Be Innovative AND “In Touch”
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Mon, December 15, 2008
- Viewed 81
- (16) comments so far
So… we turn the wheels and make it happen. We copy the idea. Sure, we might scale it down a little for our church, but we do it because it’s cool, or because it’s the new innovative trend. The problem is… in the process, we’ve become out of touch. We’ve tried something cool or innovative, not realizing that that’s not what our church was wanting or needing. We took somebody else’s absolutely brilliant idea and transformed it into a classic example of a hip, yet uneffective church program.
Many times, innovative ideas DO translate. And many innovative trends are working all across the country in all kinds and styles of churches and helping churches everywhere to have an increased Kingdom effectiveness. But in order for anything to be effective in our own church, we must, as Ballmer puts it, ‘stay in touch with our customers’. That means we need to know what the needs are of the people we’re serving.
What are the needs in your church? How can you better serve your community? What are the problems that you have right now that you don’t have an answer for? Those are the areas, as you listen and watch and stay ‘in-touch’, that will foster the greatest innovative ministry ideas in your local setting.
If you just cut and paste, you’ll find that your reality will be skewed. After all, ‘there is no substitute for innovation, of course, but innovation is no substitute for being in touch, either.’
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer once said, “We can believe that we know where the world should go. But unless we're in touch with our customers, our model of the world can diverge from reality. There's no substitute for innovation, of course, but innovation is no substitute for being in touch, either.”
According to Ballmer, we must be both ‘innovative’ and ‘in-touch’ or else our conclusions will become irrelevant.
Innovation is a big topic in the church today. Every year there are lists of the ‘most innovative’ churches. Some pastors and churches are known for their extreme innovation. And I’m very excited that today’s church has some of the best and brightest minds when it comes to innovative thinking.
But here’s what so often happens in the church world: We see a cool and shiny idea that some church in a town much bigger than ours half way across the country is doing. We’re so enthralled with the idea, the coolness factor, or the concept that we can’t wait to give it a whirl in our own church...
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Fred on Tue, December 16, 2008
Thanks again Dave. I checked out the site. It seems we may be talking of two different things here. This is a para -church organization, not a church. Innovation here is no different than innovation of the world. They do the same sort of thing. As I read the site material, the emphasis was on youth literacy and problems of the inner city. I am not against helping people out in this manner, but this is the fruits of a Christian life, not the church itself. This does not answer my question about church leaders advocating “innovation”.
This is what I think is meant today. Innovation means sustainable development—systems theory and systems philosophy. These are in my view of man, not God. This is man in his strength –in his own power. This is not ‘when I am weak then He is strong’. Without reading it into the text from our systems theory mindset, which is given to us through education and Western culture, especially the sociological influence, which came from an antichristian named Auguste Comte, a French philosopher, the father of sociology, a field derived from the philosophy of Positivism (only what is measurable or physical is real), where do you see Paul or any of the Apostles practicing innovation as we understand it, in the early church? I am not saying they didn’t use what was available. But that surely wasn’t the focus and they didn’t seem to hold conferences on it.
Mt point is that there is too much focus on all of this. Conferences, blog sites, books, videos—-all the how to do it. We live in a “technique” driven, sustainability driven, systems driven world. I think this hurts the true cause of the gospel more than it helps. It brings in far too many goats into the pasture as well as wolves. Again, I am not against helping people. But that is not in my estimation the main function of the church. It is to make disciples through the Word and sacraments to send into the world and preach the gospel. Maybe there some innovation is needed as the individual goes out into the world. But really there is nothing new under the sun. People are the same today as they were yesterday. If one desires to teach a child to read, great. Find a way to do it. But again, if the main focus becomes reading instead of Christ, then it will be no different than what the world does. Not that it is wrong to do it, but this is another category.
I do believe that the church as an institution and as the people of God need to preach the Word, encourage the saints, rebuke, admonish, and discipline its flock. This will enable them to mature in the faith and then as they live their lives in the world will be better able to witness for Christ and influence the culture. Innovation is not needed as much as obedience.
Thanks again Dave. I do enjoy this exchange. I am trying to understand from a Biblical point of view, what you are saying and this exchange will help me in clearing the confusion that I may have and better able me to search the Word for guidance here . I just want to remind us all that we come into this with presuppositions that are learned. That does not make them right or wrong necessarily. We have to examine the root of our presuppositions—-what philosophy undergirded them in our education, our families, and our culture. This is what formed our thought and thinking. Then we come to Scripture. If we bring those presuppositions in, and they are wrong, it will tint our understanding of Scripture and we will read Scripture to reinforce our presuppositions or visa versa. We must look to the history of the church, including the OT, pray, seek wisdom from God, not the world and then pray some more as we seek Him in His Word. As you may see, this can become quite deep and difficult. We must keep in the forefront of our minds, the heart is deceitful above all things , who can know it?
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