THE CHURCH THAT COWELL PLANTED (3/23/11)

Whatever you think of American Idol, it is the most successful television show in the history of... the world.  It was planted by music producer/entrepreneur/all around obnoxious guy, Simon Cowell.  His rudeness and expertise mixed into a cocktail that millions happily devoured weekly.  Ratings had begun to slip in years recent, and like most planter-characters, Cowell was looking for his next mountain to climb.  And so he announced he was leaving for another challenge.  The denomination, er the network, announced their appointments for a new lead team at Idol... and most of us looked away, embarrassed as if we were about to watch something that had been great die a horrible, prolonged death. 

The new team showed up this winter.  Two over-the-hill pop stars and a couple holdovers from the earlier team.  One of the holdovers (Randy Jackson) had been consistently overshadowed by Cowell’s enormous personality.  First week this season, viewership was up.  Curiosity.  Then it stayed up the next week.  Now ratings are rising for the first season in years.  Idol did not die.  It is now in rebirth, living into a new era of life, with a new team growing into their new jobs.  And hardly anyone is missing Simon.

Few expected this.  But behind the scenes, there was some very careful work to plan for this.  Great transitions are rarely accidental.  They take work.

And, they take team.  Oh, my, do they take team!

The bottom line with the leadership transition at Idol is that the new team works... the new team works better than the former team, with a far more balanced relationship between the team members.  Rev. Jackson is now, arguably, the senior minister in this outfit, and he has risen to the occasion brilliantly.  That simply was not going to happen as long as Rev. Cowell remained in the pulpit at 11 o’clock. 

As I watch the renaissance of American Idol, and examine the early results in what may go down as one of the best transitions in the history of show business, I am struck by the following truths:

1.    American Idol would never have existed except for the larger-than-life personality and paradigm-busting visionary who planted the thing.  But for Simon Cowell, we would not be having this conversation.
2.    There came a point when it was time for Simon to move on to his next thing, and his moving really gave Idol a chance at renewing itself in ways that simply could not have happened if he had stayed.  He had tried everything, including Ellen DeGeneres, and renewal was not going to happen on his watch.
3.    Some of the previous team stayed on as a bridge from the old to the new.  Ryan Seacrest and Randy Jackson are familiar fixtures, and the show could not have made this transition without them.  However, next year, Seacrest could move on, and even Jackson in 2013, and it is conceivable that the show would live on.
4.    The new kids on the panel are both qualified to be there due to their experience as recording artists, in two different musical eras.
5.    The new folks are also growing well into their new roles - they are each developing nicely.
6.    And most importantly, the team works. There is good chemistry - audiences are warming to the positive energy on the team even more than they did to Simon’s caustic antics.
7.    Also, behind the scenes, there is a masterful, veteran producer aiding and abetting all this success.  I guarantee you that the newbies are getting good coaching, and a competent director is helping the team pull this off. 

If American Idol can pull this off, your new church can survive the loss of your founding pastor. I promise you can.  But it will not happen without a strong team in place to work with God in creating the good future together that God desires for your church and its ministry.