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December 6, 2019 9 Comments

The Berry Bucket and How It Often Causes Church Conflict

Podcast Episode #595

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What in the world is a Berry Bucket? If you don’t think this is a relevant topic for your church join Thom and Sam as they discuss the Berry Bucket and how it is often the source of church conflict.

Highlights:

    • Understanding the Concept of the Berry Bucket
    • Why Years Two and Three Are the Most Common Berry Bucket Conflict Years
    • The Communication Issues with the Berry Bucket
    • Surviving the Berry Bucket

Other highlights:

    • How is the Berry Bucket created?
    • How are existing church members threatened by the Berry Bucket?
    • Conflict with the Berry Bucket can depend upon what type of new church member is acquired.
    • It will benefit the leader to over communicate the wins and advantages of the Berry Bucket.
    • A pastor can change the pace of change with tenure.
    • A church may be declining in growth and still experience the difficult challenges of the Berry Bucket.

Resources:

  • 2020 Revitalize Network Convention
  • Books by Carl F. George
  • Church Answers
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Related

Comments

  1. Kevin Smyth says

    December 6, 2019 at 9:24 am

    I love the thought of the “Berry Bucket”. Years ago I had a Pastor he was speaking to the Sunday School head he was having a heavy day and said “I’m changing a lot of diapers”. The old berries need to become more parental and help change the diapers of the new berries. Families are given new life in grand babies help the old become parental like Paul said many teachers not many fathers.

    Reply
  2. Dan Maas says

    December 6, 2019 at 10:36 am

    The “berry bucket” refers to Carl George’s family, who stored berries in buckets, rotating them for use according to age so that they were used before they went bad.

    Reply
    • Thom Rainer says

      December 6, 2019 at 11:41 am

      Good information. Thanks, Dan.

      Reply
  3. Randy Millwood says

    December 6, 2019 at 11:39 am

    To solve the mystery- George was in Southern California- big berry country (think: Knott’s Berry Farm). He was just being relative 👨‍🎓

    Reply
  4. John Farley says

    December 6, 2019 at 2:38 pm

    Old-Timers: This is the way we’ve always done it this way because this is the way God intended.

    Newcomers (arrived 10 years ago): Nothing ever changes around here. We’ve tried.

    New Newcomers: What are you talking about?

    Old Old-Timers: We remember what we used to do around here before the “Old-Timers” came and changed everything.

    Reply
    • Nathan Gardner says

      December 9, 2019 at 6:38 pm

      I can’t even begin to say how providential this podcast was for me today. I’ve pastored a small church in upstate New York for the last 5 years. Our attendance has doubled in the past year (30 to 60). Recently the “old berries” have started complaining (ironically, one of the old berries is a Barry…) about the new berries. The conflicts and complaining has gotten to the point where I was debating leaving. This podcast has renewed my resolve for sticking it out for the good of the new berries. Thank you and God bless!

      Reply
      • Thom Rainer says

        December 9, 2019 at 7:14 pm

        Bless you as well, Nathan.

        Reply
  5. Robin G. Jordan says

    December 6, 2019 at 4:50 pm

    Has Sam ever gone berry picking? Where I used to live, people went berrying picking when the blackberries and blueberries were ripe and put the berries they picked in a bucket. If they picked berries at a pick-your-own berry patch, the owner of the patch charged the picker by weight of the berries they picked. The bucket was weighed beforehand and then deducted from the weight of the full bucket.

    Reply
  6. Philip Brown says

    December 7, 2019 at 9:47 am

    I completely get the berry bucket theory/principle. What I don’t get is that in every other aspect of life the old berries and older berries seem to adopt and adapt to change rather well. I see the old and older berries using smart phones. They all are driving well appointed late model cars. They recycle plastic, cans, and paper. Why, why do they resist it so much in the church? It doesn’t make sense. If the old berries are sick, they seek out medical experts that tell them they need to do so this, stop doing that, or do more of this. And they follow the direction of the doctor.
    I just don’t u see stand the hesitation in accepting and adopting change in the church when they do ski all other aspects of life.

    Reply

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