Monkeys, Company Policy and the Church

What do monkeys and company policy have in common? What affect do monkeys and company policy have on the church? A few months ago, my father-in-law sent me the following email.

“How Company Policy Begins”

Start with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under it. Before long, one of the monkeys will go to the stairs to climb toward the banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, all the monkeys will be sprayed with cold water. After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the same results. All the monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon, none of the monkeys will try to climb the stairs. Now, put away the cold water. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new monkey. The new one sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his surprise and horror, all the other monkeys attack him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted. Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm. Likewise, replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a forth , then the fifth. Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs he is attacked. Most of the monkeys that are beating him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey. After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approached the stairs to try for the banana. Why not? Because as far as they know that's the way it's always been done around here. And that my friend, is how company policy begins.

You can admit it. It happened to me. You read this story and found yourself nodding your head in agreement while giving a slight chuckle. Sadly, when the laughter subsides, you may find yourself staring full-faced into a stunning reality that affects you daily at your job and unfortunately, I might add, at your place of worship. In many not so subtle ways, organizations and churches become driven by some sort of policy tradition that kills any sense of desire or creativity (i.e. “going for the banana”). The policy, when left unchecked, is the very thing that squeezes the life and adventure out of people. The purpose for existence—usually so clear in the creation of a church—is then exchanged for some lesser reality. At times, it is not that the people within do not hope for something else, it is just “the policy” becomes an impenetrable wall of defense to protect the policy and the status quo. There is great fear among anyone attempting to blaze a trail lest they meet with the cryptic refrain, “Who do you think you are?” or “We have never done it that way before.”

The special challenge for a church, when it has succumbed to this reality, is that its practice can become such a mind-numbing experience and go on for so long that people never question why certain things are happening or if the practice is even useful. No one ever stops to ask, “is this helping us accomplish our purpose?” In fact, later generations may not even know to question things because they have never seen or experienced anything else. It is only on that occasional visit to a camp or retreat or to the church of a friend they see enthusiasm and passion for the things of God and then begin to wonder if there can or should be something more in their own local congregation.

The unfortunate reality of this type of church existence is the loss of powerful Gospel witness within a community. If our practice inside the walls of the church does not give us a more passionate desire to fulfill our purpose then something huge is amiss. Our practice, at times, can be the greatest enemy to a missional focus that is the center of us being Jesus followers. A congregation possessing an unhealthy inward focus in regards to ministry never even considers those to which they are called to carry the Good News. The main point of existence becomes defending and holding on to the comfort and whims of those on the inside.

Now I recognize the profound sense of community a group of believers should share within their local context. (If you doubt this, please take time to reread my last three posts on the Call of Christian Community.) However, a church does not exist for the benefit of itself alone. The call of the local body of believers is to follow in the way of obedience to the author of our salvation and possess a commitment to those whom we share the Jesus way of life. These two callings should profoundly propel us into the community where a great difference is made because the kingdom of God is at hand.

Unfortunately, so many churches have forgotten this fundamental reason for existence. They instead trade in their birthright for loss of impact in the community in order to cling to a commitment to pettiness and self-protection. I was reminded of this fact a few days ago when talking to a lady who has spent most of her adult life in a small town not to far from my home. Upon learning I was a Baptist pastor, she reported to me her lifelong affiliation with the Methodists and that her most enduring remembrance of the Baptist church in her town was their lack of support for anything non-Baptist. This included not buying Girl Scout cookies from the troop the Methodists sponsored. Now I would not want to say that local Baptist church is not effective in honoring our Lord. However, it did pain me to think her most powerful impression of a local Baptist church was they do not eat caramel delights because their denomination did not create it!

Now I will not get into all the reasons why I am Baptist. I do believe I am Baptist for some very important reasons—some that are beyond just being that is where my parents first took me. However, I believe we have some major problems when people begin to think, don’t ask them to buy your cookies because…well, I hope the point is taken. Is that why the church of Jesus Christ exists? Now I think most of you would see what is happening here. But the question this circumstance drives me to ask myself is “what is the kingdom impact of my church in my community?” This question becomes especially pointed when I think about a passage like Acts 17:1-15.

For the sake of context, Paul and Silas are buzzing around and carrying out the Gospel into new areas. The road has been extremely difficult. Jail time and beatings have already been the norm in their service to Jesus. Yet, they press on and when meeting an angry mob that threatens their lives in Thessalonica, they are accused of turning the world upside down and proclaiming another King—Jesus. (see Acts 17:6-7) Now we could debate about all that was happening here, but I can not help but read that passage and think, is my church getting accused of that? It was unbelievers who were making that statement. Now I know these unbelievers did not mean their words to be positive, but it is clear that Paul and Silas and the early church were, in fact, making a big splash for King Jesus! Things in town were quite different because of their presence. I’m afraid that so many congregations in America have spiraled so far downward that the only things we get accused of is being petty and irrelevant or not being known at all because no impact what so ever is being made.

So that which begs the question is this, what does it mean for an individual believer or church to turn the world upside down? How does one answer this question in a biblically informed way? How does such an ideal express itself practically in the life of a believer and within the local congregation of which they are a part? These questions, at the very least, call us to investigation. As we consider our day and our time, let us not forget that much is at stake.