Would You Rather: Connect More People or Eliminate Risk?

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If you had to choose, would you rather connect more people or eliminate risk?

Don’t you hate a proposition like that?  But if you think about it, it’s really the premise behind the childhood game.  Two choices.  Choose which of the choices you’d rather make.  See also, Would You Rather: Connect More People or Make More Disciples?

Important to understand though, that this is a real choice that all of us make.  In this case the real question is would you rather connect more people (by lowering the bar in terms of what it takes to lead a group) or connect fewer people (as a result of a higher bar of leadership without the risk that some of some percentage of group leaders not being up to the highest standards)?

Fun to think about, right?  Actually, all of make this choice or one like it all the time.  You may not spell it out this way, but you still make this choice.

How would you answer the question?  Would you rather connect more people or eliminate risk?

Here’s how I answer: I’d rather connect more people knowing that for every 100 groups I start I may have two led by ax murderers and another two who end up doing The Secret.  If 96 out of 100 don’t have issues like that, aren’t I way ahead?  Haven’t I just connected something like 960 people?

When I make this choice, three factors enter into the equation for me:

  1. I like connecting 960 people.  See also, Leader Qualification: Raising the Bar, Lowering the Bar or Open Bar?
  2. I want to do what I can to protect the 40 who end up with the ax murderers and Oprah fans.
  3. I am certain that unconnected people are always one tough thing away from never being at my church again.  See also, What’s Your Urgency Level for Connecting People?

What do you think?  How do you land on this question?  Want to argue?  You can click here to jump into the conversation.