Distributing Culture

The culture of an organization is the most important aspect of that organization. It answers the question, "Why do we do what we do?"

Leaders are the protectors and providers of the culture. Whether you are a ministry leader or a manager of a department, culture matters. Culture is the unwritten code of a group of people that determines how they speak, interact and dress. Everyplace has a culture. The culture is the expression of the values of that group of people.

Leader, you are to be the one who sets the guidelines for what culture will be present in your ministry/organization.

Look at this:
Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. (Luke 9:16 NLT)

As a leader, you can model and teach culture, but the people around you have to distribute it. They have to be carriers of the cultural values of that organization. If the transfer doesn't happen, you will be very frustrated that people are not getting it. It has to become viral. How does this happen?

Let's look at what Jesus did in the above verses of Scripture:
1. He Interacted with Heaven:
-Jesus looked to heaven and a miracle happened in His hands. The vision for your ministry has to come from heaven. It cannot be copied and pasted.

2. He Gave it to the Disciples:
-He transferred what He was given from heaven to the disciples. He shared it with them. Share the culture of the organization with your people. Get it in their heads and hands.

3. They Gave it to the People:
-Jesus did not take on the task of being the primary vision caster on the culture. The disciples gave the bread and fish out. They distributed it. Culture usually gets diluted from the head down. It multiplied with Jesus. Why? He put that responsibility of distributing in their hands.

Let your leaders know your values of how culture will be formed. Encourage every department head to share those values regularly with their team.

The point is: the leaders AROUND you have to be the primary distributors to the people. The people on this story all got a piece of the miracle in Jesus' hands because the disciples distributed it.