Recently, while observing a team exercise, I was struck by how close the group came to solving a challenge, only to miss the target again and again.

What was frustrating for the group was that they had succeeded in the challenge very quickly the first time. However, when the conditions changed just a little bit, they were unable to repeat their success. The group had everything it needed to complete the challenge. Time and again, just as success was in sight, the group was hijacked by multiple voices speaking at once, speaking over each other. If the group had been able to hear all the voices, leverage its diversity, it would have had greater creativity and problem-solving abilities. However they weren’t able to marshal their resources because they did not listen to each other, to the different perspectives and approaches.

There are obvious parallels between this experience and the life of churches, in fact any group of people seeking to work together as a team.

Like the team exercise, even a single small change in the circumstances facing a church or ministry can result in new approaches being required. With an unknown and fast-changing future in front of us, it seems to be that we will better face future challenges and opportunities if we learn how to hear and encourage the diverse voices among us.

How are you fostering the voices in your own midst? How might you better hear others’ voices?