On this platform, we’ll look at a several companies and cultural touchstones with a special focus on some of my favorite interests, one of which is Star Wars.
welcome to the collision of church leadership and pop culture. (part five – star wars.)
Star Wars is more than a franchise. It’s a religion for some people. (And if you’ve ever been in a debate about the prequels, you know exactly what I mean.)
Star Wars teaches church leaders something uniquely important.
“when people love something deeply, they don’t just want content – they want continuity of meaning.”
That’s why Star Wars fandom is so intense. Because it’s not just about movies. It’s about identity, childhood wonder, and a sense of belonging. So when new Star Wars content changes the rules of the Star Wars universe, it’s not just an artistic or narrative choice, it’s actually undermining what the fandom was certain was true and in doing so, attacks the fandom’s identity.
And that’s why leadership decisions feel personal to people.
Churches experience the same dynamic all the time.
- Change the service time and someone grieves like you canceled Christmas.
- Swap the carpet color and somehow you’re “compromising the gospel.”
- Introduce a new song and half the room acts like you crossed over to the Dark Side.
Star Wars is a case study in what happens when a beloved story changes hands, expands, reboots, retcons, and tries to satisfy both legacy fans and new audiences.
Which is… basically every church trying to reach new people while serving the needs of longtime members.
The lesson isn’t “never change.” The lesson is: treat people’s emotional attachment with honor.
How can you sunset a ministry while honoring those who have built it?
- Can you find the positive traits in a negative situation and choose to honor the positives instead of promoting the negatives?
- What if you had a memorial of sorts, where everyone has a chance to speak the good things about the ministry that’s going away, honor it’s history and therefore lay it to rest peacefully from a position of honor? Can you speak positively about the people who have gone before, even if you didn’t agree with them (or particularly like them)?
Leadership requires empathy for the stories people are carrying, especially when you’re asking them to step into a new chapter. Unless you are planting a church, your ministry stands on the shoulders of those who have gone before you. Honoring the past. Honoring your “audience” will keep them on your side as you move to a new future.
And please, let go of the old carpet. It’s worn and faded and smells like Bantha poodoo.
dc.
