Think about this challenging passage from Will Mancini in his book "Innovating Discipleship":
In January 2010, the now deceased Steve Jobs released the revolutionary product we know as the iPad. Read the words used to describe the product in the introductory video:
- When something exceeds our ability to understand how it works, it's sort of becomes magical
- It's hard to see how something so simple can be so capable
- It's going to change the way we do things we do every day
- I don't have to change myself to fit it; it fits me
- You get an order of magnitude more powerful
- We decided, "Let's redesign it all… Let's redesign and reimagine and rebuilt from the ground up…"
When I watched this introductory video I could only think of one thing, and it wasn't the iPad. All I could think of was the local church. The thought kept going through my mind, "What if people talked about the church this way?"
Reread the list, but this time thinking about your church. Is there even room for a comparison of Apple's advancements to gospel-centered ministry? I believe so.
If someone asked you about your church how would you describe its vision? Would the person you're talking to get excited about the potential of the local church when empowered by God's Spirit? As followers of the Living God we have been called to the greatest adventure that any human being could participate in. If that is the case, why are some people bored out of their brains when it comes to participating in the life of the church? Have we made the Gospel less exciting and less compelling by the very way we "do church?"
May the Lord give us Godly wisdom, prayerful hearts and great innovation in the church for His glory