There is no question that bureaucracy has stifled initiative in our organizations. Tanner Greer mentioned at least a couple reasons why this happens. Excessive bureaucracy not only blocks initiative with its rules, but it keeps people from developing important organizing skills as they move through their careers. As a result, they are kept in an undeveloped state such that that few are up to the task when big problems arise. Instead, people place their hope in ossified bureaucracies which cannot respond effectively. Another reason that should be mentioned is that the integration of women in the workplace has broken up and confused the camaraderie that men used to enjoy - camaraderie that enabled them to pitch their efforts together and solve problems. Women look at problems differently and feminists have injected an impractical, stultifying concern about equity and inclusion into many organizations. It's no coincidence that three effective groups that Greer mentioned are the Marines, the LDS church, and Silicon Valley startups - all mostly run by men.
I don't disagree with anything you're saying, but I'll observe that evangelical churches (and the RCC) are also mostly run by men and yet it sounds like the LDS are doing something better here when it comes to youth involvement.
So the most obvious follow-up here, and the one we have the most ability to influence: what can our churches learn from the LDS?
It sounds like, at the very least, there is a youth group exercise here. As churches, we tend to ask little of teenagers besides showing up to youth group.
We could also compare to how Jews require a Hebrew Torah recitation at a kid's Bar Mitzvah. I'm not sure how spiritually edifying that is, but the fact that it's difficult causes them to take the whole thing more seriously, probably builds character while tying them more strongly to the community.
We shouldn’t demand more, we should ask why there isn’t more of a fire within to do more. Go inside out as opposed to outside in.
Saints are made because of an internal desire, it’s not some minimum bar per se but when you push minimum requirements past a certain point you wind up with whitewashed tombs of the Pharisees, Calvin’s Geneva, or the Mass Colony which Roger Williams left.
Whatever we do, we shouldn’t ask what God wants us to do. Much safer to look at “successful” institutions in the world.
There is no question that bureaucracy has stifled initiative in our organizations. Tanner Greer mentioned at least a couple reasons why this happens. Excessive bureaucracy not only blocks initiative with its rules, but it keeps people from developing important organizing skills as they move through their careers. As a result, they are kept in an undeveloped state such that that few are up to the task when big problems arise. Instead, people place their hope in ossified bureaucracies which cannot respond effectively. Another reason that should be mentioned is that the integration of women in the workplace has broken up and confused the camaraderie that men used to enjoy - camaraderie that enabled them to pitch their efforts together and solve problems. Women look at problems differently and feminists have injected an impractical, stultifying concern about equity and inclusion into many organizations. It's no coincidence that three effective groups that Greer mentioned are the Marines, the LDS church, and Silicon Valley startups - all mostly run by men.
I don't disagree with anything you're saying, but I'll observe that evangelical churches (and the RCC) are also mostly run by men and yet it sounds like the LDS are doing something better here when it comes to youth involvement.
So the most obvious follow-up here, and the one we have the most ability to influence: what can our churches learn from the LDS?
It sounds like, at the very least, there is a youth group exercise here. As churches, we tend to ask little of teenagers besides showing up to youth group.
We could also compare to how Jews require a Hebrew Torah recitation at a kid's Bar Mitzvah. I'm not sure how spiritually edifying that is, but the fact that it's difficult causes them to take the whole thing more seriously, probably builds character while tying them more strongly to the community.
We shouldn’t demand more, we should ask why there isn’t more of a fire within to do more. Go inside out as opposed to outside in.
Saints are made because of an internal desire, it’s not some minimum bar per se but when you push minimum requirements past a certain point you wind up with whitewashed tombs of the Pharisees, Calvin’s Geneva, or the Mass Colony which Roger Williams left.
Whatever we do, we shouldn’t ask what God wants us to do. Much safer to look at “successful” institutions in the world.
I was thinking the same thing about the LDS youth involvement: "What can we learn from it?"
Your comment about the Bar Mitzvah being taken more seriously because it is difficult is interesting.
“So, how do we get to a Protestant work ethic, without becoming some stump ignorant Protestant?”