Mike 
Near the center of Houston, there is a small municipality that is completely surrounded by the larger city. Build in the 1940’s and 1950’s, this community has had a tremendous resurgence over the past two decades due to its excellent schools, independent city status, and close proximity to downtown. The original “bungalows” are typically 1200 to 1500 square feet in size. When one goes up for sale, it is quickly purchased for “tear down” value, and a new 3000 to 5000 square foot home is built in its place.
A couple of years ago, the city manager told me that the community was only 40% “rebuilt” – that 60% of the properties still had their old, unimproved structures. I was shocked. My impression, based on driving through this community many times, was that that majority of the old homes had been torn down. I would have guessed 70% or more.
That misperception on my part leads to an important lesson for leaders. It’s easy to have one’s impression formed by the things that are big and shiny, and to overlook those that are small and old and unattractive. What could this mean in your setting?
- A congregation appears to be full of people who have it all together, so the pastor thinks that few people have significant material or emotional needs.
- A suburban school is consistently ranked as “high achieving,” so people assume that all the kids are good students and that they don’t need any special programs.
- You hear great feedback from a number of small group participants and don’t realize that several of the groups are struggling.
