforces the persons commitment to the learning process.

I have in the past provided cut out green leaves to members of very traditional rural congregations and asked them to write on these, the areas where they felt God was at work in their community.  I have then invited participants to the front and to stick the paper leaves on a large diagram of a tree at the front of the church.

I was initially surprised at the willingness of people to come to the front but on reflection realised that the action is very similar to the process of coming to the front for communion, which people are familiar and comfortable with.

One of the keys to this process is the expectation of the leader that people will engage in the process. If the leader doubts that people will take part potential participants will latch on to this and be reluctant to engage.

However, if the leader is confident and enthusiastic then people will respond.  I don’t say I am not nervous, I always am, but prayer really helps me settle down and to put the results in to the hands of the Holy Spirit trusting in the process and the God given capabilities of those present. 

P.S The Service of saying good bye to the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds Diocese is an example of a service which used elements of this approach see www.riponleeds.anglican.org/news-646.html. This was made easier by not having pews in the Cathedral.