Things we learn from Disaster Response and Starfish

Thanks to live news reporting and Hi-Def TV we are able to witness like never before the devastation of the Southern California fires. As many of us witnessed the massive destruction and panic from these raging sites we are intuitively moved with compassion and drawn to offer a helping hand. This is compassion DNA that exists in every person on the planet. I hear people say… “we need to do something”… or “how can we help?” and these are all the right thoughts… but I also want to challenge our thinking and refine our “emergency-response-reactions” to something more sustainable and hopefully helpful for those in need as well as those offering support on the front lines. In the past few years we have all witnessed natural disasters (Fires, Hurricanes, Tsunamis, earthquakes), as well as acts of terrorism (9/11, Oklahoma City, etc) and hopefully we’ve learned a thing or two on response. Often times there is a season of immediate response that last about 2 weeks to a month depending on the severity of the disaster. News media keeps us riveted to the TV and webcasts that allows us to see things first hand. But in a entertainment driven society… where pop-culture is king, we become quickly bored or move onto our daily routines and the things that consume our own lives.* (* that is, of course, if you don’t live in the affected area). This past year I read a book that deeply influenced how I work and what I do. It’s called "The Starfish and the Spider". I do not want to outline the entire book for you, but I will give you the main idea, which is… the nature and make up of a Starfish differs radically from a Spider. “Cut off the leg of a spider, and you have a seven-legged creature on your hands; cut off its head and you have a dead spider. But cut off the arm of a starfish and it will grow a new one. Not only that, but the severed arm can grow an entirely new body. Starfish can achieve this feat because, unlike spiders, they are decentralized; every major organ is replicated across each arm.” With that being said… a Spider organization is centralized and has clear organs and structure. You know who is in charge. You see them coming. While Starfish organizations, on the other hand, are based on completely different principles. They tend to organize around a shared ideology or a simple platform for communication. They arise rapidly around the simplest ideas or platforms. Ideas or platforms that can be easily duplicated. Once they arrive they can be massively disruptive and are here to stay, for good or bad. And the Internet can help them flourish. So in today's world Starfish organizations are starting to gain the upper hand. In my understanding of this “Starfish/Spider organizational principle” is that churches are supposed to be like the Starfish… yet often act like Spiders. The whole idea of Kingdom is that we share the same principles, the same ideals… our “Starfish-like network” should spread from here to San Diego… to China, AND follow the same ideology… “Love God, love one another, love your neighbor”. The truth is… in Western Culture, a Spider-like mentality often arises when things like disasters strike… we want to know who the leader is… we want to know who’s in charge… and for some, they become the self proclaimed leader. Churches too, can fall victim to Spider-mentality rather than letting its Starfish-like qualities take over. (Note: I’m not suggesting a “no-leader” idea… I’m just pushing an idea out there… hang in with me a bit longer). After personally visiting the 2003 Cedar fire, the gulf coast, and Tsunami-devastation, I’ve come to the conclusion that the church automatically defaults to it intended design… that is, of a Starfish-like organization. While government agencies and relief organizations work frantically to assess the situation and establish some control (some good, some bad)… churches already have the organic networks in place both locally and globally. No agency or government group can work with as much clarity and charity as the church… if it functions like it’s supposed to. In the gulf coast… who is still there working on rebuilding and relief? … the church. (For more information on trips to the gulf coast go to http://www.valleychurch.org/ ) In the tsunami- devastated regions… who is working with orphans and micro businesses?... the church (For more information on Tsunami Relief go to http://www.servlife.org/ The church finds itself doing the very thing it’s supposed to do (in Starfish-like fashion) when it’s responding to needs or being persecuted. With that all being said… let me now say this… -To the churches in the Bay Area and beyond… foster the growth of organic church networks. Champion the shared ideology “Love God, love others, you’re your neighbor” in your community groups, bible studies, and new church plants. Build relationships with other churches… and network together for a greater cause. -To the churches in Southern California… stay the course, hang in there… we are part of you, and we’ve got your back! Some helpful info... The Rock Church (http://www.therocksandiego.org/ ) has networks in and around the entire San Diego area. They have an infrastructure in place that allows your funds or specific supplies to be used where they are needed most. They have also communicated to us that they will offer long-tern help for those recovering from the fires and would welcome short-term teams in the future for clean-up and rebuilding (we will keep you posted). Our best option through the Beautiful Day Network is to identify and support a church with an immediate and long-term plan. We are confident that The Rock has both. To make financial contributions (individually or corporately) go to their Fire Relief site at http://www.therocksandiego.org/wildfires/ Hit the “contact Information” link, and send checks to the address given. Add “Fire Relief” in the memo section. For follow up information you can contact the church directly at (619) 226-7625 or email