So, yesterday I wrote about my Freakonomics movie experience and how it reminded me why I don’t like incentive based programs. Kids get left out because the same incentive doesn’t work for all kids. I was having lunch with my boss on Monday and he asked me a question about what I got out of it and it caused me to think about a different side of incentives. His questions caused me to think about incentives in my life. I recognized that even I don’t respond to the same incentives in every area of my life.

For instance, last year I lost over 30 pounds in 3 months. I’ve been a lazy bum and have gained some of it back, but it’s time for me to pick up the running and healthy eating routine again and I just haven’t been motivated. What I’ve learned is that in order for me to lose weight, there have to be three things present. Accountability, competition and some kind of prize. Without those things, I’m just not as motivated. It felt really great to fit in some clothes I wanted to wear, but that great feeling isn’t enough incentive for me. When it comes to doing a great job in ministry, I don’t need the same kind of incentives. I don’t really enve need someone telling me I’ve done a great job. I’ve got an internal drive that pushes me forward because I just care about it. Funny how that is, isn’t it.

I’ll be even more vulnerable right now. One of my biggest struggles in the last few years is sitting down to read my Bible every day. The desire is there but when left to my own, there’s a good chance that it’s not going to happen. Now I have lots of accountability in my life and as a group we’ve tried all kinds of things from calling each other, sending emails and texts to encourage each other to take the time. It works some of the time, but not perfectly.

Initially, my mind things, “well, I just haven’t found that incentive that will help me read my Bible every day.” On the other side of things though, it feels less than right to be seeking incentives for myself to maintain spiritual disciplines. Shouldn’t time with Jesus be enough? I get to be with him forever in Heaven and he saved me from death, isn’t that enough? An outsider would probably say, “obviously not since you’re still not reading your Bible ever day.” Maybe that’s just my brokeness and my need for God to change my heart. I’m conflicted on this. Any thoughts?

So, I did go into this film with my “learning cap” on and there were a handful of great thoughts I walked away with.

The concept behind the book (and film) is motivation and incentives. Why people do things. One segment of the movie that spoke to me the most was an experiment they did in a public school to try to improve grades. In this High School, they gave $50 to every kid who had passing grades and entered them in a drawing for $500. It created quite a buzz. However, when the experiment was over, the kids who were consistently failing didn’t make any significant improvements. However, the kids who were on the fence tended to do well with the incentive. What they learned was that the same incentive doesn’t work with all people. They learned a lot, but didn’t really consider their incentive program as a successful venture.

As I thought about this for ministry, it confirmed some thoughts and feelings I have about incentives. I’m not going to lie, we all use a variety of incentives. From treats to games to music and decor, we’re using incentives and that in itself isn’t necessarily wrong. However, when we use one main incentive intended to apply to all kids, we’re making a mistake. All kids don’t respond to the same incentives.

This is why I’ve never been a fan of merit based programs (there are many mid-week church programs to choose from). These programs are HIGHLY incentive based where you get badges, pins, ribbons as well as Bible cash. The problem is that there is ALWAYS a segment of kids who aren’t motivated by these incentives and they often feel out of place in a program that is almost entirely based on incentives. So, what do you do for those kids? How do you motivate or include them?

So, just something to put in your back pocket. Incentives aren’t necessarily wrong. Everyone is motivated by them, it’s just that everyone doesn’t respond to the same one and we can necessarily mass produce motivation.

There is one place though where I have done an incentive program. Maybe that makes me a hypocrite, I don’t know. Although we didn’t do this at Gateway this year and I don’t know if or when we’ll do one in the future, but I’ve always put incentives in place at our Venture Quest (VBS programs). We did this two ways. We had an offering contest and we gave away prized for kids who brought friends. I certainly had an agenda.

1. We were raising money for the work my friends Joel and Heidi are doing in Burkina Faso, West Africa. What they are doing is literally changing the landscape of a Muslim nation through Children’s Evangelism. As they continue to do their work, Burkina Faso my look completely different when the next generation becomes adults. So I do a boys vs. girls offering contest. I strongly urge the kids not to simply get money from mom and dad (although I’m sure many do). I encourage them to find ways to earn money, do extra chores or set up a lemonade stand, and many do. The last VQ I did this was my biggest yet. The kids raised over $6,000. I think the boys won. Do I give out a prize? No, just bragging rights. No really, I hype it up really big and the fact that the boys brought in more money seems to be enough. Usually I set an overall goal where my head gets shaved. That summer both me and another CP got his head shaved. It was classic.

2. Our VQ program has been evangelistic in nature. I would close off registration at 60-70% capacity. Then when the kids get there I encourage them to bring their friends. We equip them with the opportunity telling them that this is how they can see their friends come to Christ. Again, we highly urge them to bring their friends and neighbors who don’t go to church anywhere else. We then give away tons of prizes to those who bring friends. Every night we do give away tons of prizes randomly, but we usually have the big prize give-away at the pool party the Sunday night after VQ.

So, that is what I do. I have my own agenda. I want to see the unchurched come into our church and find Christ and hopefully find a church home. I also want to enable people doing amazing things around the world. I believe the kids would respond in a positive way regardless, but I do believe the incentives of the prizes and contest puts the kids over the top. The deal is that at my last VQ, we have around 1000 kids come. Only about 70 or so got prizes. Only two people got their head shaved. However, every kid had an amazing experience.

So, that’s what I’ve done. What about you?

So, thinking about getting rid of your Bible Bucks system? It’s easier than you’d think. I’ve done it three times and I’ve had exactly the same experience every time.

First of all, your biggest reaction will not be from the kids, it will be from adults. In all honesty, the most noise I heard from were volunteers, not parents. Usually it’s been the “we’ve been doing this for 7 years” thing or “Why would we get rid of something the kids love so much?” reaction. The solution to this is just clear and honest communication. I’ll communicate to parents and volunteers something like this:

Although we’ve had success with the prize store over the last few years, we’re looking to makes some changes to see if we can provide an even better experience for our kids. Maintaining the prize store costs a large amount of money and requires a lot of our volunteer resources. We’re looking at ways to free up these resources and do something special and different that the kids aren’t expecting and will totally love (maybe give some examples like a big party bash with inflatables and games at the end of every series or an end of the school year lock-in that’s totally free).

Sometimes I’ll even be direct and say, “Did you know that we spent $5,000 on prizes last year? Essentially that was $5,000 on pencils, erasers and yo-yos.  Can you imagine how we could totally blow these kids away if we used $5,000 differently?”

I’ve never had a volunteer or parents argue with the simple truth. Usually when we announce it to the kids we will get some push back. We’ll get some complaints and questions.

However, usually we’ll explain to the kids that the Prize Store is taking a break. We don’t know when or if we’ll open it up again, so be sure to spend all your money at this last one. We usually amp it up and make sure we’ve got enough prizes as well as some new items that the kids will enjoy. Then we close it. By saying it is taking a break, we’ve left ourselves some space to open it back up if we really need to (like if the kids totally rebel against the idea… although they never have). Then when we do a big Christmas party or end of school year blast, we communicate to parents and volunteers that we’re doing this because we’re not doing the prize store. They’ll see the light.

In the 3 to 6 months after the prize store is closed, you will have a parent come up to you asking if their child can use their bucks as they were gone for the final prize store. I always say yes. If I still have prizes, I’ll put together a little gift bag of prizes their kids will love. If I don’t have any prizes, I’ll give them a $5 or $10 Wal-Mart gift card. In all the places I’ve closed prize stores, I’ve only had to do this with 4 or 5 people… combined. Within a week or two of closing the prize store, kids stop asking about it. Literally, they forget about it. Yeah, you’ll have the one or two kids complain, but 98% of all the other kids won’t mention it again. That’s usually my sign that it was a good move.

So, if you’re looking to close down your prize store because you have or are building an experience that is fun and exciting in the context of connecting kids with leaders, peers and Jesus, then go for it! You’ll be glad you did.

Tomorrow will be my last post in this little series. There is one thing I’ve used incentives for. I did this for nearly 7 years at three different churches. I won’t apologize for it and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Who knows, maybe I am a prize store hypocrite. You be the judge.

Let me tell you , dismantling the Bible Bucks system is a little daunting. There aren’t people out there who “hate” it and are glad to see it go. The only people who’ve ever told me they were glad to see it go were the staff members who had to stock it and price everything. In fact, most of the kids LOVE it… but that doesn’t necessarily mean its the right thing either.

The question I have to ask is, “why are you doing it? Why is it a part of your program?

For many it is the thing kids are most excited about coming to church. It actually motivates them to come every week, learn their memory verse, bring their Bible and sometimes even bring a friend. However, are kids falling in love with Jesus and his word or are they in love with their Bible Bucks? Are they really connecting with their leaders and other peers or are they motivated simply to earn enough for the scooter in the prize store?

Call me an idealist, but I think our programs should be so good that the kids just don’t want to miss out. Maybe they’ve got such a good relationship with their small group leader that they don’t want to miss them. I understand that we want the experience to be fun as “fun” is the language of kids. However, when the main “fun” part isn’t really associated with connecting with kids or helping lead them to spiritual maturity, then you’ve got a problem (regardless whether it’s a prize system, and environment or games). I’ve been at churches that have spent thousands of dollars on a prize store. My question would be, “what could you do with that extra money that would make a big difference immediately?” I’d figure out the answer to that and then do it.

I certainly don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade. There may be people out there who have a fantastic experience with their prize store and it only “adds” to an already exciting and fulfilling program. If that’s the case, then go for it. I can only speak from my own experience and every prize store experience I’ve had has been negative or has added nothing to the overall experience for the amount of work and resources it took.

Tomorrow I’m going to blog about how to dismantle a prize store, just in case you’re thinking about doing it.