For example, the AV team/committee needs people who understand technology and have eyes and ears for excellence in worship.
But some groups don’t need to be diverse from the perspective of technical experience. In all cases, it is good to have ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic diversity. In most situations, diversity is the ideal. What are some ways to avoid consensus camels in the church?Īvoid diversity. When a group comes to a decision through this process, I call it a “consensus camel.” How can the process of consensus turn ugly? It’s when no one gets everything they wanted, when everyone gets something they wanted, and when most can live with the outcome. The problem with consensus is how a group of people can get to the point of majority.
The problem with consensus is not that the majority rules. Most probably think of consensus positively-the majority of opinion wins. What creates a camel out of a horse? There’s a lurking danger in every team brainstorming session and every committee meeting. But it’s unfair because any group of people-not just committees-can lose sight of the original goal. It’s humorous because there’s an element of truth to it. Perhaps you’ve heard a version of the saying “a camel is a horse designed by church committee.” The statement is a bit unfair, but also quite humorous.
