keeping the innovators

Innovation today is at a high; tomorrow innovation will be a new high. In other words change is happening quickly. In the last few years we have gone from the simple iPod to the iPod Video and today we have the iPhone. This has brought a major change to Apple, Inc. The iPod brought about iTunes, which has brought a new industry to the company. Apple has been able to do something that a lot of churches have not been able to do, incorporate new ideas to move the company forward.
There are many innovative leaders today. Jason is 28 and is serving at his fourth church. He has done some amazing things at each of his churches. I also think of Ben who is 27 and is one of the most talented young pastors I know. He has put a lot of time and energy into the ministry. He comes home exhausted and worn out and does it again the next day. Churches can learn a lot from these Pastors, but what can churches do to help them?
A young assistant pastor went to his Senior Pastor and told him he felt like he had to resign. He felt led to make movies that would lead people to Christ. The Senior Pastor asked, Why not do that within our church? This was the start of the movie Facing the Giants. What would happen if more churches would receive pastors ideas like this?
Churches need to 1. Encourage people in their efforts. The church board voted to bring them on staff and now needs to help develop them. 2. Volunteer to be involved in a ministry position. Pastors are overworked because they are filling roles that can and should be filled by others in the congregation. 3. Understand that “New ideas are usually germinated from a sincere desire to see a church increase or improve its ministry” 4. Give them time to be creative and implement them. You cannot change them from being an innovative leader. You have a choice of letting them create or snuffing the passion because they no longer have the time. When this happens, you will more often say goodbye. 5. Send them to conferences to spark their creativity even more. This will give them opportunities to spark their creativity.
If you do these things I will not guarantee success. Every church is not meant to make movies. But when a church focuses on innovation you might end up with the churches version of the iPod, something that might change your church for future generations to come.