What the church can learn from LEGO

Daniel and I watched a short documentary on Netflix this afternoon - Brick by Brick: Inside LEGO. LEGO was a fixture in my house growing up (two brothers!), and it's fascinating to see the intricate and elaborate creations that are created with these tiny square bricks. 

Lego bricks!

What really caught my attention was the focus on The Lego Group's ("Lego") success in the toy market, or, more accurately, its miraculous return from the brink of financial ruin. Lego is currently the fastest-growing toy company on the planet, but less than a decade ago the company was losing one million dollars per day. So, what changed, and why does it have anything to do with the church?

Two immediate connections - first, both the church and Lego were founded by carpenters; and, 60 percent of Lego's sales take place in the weeks leading up to Christmas, one of the times when church attendance and end-of-the-year giving swell... 

Okay, but more seriously - Lego had an identity problem, a control problem, and an assumption problem. In this age of decreased church attendance and lighter offering plates, the church might find some resonance with the issues Lego worked to address, because these are the church's issues, too.

First, Lego's identity problem. CEO Jørgen Vig Knudstorp said it this way: "[The company] had lost its way in terms of understanding its own self-identity. What is Lego uniquely about?" Lego had lost sight of its uniqueness and didn't understand its core business. So, instead of focusing on selling bricks, it tried to do all this extra stuff, like theme parks, books, and clothing lines - and lost a lot of money doing so.

It took a lot of conversations, imagination, and patience, but Lego's CEO was able to cut through everything and articulate the company's core identity. "Lego is a material that's endlessly creative; at the same time, it's extremely logical, because everything fits almost in a digital way." Knudstorp also pointed out the uniqueness of the company's product - it's the only material on earth that sticks together like it's glued, but can be easily taken apart. 

Second, Lego's control problem. The company had been quite protective of its packaged toy sets and, most of all, its brand. But, there are all these consumers, of all ages, who love the creativity they can use with Lego bricks, who love to build things not on the little paper instruction booklet that comes in the box. 

So Lego opened up, was less protective and more collaborative, and the resulting culture was good for everyone. Consumers can build whatever they can imagine (with 7,000 different parts!), and some have even lobbied the company for custom bricks for their creations. For its part, Lego now has access to even more creative minds, and have hired some of the most talented brick enthusiasts.

Third, Lego's assumption problem. Like any good company, Lego wants to expand its market share, reaching out to an ever-widening array of consumers. Lego bricks are found in the "boy" aisle at the toy store, and in the past the company had tried, rather unsuccessfully, to make products that would appeal to the other half of the population - girls. The assumption was that girls weren't interested in building, so the sets included many pre-made elements. And these sets? They didn't sell.

After talking to real, actual girls, Lego discovered that girls actually do want to build. So the newest line marketed to girls, Lego Friends, has the same clear cellophane bags filled with tiny, colorful pieces as all the other sets, with which girls (or boys!) can build things like yachts, juice bars, houses, and horse stables. 

...

So what's our core, as the church? Because the church has an identity problem, too. Churches across the US suddenly have fewer teens and young adults, and fewer members in general, and so we've scrambled to come up with the next big thing, the one that will get everyone pouring back in. Our theme parks and clothing lines look a little like "hip" music, technology for the sake of technology, and the prosperity gospel - telling people that happiness and success are the most important thing. And, of course, none of these is the church's core identity. 

We don't need to look far to find the church's core identity - it's Christ, crucified and risen. Restorer of the outcast, healer of the sick, forgiver of sin, destroyer of death, God incarnate. It is the cross that shows us the depth and strength of God's love, the extent to which God will go to seek and save the lost and broken, to hang in solidarity with those who are oppressed. The cross is simple, but hard. Its message is foolishness to the world, a sign of weakness. For us, it is God's strength and power.

As Lutherans, we also point to other facets of the church's core identity - the sacraments of baptism and Eucharist as the places where God promises to meet us with the real presence of Christ; and, the importance of salvation by grace, through faith, not by our works. It's God's work in our lives that saves us, for life abundant and life in relationship, both now and in eternity. 

What about the church's control problem? For a long time, pastors and priests have gotten to be the sole experts on faith, Scripture, and God. Now, I'm not arguing against ordination - I have a strong sense of call to leadership in the church as a minister of Word and Sacrament. But while I do feel called to preside at the table, preach, teach, and baptize, I don't feel called to be the only expert, the one who dictates how we worship, learn, and share. 

In baptism, we all receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and the call to share the good news of God's love with all people. When we come together as the church, we all teach and we all learn. We are comforted and we give comfort. As pastor, it will be my job to guide, model, and provide encouragement about what it is to connect faith with the rest of life, but I will be far from the only guide and encourager! We're in this together. We need each other. We all have gifts, we all have responsibilities, and we're all empowered by the Spirit. 

And the church's assumption problem? Varied and ongoing - that young people don't like liturgy and organ music; that old people don't like drums and guitars; that youth can't handle deep theological reflection; that children don't understand what happens in the Eucharist and therefore shouldn't commune; that toddlers have no place in worship aside from the brief show known as the children's sermon; that sinners don't belong; that God's grace isn't really for everyone...The list goes on, each assumption more damaging than the last. 

We must confess our false assumptions and actually talk to people about what they like and how they engage and understand life in this community of sinners, this community of God's people. And, when we do this? We must be prepared to be pleasantly, miraculously surprised by how God works in and through all people. 

In the documentary, Lego's CEO said this about his company: "Our name is completely synonymous with the idea of modular pieces that can be put together in an infinite number of ways." What about us? What is "church" synonymous with? Judgment and hypocrisy? Or God's grace, mercy, and freedom? 

How can we do better?

For more on the church and LEGO, check out The Brick Testament!