Purple Church

Over the holidays I revisited the book Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable by Seth Godin. Purple Cow is about marketing by communicating how REMARKABLE your organization or product is. This relates to the UUA's Uncommon Denomination campaign and how we promote our congregations. It also relates to a friends research project I am assisting with -- exploring what a "Wonder Church" would look like. A church for all those people who do not fit in with other religions, including UUism.

As for small groups, Purple Cow challenges readers to think about how to out do your own business. If you could dominate a niche what niche would that be? Who are you trying to reach with your groups? Everyone???

Small group ministry is the ultimate UU tool for serving little niches within out community. One way to do this is to make sure people understand how to adjust the culture of their group and their session content to meet the needs of the group.

An example, I talked to someone recently who was blown away when I said I thought it was fine for the group to add a fifteen minute meditation to their small group schedule. The group had evolved to be more of a buddhist group. I suggested they do this in consultation with the ministry team and discuss being identified as a buddhist affinity small group.

What if you had general groups and affinity groups where people could work together, exploring common spiritual disciplines, teachings, and so on?

We know that there are basic structures need for SGM to work. Beyond those, try and break all the other rules you have in mind regarding church. If we don't someone else will.

UUA President Bill Sinkford has talked about our becoming the most dangerous church in the America. Sinkford says we need to give people "a community that will help them develop spiritually and grow emotionally". I can't see any better way to do this than with Small Group Ministry.

But we're going to have to break some rules. Make some Purple Churches. Do crazy, bold, visionary things with our Small Group Ministries.

If you were going to design a SGM that broke the rules in a way that would help your church reach more people and do a better job helping each individual grow spiritually, what would you do?

Email me your answers. Okay?