I agree with Gary on the rarity of innovative churches. I think we have a handful of churches that were innovative with SOMETHING several years ago, and they're still getting credit for it because NOTHING NEW has unseated them. I still stand by my conviction that no one recognizes true innovation while it's innovating. True innovation is unpopular with the masses in its infancy. Most innovative churches have just gone into syndication.
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I'm all for innovation (just read my blog), but I can't understand why there is a reward for it. Can someone explain?
Posted by: Read Scott | January 10, 2008 at 02:18 PM
Seems to me that innovation is difficult to define inside the church. What would be an innovative idea in smalltown USA may have been done 2 years earlier in a "major market" church. Ultimately it comes down to your community. What is it that's going to hit them square on for the gospel? Once you have that dialed in, innovate in that direction. I agree entirely that true innovation is generally unpopular with the masses (at least initially) - But from what I've seen, those masses tend to be the already convinced...I'll sacrifice popularity with the masses anyday if it means reaching my community.
Thanks Ben!
Posted by: Jim Henry | January 10, 2008 at 03:49 PM
Read, you haven't heard about the innovation crown some of us are going to get in heaven?
=)
Posted by: Ben Arment | January 10, 2008 at 05:30 PM
What's up, Ben. In my upcoming book "Church 2.0", I am trying to stretch people's definition of innovation. I believe one has to look in unexpected and unpredictable places to see the hand of God at work. There are some very innovative churches in this country, but they're not necessarily the ones that make "the list" - though, some do.
For more on "Church 2.0" check out the Facebook group at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5831513553
Posted by: Greg Atkinson | January 12, 2008 at 02:00 AM