The world is fascinated with mass production — it is the economy of scale. It works well for cars, fast food, and flatscreen televisions. It works not so well for developing people. This may be one of the reasons Jesus built relationships, discipled a few, and empowered them to multiply. It may also be one of the reasons Jesus did not raise up an army, start a denomination, or build a seminary.

Quality people are not perfect. But they do have values, character, virtues, boundaries, and beliefs that guide their imperfect behavior most of the time. That makes a difference and shows. They operate from different worldviews, they see the world differently. You can be a high-end graduate from the most prestigious school and still bankrupt Enron, develop a Ponzi scheme, and steal millions, or cheat on Wall Street. Great institutions don’t insure quality people, just quality knowledge.

Quality is more caught than taught. If you grew up as a Christian, who is the first Sunday school teacher you can remember? What is it you remember? A lesson, or something relational? Chances are you can’t pinpoint one particular teaching, even though you learn, collectively, over the years, through a lot of good Bible teaching. That’s good, but you can probably name a teacher, pastor, parent, uncle, neighbor — someone who had impact on you. The quality side of you came from relationships. The knowledge base from an institutional source.

Jesus combined these two in the discipling process. Most electricians, carpenters, and skilled labor groups still do it. Most churches do not. Churches have Bible classes — the institution forming groups — and call that growing disciples. Yet how many pastors can specifically name one or two people they are mentoring, discipling, investing personal time to discipleship? How many church leaders are right now intentionally mentoring someone. How many Christians have even had a thought — ever — about pouring their lives into others?

Life for many starts in daycare, then preschool, grade school, high school, and college or trade school. In between, parents ran kids to scouts, music lessons, basketball practice, and youth group. Yet, how many parents have an ongoing intentional plan to relationship mentoring their children? Exposing them to experiences, as they relate side-by-side? Intentionally sharing values, attitudes, worldviews, beliefs?

Growing quality people is a relational effort supported by institutional instruction. This is a different, biblical approach than paying tuition or supporting an institution and expecting the institution to develop quality people. What do you think? Think our culture — our world — needs quality people?