Stop what you’re doing and watch this:
July 16, 2010
Christian Creatives! Please Enter!
There have got to be some Christian futurists/designers out there:
http://futurestory.com.au/?page_id=67
This could be a great opportunity to share what redeemed society could look like!
July 9, 2010
Missional attraction:
I work at a church developing a missional model. Missional, for those of you unfamiliar with the term, essentially took the place of
“emerging” after we learned about it’s Calvinist core, “emerging” took the place of “emergent” after Brian McClaren and Rob Bell espoused some radical theologies about Christ’s divinity and and the nature of salvation.
Missional churches then, are essentially socially-minded Armenian churches with fair-trade coffee and all natural clothes, who get their groceries from local co-ops.
If contemporary evangelicalism can be represented by Nike, then missional churches can be represented by Toms shoes.
My supposition is that missional churches still grow like any organization: by attracting people to join, and in that sense are still essentially attractional.
Where the model differs from others is in how the community is built: rather than building superior programming that presents a slick and impressive organization with low costs of buy-in, the organization must embody the ideals of the community they are trying to reach, and because one of the values of the postmodern culture is authenticity, the leaders must embody these ideals in themselves and their own lives. But that authenticity is ATTRACTIVE to the culture being reached.
June 25, 2010
Challenge for creative churches
I’d like to invite you to join my newest project: a call to art www.bit.ly/calltoart
The goal is to inspire churches to stretch their creativity and try to use broader references when they create stuff. Without meaning to, most of the country goes to only a few sources: tv shows and hit movies.
By joining the project you are commiting to pitch an idea to your team or pastor that doesn’t come from tv or the movies sometime in the next 12 months, and telling us how it went.
The world is changing, and our original reasons for tying to pop culture are fading: with the media world fracturing into thousands of channels, it is no longer possible to pull from the “it” show that everyone is watching or talking about, in a few more years, futurists predict there will be no “it” media properties.
Culture is shifting, and placing authentic experience above “coolness”- it will matter more that the theming fits the story/ vice versa than if the theming is edgy or hip.
So, do you think your team is up for theming off a book, play, short story, or Internet property? I think you’ll surprise yourself.
June 18, 2010
Entrepreneurial Ravings
So, like many of you, I find entrepreneurs annoying. Me-centric, grandiose, and often-times too self-congratulatory about their departure from the Grid, I run into these “oh, and I do consulting on the side” folks far too often.
But after another round of “oh, and in my upcoming book,” ”not to toot my own horn,” ”when I was consulting Mr. Gates..” and a robust conversation with another “side-liner” I realized something significant. (thanks Seth Godin).
There really is a balance of power shifting between the Employer and the Employee, and the lunatic fringe is leaving the Grid as a result. Seth keeps talking about it, but I hadn’t really put it all together until my lunch on wednesday (thanks @seejenwrite ). If you haven’t heard these discussions before, here’s the two-sentence recap: The old Way (commit your loyalty and hard work to an Employer and they will take care of you) has been replaced by the new Way (we’ll use you until we need to replace you), and as a result, all kinds of new possibilities emerge.
Maybe we really can all be consultants.
June 13, 2010
Distictives vs mission?
I think we should craft a list of distinctives rather than values for our organization. I think the values can go in a staff covenant or charter. Things like punctuality, professionalism, and innovation are expectations that a number of firms share, but they don’t really define a culture or help set an organization’s DNA.
The place work has 17 staff values, but struggles to clarify it’s DNA. It’s not because we don’t hold the values (confession: I’m not really all that punctual, so there’s one I could hold better), but that they don’t define us because “punctuality and professionalism” are ubiquitous. I think I should sign something where I commit to those things to work here, so they can fairly expect those things from me and the rest of the staff.
June 11, 2010
Romanticism in postmodernism
I keep noticing this streak of romance in my postmodern friends; they really do want to build a utopian future. They react against current institutions and are positive the new ones they create will avoid them. I’m trying to seperate the romanticism of their youth from the romanticism of their worldview, and struggling. Is there an organization or institution that matches their ideals? Communes? Co-ops? Facebook?
I’m not sure. I’d like to sift their ideals through a pragmatic sieve… How much of what they say they want will work in the real world? Is any of it currently working somewhere?
SustInable, profitable, green, social justice firm with a commitment to work-life balance.
?
June 7, 2010
Anonymity
I’m sitting here dreaming up an introduction to my friends ‘street opera’ and it strikes me that the performing arts, the professional perfoming arts rely on a sense of anonymity between the audienence and performer.
Then I turned my mind to the world of church experiences. There is a tectonic shift taking place I beleve. Some people desire a sense of ‘professional anonymity’ with those presiding over their religious ritual.”, and more than a few churches have reached many many people by professionalizing their experiences… Meanwhile, a whole seperate group are repelled by the professional anonymity. They WANT to be relationally connected to the folks who lead them, but not necessarily to those NEXT to them. Or do I was pondering this afternoon. Do you want to Know the people who lead you from the front of the room? Do you want to Know those down the row from you? One, the other, or Both?
K
May 13, 2010
Church as lifestyle brand?
Almost anything is now a lifestyle brand: coffee, sodas, liquors, discount big-box stores; clothing , bands etc.
Has anyone explored the idea of church as a lifestyle brand?
I mean I choose my favorite coffee shop this way, i think we’re kidding ourselves if we think that church shoppers don’t.
My favorite Nashville shop is in an area with several coffee spots. In fact I drive by two others on my way. The coffee at these three is roughly equivalent, though of course I prefer my spots over the other two. But I like my spot because of the vibe. It’s a space I can think in. It’s got 12 outlets, good pastries, and fascinating people. The other two have famous people and power-brokers meetings, but they are set up to feel crowded and I can’t think, find a plug or feel ar peace there.
Interestingly, my spot I Louisville and my spot in Nashville both roast their own coffee on site. So the place smells wonderful, and the floors are concrete… The furniture is useful, not trendy.
So I’m a ‘my spot’ person , because I value the things my spot seems to value, and I’d like to become the kinds of people that go there- professional bloggers & record engineers.
What does the experience your church provides communicate about it’s values?
May 7, 2010
Process
So for as much as I champion building better processes, I just realized that I haven’t been applying this principle to my own life!
Too often I get stuck waiting for some future, far-off achievement to validate my efforts, but wind up waiting in vain. Life happens, plans change and my mystical cookie never comes. How do I evaluate my efforts if I didn’t get my cookie?
I have to define the win as nailing the process; not achieving the goal.
