Savoring Criticism

Something happens when you leave the world of pastoring, where people feel it's their God-given right to criticize the church...

You have to dig really hard for constructive feedback.

When it comes to non-church endeavors, people don't readily offer their thoughts. They simply don't shop there anymore... go there anymore... return there anymore.

At STORY, I was monitoring the #Story09 feed on Twitter for constructive comments. There were a ton of great things being said. But it was the few "I wish" or "If only" nuggets that grabbed my attention.

Like, the wi-fi sucked. We used prayer too much as a transitional element. A small few thought we'd tell more stories like in Nancy Beach's talk.

I didn't agree with all of them. (Hey, if you're not hated by some, you can't make raving fans out of others.) But duly noted Twitter friends. Duly noted.

Because people don't speak their opinions; they act them.

Comments

[Terrace Crawford]

"When it comes to non-church endeavo"rs, people don't readily offer their thoughts. They simply don't shop there anymore... go there anymore... return there anymore."

We have become too churchy.

--Terrace Crawford
www.terracecrawford.com
www.twitter.com/terracecrawford

[Scott Savage]

hey ben. great post. would love to see a follow-up to this. We have now watched you spearhead three large events - WIBO, Catalyst WestCoast, and Story. what did you learn from constructive feedback that influenced your work from one to another
(WIBO >CATWC >STORY)? Values shift? Weaknesses fixed? Strengths magnified? How did you leverage the feedback you got?

[Ben Arment]

I've come away from every event with major lessons learned. Each of these were maiden events, but the 2nd time around will reflect those lessons. Whiteboard II and Story II will be significantly better experiences...

[Scott Savage]

(From afar) I have come to respect your pioneering and entrepreneurial spirit - your willingness to risk and fail. The content re: failure that I hear pastors/church planters like Groeschel and Batterson talking about I see embodied in your work. Keep living a life worth imitating. (and I look forward to reading/experiencing the results of those lessons in the future).