[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziOG_GHNVq0]
I’ve been thinking about this commercial for a while now. I have had the privilege of attending some of the greatest conferences in this Country for church leaders, yet it seems that year after year we discuss some of the same issues with ministries in the church and in the Christian culture as if nothing is changing. Research data shows that nothing much has improved. This is in no way to take away from what a lot of churches are doing, trust me, there are a lot of churches who are rocking it for God! However, we as an “unified” body are doing nothing, and it bothers me.
This post or video is not to take away from what I am learning at the Orange Conference. Some of the key words reminded me of this commercial today. “ReThink” “Programs” “Processes” “Innovate” “New Ideas” – All great terms, but meaningless unless there is substance to back them up. There was one breakout that confused me today, but that is not to take away from the conference as a whole, everything will not be 100%, but it seemed that people were sharing a lot of their Ideation, but no solid “hows” to move the Church and Christian culture in a direction to answer these issues that we are focusing on. I think there has to be a time and place to quit discussing and thinking and start doing.
I think it is time that we as the “Church” stop Ideating and start DOING! I am passionate about this, but feel I do not know what I can do to influence people to ‘do,’ except post this on my blog. Will you start doing with me? Maybe if a few of us join together we will see some changes. I heard Rick Warren say this past week that he wants to be a part of starting the 2nd Reformation of the church. The first Reformation was about Creeds (we know what we believe now) so the 2nd Reformation will be about “deeds.” – If your ministry, or if you are doing something personally to “Do” versus “Ideate” please share with me what you are doing…If you are Ideating and not doing, please share with me what you are praying God will use you to do – Then we can do it together…
Brian Bowen says
Hey Nick,
I totaly get what you are saying. It seems for so long the church has decided something is changing… or rather… needs to change. You go to these conferences and you listen to people talking about unpacking this or that. Trying to understand where we are, how we got here and were we need to go. But at some point, you HAVE to stop talking about what needs to happen… and simply do.
Thats where I am. Just trying to do. To live out this new thing God is ushering in. It does get frustrating when people dont seem to see what God so clearly has shown you. My church has been going through, well is STILL going through, a shift in the way we do and see church/ministry.
This is totaly refreshing to me and frustrating. Not everyone views change as a good thing.
This post tells what we are doing now. (We as in the small group of people who choose to follow me and walk it out with me)
http://www.brianbowen.com/?p=202
and these two are flash backs to what was going on in me before we started doing.
http://www.brianbowen.com/?p=149
http://www.brianbowen.com/?p=153