It is so important that we have alignment as a church. But what does that really mean?
Alignment is when we pursue clarity and simplicity about what matters most to us and how we function together. Patrick Lencioni reminds us that alignment is the key to organizational health. He offers six questions that every group should ask if it wants to stay aligned:
- Why do we exist?
- How do we behave?
- What do we do?
- How will we succeed?
- What is most important for us, right now?
- Who must do what?
Notice what’s not on the list. We don’t need theological uniformity. We don’t need to agree on politics. We don’t need to lose our unique personalities. What we do need is clarity and alignment around these six questions.
White Station’s Mission and Vision statements already answer the first three:
Mission
We are a community of many ages and cultures who listen to God’s word, imitate Jesus, follow the Holy Spirit, and engage others to offer hope to Memphis.
Vision
Join God in the city.
These statements address why we exist, how we behave, and what we do. But perhaps the most challenging question for White Station is #5: What is most important for us, right now? That question challenges us as a 71-year-old church. We remember what was important 20 years ago. We know what matters to us in general. But do we have clarity on what is most important, right now? That’s where alignment becomes crucial. We must rally around what matters today in 2025.
This alignment gives us focus and energy. Every healthy organization knows who it is and who it is not. Chick-fil-A doesn’t apologize for being closed on Sundays. The Apple Store doesn’t carry CDs for people who dislike iTunes. REI doesn’t sell seersucker suits. Yet churches often feel pressure to be broad, generic, and all-purpose—afraid to say “no.” Ironically, when churches lose focus, they often decline—and decline itself can be one of the most discouraging and alienating experiences for members.
So how do we pursue the alignment that creates health and growth?
- Stay attuned. To be “attuned” means to stay in harmony with others. We are a cappella singers, so we know this well. We listen closely to blend our voices. In the same way, alignment requires deep listening. We pay attention to the needs of others. We listen for repeated themes. We resist inserting our own preferences into someone else’s words. We simply listen.
- Keep learning. We assume someone else has insight we need. Together we ask, “What might God be saying to us right now?” This posture keeps us humble and helps us follow the Holy Spirit as one body. Nobody wants to be in church with someone who thinks they are the smartest one in the room.
- Follow the leader. Alignment sometimes requires us to yield. That can feel hard in a culture that prizes individualism, but it actually brings freedom. Few things are more draining than being part of a group that can’t get out of its own way. We avoid dysfunction by following the leaders that God has raised up.
- Take a lap. When something disappoints us, we voice our concern—leaders need honest feedback, and we all need to be heard. But once we’ve shared our perspective and taken our lap, we refuse to keep circling back to it. When people can predict what grievance we are going to speak before the words get out of our mouths, it’s time to move on.
- Celebrate progress. Alignment grows stronger when we encourage one another. Let’s resist letting “yes, but” be our default. “We had a baptism” (“yes, but they grew up here”). “Our fall event was large” (“yes, but we offered free food”). This cynical refusal to name wins deflates the group. Instead, we choose to notice and name the good. Celebration builds momentum in a way that criticism never can.
When we listen well, learn from one another, follow with humility, share concerns wisely, and celebrate what God is doing, we sing in harmony. We not only get healthy—we also get ready to join God in the city as one unified church. This is part of what it means to be aligned.