Innovation Requires Killing Off The Idols
How many "idols" are cluttering up your organization, too sacred to touch or change for fear of ticking somebody off? This is a special problem for congregations, where things often really ARE holy to people. Well, listen: A lot of us could take a page from Steve Jobs' playbook. He's the storied CEO of Apple who announced today that BIG changes are coming for the wildly successful iPod line, including changes to the iPhone which was launched just a few months ago. More than 100 million iPods have been sold over the years! And the new iPhone has sold nearly 1 million in just two months. But even that isn't enough to make these products untouchable at relentlessly innovative Apple.
One of two iPhone models is already being discontinued and the other is having its price slashed. Even more dramatically, updated versions of the iPod won't even LOOK like the iPod, anymore. One version - called the iPod Touch - will have iPhone-like buttons instead of the familiar dial. Did I say 100 MILLION of these babies have been sold?! And mostly to customers with a deep emotional attachment to the product! But here's the deal: The only thing that is really sacred at Apple is...change.
What is sacred where YOU are? Not sure? Answering questions like these will help you get down to it:
What in the world is stopping YOU from getting rid of that god-awful painting Aunt Mildred and Uncle Fred donated to the church 35 years ago and hung up in the church narthex?
Or finally shutting down that adult Sunday School class that has dwindled to 5 of the grouchiest people in the congregation?
Or adding multi-media to your worship services?
Why do we allow so many peripheral things in our organizations to become "central" things?
Why is ANYTHING except God allowed to be treated as "holy?"
What are you going to do about it??
Tana Kjos
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