Guest Blog - Sam Roberts
Meet Sam Roberts. Sam has been on staff for almost 12 years. He oversees all 13 campuses and is one of 5 directional leaders at Life.
THE NUMBNESS OF FREQUENCY
When we consistently communicate the same thing in the same way, it falls on deaf ears. I call it the Numbness of Frequency, and we see it at play in many different arenas. For example:
- When you send the same e-newsletter on the same day at the same time with the same layout. – Numbness of Frequency
- When, as a speaker, you continually use the same approach to say the same thing again and again. – Numbness of Frequency
- When you cannot wait for Krispy Kreme to come to your town… A month later after the store opens, you do not want to see another confections delight. – Numbness of Frequency
- When you keep the same information in your lobby in the same location saying the same thing week after week. – Numbness of Frequency
- When a key volunteer loses their passion for something they were so excited about doing. – Numbness of Frequency
The principle is simple. When exposed to the same stimulus on a routine basis, most of the time, we become numb to it.
How do you overcome it? Try a fresh approach–send the e-mail on a different day, or better yet, when you have something you really need to say. Pray for God to give you a fresh passion or a new twist on saying the same thing.
In what ways have you seen this principle play out and have you discovered an antidote to this communication venom?
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I remember when you first shared the concept of “Numbness of Frequency” with me. It’s so true and especially with stage/platform/pulpit communication. As soon as you go to the same old tired way of communicating announcements or whatever you are communicating, people check out… keep it fresh, keep your people off balance. During our staff retreat this year that’s the question each ministry area has to answer “What are you going to change this year?”
You don’t want to make it gimmicky; however keep it fresh enough that you can maintain their attention.
I personally even think that our call to Christ can use a fresh approach periodically…
It’s kinda like when you buy a loaf bread… you look for the one with the freshest date! LOL well maybe that’s not a good analogy, but you get the picture!
Great Post!
Sam
Excellent insight! Thanks
Actually, Scott, I love the analogy! the “aroma” of stale bread doesn’t attract or inspire anybody. People need to know that there is “fresh bread” in the house or they won’t return, and if they do, their expectations won’t be high. We need to create an atmosphere where people are hungry, if they’re expecting nothing, that’s exactly what they will get.
Yes, I’ve noticed and experienced this. I think it has happened to me with attending church.
However, I think there’s something to be said for consistency as well. Like if you always (literally, every time) do things different - people will be off balance and confused.
Jesse, it sounds like you are saying keep the consistency of who you are, don’t come off like a church with a multiple personality, disorder, but don’t be afraid to take a few risks and mix it up a bit, either. I think that’s the key.
Good thoughts, Sam. I think the same applies to all of life—even for moms!
Mix it up! Keep life fresh.
Sam, thank you. I can get comfortable with a routine and loose my effectiveness. Mixing it up can keep things fresh and new. Thanks for the challenge.
I’m with you, Robin. As a mother, I learned a lot about the importance of “palate building.” It’s important to expose a baby to a wide variety of flavors and textures so that they will be able to eat a balanced/nutritious diet in their epicurian future.
It can take up to 20 exposures to a new flavor before an infant will learn to accept it. But then, you must start building on another flavor because it represents new nutritional importance to a growing body.
God has an infinite ammount of “flavors” and “textures” that we need to be exposed to for our own good, and even for our own enjoyment! Bring on the change–we may try to spit it out at first, but soon we’ll relish the spices God has for our lives.
Good stuff Sam. As leaders, if our vision is clear, we are probably be communictaing one main message and some clear strategic steps to realizing that vision. That demands that we become consistently creative in communicating the same things over and over. A great resource to inspire some varied approaches to this are two books: ‘Made To Stick’, and ‘Influencer: The Power To Change Anything’. Check them out.
I can agree with most of your post, however with the “Numbness of Frequency” in mind, why does LC often fall into this. I find this especially the case in LC’s praise and worship, especially at the NW and OKC campuses’. I’ve been a regular attender/member for about 10 or so years now, and it seems as time goes on, the music becomes more “stale”. Brian Brus used to mix the music up quite frequently back in the day. Now it seems the campus I go to NW OKC, and visit often OKC, often play the same 4 songs each week or maybe rotate every other week. There are THOUSANDS of songs that honor God. Honestly, I’ve become numb to the praise and worship as have others I know because of the “frequency” of the same songs and the same stage announcements and prayer after the service. Whatever happened to following the heart of God instead of doing a routine? I understand routine is good in some areas, but let’s mix it up more please……
Great insight, I think we get on this routine all the time. Probably because it is comfortable. Thanks for the challenge.
Love the insight, Sam. Working in a non-profit marketing setting, I definitely find that it is easy to expect people to want to read our material. I can see how they could easily become numb to the same message in the same way over and over again.
One of the greatest things about Jesus was while he had an clear and consistent message, He relayed that message in unique ways that kept people interested. I think for church leaders today this is a huge challenge considering how over-saturated we all are with ‘messages’ whether from churches, companies, movies, etc. Great insight! Hopefully we can all do anything short of sin to rid ourselves of the Numbness of Frequency!
I agree with Josh about how Jesus would vary the ways to say the same message not only kept people interested, but it also allowed his message to be understood by more people. Since people process information differently, they may have heard the message before never really got it.
This happened to me on new years weekend at our church. I was presenting the communion and had given a message talking about the Patriots going for a “perfect” season, which then transitioned into the fact that there has only ever been one “Perfect” person on the earth, namely Jesus. After the message the group took the elements and most left,but one woman was waiting for prayer and weeping. When I spoke with her, she told me that she had been a christian for many years and had participated in communion countless times, but that night was the first time she realized that the bread represented Christ’s body and the the juice his blood.
I read through that whole thing thinking it said “numbers of frequency…” Couldn’t figure out what you were talking about.
I guess I’m just so used to seeing numbers talked about on church blogs.
Robin & Heather – Good points of how this can apply outside our “professional” environment but extends into our home life as well.
Tom – Good to hear from you…congrats on #5 that is awesome! A full starting five on the basketball court now!
Scott R – Thanks for the book recommendations I am going to check them out.
Steven – Thanks for your thoughts on the worship environment at OKC and NOC Campuses. We are working currently on some innovative approaches to worship which I hope will add the spice you are looking for.
Josh – Great point about Jesus being the master of changing things up, keeping the message the same, and changing people as He did.
There are soo many speakers who always use numbness of frequency. Tony Wood at next-gen ministry Generate at Crossroads Church in Corona Calif. is one the the very few speakers who brings a fresh message every time.
wwww.generatelife.com
Sam, thanks for taking the time to respond to my “complaints” about the stale worship, primarily at the NOC campus (that’s my home campus), although I attended the OKC campus for 8-9 years. It’s not so much the format of the music, as it is the same 4 songs every week or every other week. I do understand Adam Ivey is going to Central though to create “music videos” and other music approaches. I pray this works well. He does have a talent for it, it has a NOOMA video feel to it. Just keep the mix of songs more frequent with less repetition on a weekly basis. Change is good. Sing a new song to the Lord!
You make a needed point. I see this in church all the time. The same stuff is always out there and no one pays attention to it. We really need to change it up.
http://www.matthewsblog.waynesborochurchofchrist.org
Sam,
Thanks for this post. It’s simple, and yet profound (for me). It’s direct, and it’s applicable. Thank you, again.
To answer your question: I see the Numbness of Frequency playing out in many of the churches in the community in which I live. Pauls Valley, Okla.
The same announcements. The same events. The same routines. The same format, and delivery of content. And possibly the most unsettling: the same results.
The challenge for any of us is to apply the “antidote” of variety.
Nick, one definition of insanity is, ” doing the same thing the same way yet expecting different results.”
Sam,
Great post! So glad to see the serve readers get a chance to meet you. I’ve learned so much from you about leadership over the years.
Sam rocks!
As my boys were growing up (they are now 21 and 26) we always taught them, “Don’t be an excuse maker, be a problem solver. We were blessed to have a great VBS this year and my 21 yr old, Sam, was one of my comedic actors for a number of sketches throughout the week. throughout the planning process we ran into a few kinks and he consistently cranked out quite a few #4s, out-creatively thinking even me! I was very proud of the hilarious performances he gave but even more so I was blessed that within his “DNA” there is a “His thoughts are higher than ours” and a “greater is he that is within us..” attitude.
As my boys were growing up (they are now 21 and 26) we always taught them, “Don’t be an excuse maker, be a problem solver.” We were blessed to have a great VBS this year and my 21 yr old, Sam, was one of my comedic actors for a number of sketches throughout the week. throughout the planning process we ran into a few kinks and he consistently cranked out quite a few #4s, out-creatively thinking even me! I was very proud of the hilarious performances he gave but even more so I was blessed that within his “DNA” there is a “His thoughts are higher than ours” and a “greater is he that is within us..” attitude. I also love how, even though I was his mentor he definitely brings his own twist to a situation.
Sorry, I meant to put this on Scott’s (and only once)
[...] August 7, 2008 at 11:49 am (church insite) When we were in Worcester and Boston there was a Dunkin Donuts on every corner. I only went to the place once, but I don’t want to see another one anytime soon. So, I was catching up on my blog reading, craving a donut, and here’s what I find… thanks Swerve and Sam Roberts. [...]
[...] So, check it out. It’s called…the NUMBNESS of FREQUENCY! [...]
[...] I had several people ask about the “New Communication Strategy” that I tried this weekend; in which I made reference to it in yesterday’s post. The appropriate way for me to describe the strategy is the fact that it was a “Different New Communication Strategy” to our normal stage announcements. “If we consistently communicate the same thing in the same way, it falls on deaf ears.” Sam Roberts from the LifeChurch.tv Directional Leadership team calls it Numbness of Frequency. [...]