by Lisa Allgood, Executive Presbyter

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

– Proverbs 16:3

Habit Stacking. I heard this phrase a few weeks ago on an NPR segment.  Admittedly, it was about healthy habits, not church, but – I loved the phrase.  And as usual, it got me thinking.

The person talked about how reaching one small goal is enough of a dopamine hit that you’ll want to keep going and stretching your goals (I’ll try not to get too nerdy about biology here, I promise).  The release of dopamine when you achieve a goal reinforces and motivates behaviors that led to the successful outcome. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that creates a “high”, the kind that can make us feel excited, energized, and eager to continue pursuing goals. Scientists have shown that this natural process can be good for us, but can also lead to pitfalls if we celebrate prematurely or become overly reliant on external validation.

Ideally the motivation for goal-setting is internal – not for external validation (so we should limit social sharing of goal accomplishment; scrolling through social media for “likes” also produces a dopamine hit – it’s why it can be addictive). Ideally the motivation for goal-setting embraces a growth mindset (since our progress toward a goal is never without interruption, challenges, and is never a straight linear upward line).

The healthy habit part of this was about SMART goals (Small/Specific, Motivating /Measurable, Achievable/Actionable, Relevant, Time-bound goals) for building a healthy lifestyle – you know, all the stuff you already know. Exercise. Eat well (fruits, veggies, and healthy proteins), and then expand your goals in small positive steps – stack them – as you sustainably achieve the ones you’ve set. Along the lines of “once you’ve been walking 5000 steps a day, increase gradually to hit that magic 10,000 step mark” (although honestly, there’s nothing magic about 10,000 either; that was a Japanese marketing ploy). “Start with one meatless meal a week – then go to 2 – then to 3.  Limit your alcohol – etc. etc. etc.”

Stack the habits.

So what would Habit Stacking look like in the church…? It’s a really intriguing question…

• Can daily distribution (text, email, website, hard copy) of Scripture encourage more consistent Scripture reading?
• Can more consistent Scripture reading encourage deeper exploration of the Bible?
• Can a deeper exploration of the Bible encourage disciple-making?
• Can a deeper exploration of the Bible encourage attendance at Sunday School?
• Can attendance at Sunday School encourage willingness to serve in the church/mission/community?
• Can serving in church/mission/the community encourage invitations to others to come to church?
• Can a deeper exploration of the Bible encourage a deeper prayer life?
• Can a deeper prayer life encourage deeper family engagement in Christ?
• Can a deeper family engagement in Christ encourage willingness to serve in the church/mission/community?
• Can serving in church/mission/the community encourage invitations to others to come to church?
• Can invitations to be part of a loving caring Christian community lead to deeper relationships and church growth?

And I know there’s more… whatcha think?  How can we be trainers and coaches and encouragers and  models and teachers of Habit Stacking for Christ?