10 Comments
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Pat Brown's avatar

In recent meetings, we’ve repeatedly brought up a ministry failure but what we’ve needed to do is talk about what was learned in a failing-forward way. I’ll definitely share this with the group.

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Marlon's avatar

The failure mindset is not an easy sell in the black church. Sadly, it really does restrict the possibilities. This is a helpful piece for group reflection.

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Benjamin's avatar

This series is a goldmine. So helpful. Thanks for writing it.

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LC Wright's avatar

I grew up watching the church struggle to adapt and remain relevant. This feels like a breath of fresh air. Thanks for naming that failure isn’t the enemy, it’s part of the process.

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Chris J's avatar

Innovation is powerful, but it needs roots as much as wings. I appreciate the blended ecology concept for how it has always held that tension.

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Susan W's avatar

As a person who's spent decades in church leadership, I appreciate the call to reframe failure, but I also feel the tension. Risk and experimentation are vital, yes, but we must be careful not to swing so far toward disruption that we lose the wisdom of stability and tradition.

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Jess's avatar

Honestly, this hit different. We're so used to canceling things that fail, but this reframes failure as part of growth... like spiritual trial and error. If the early church could mess up and still change the world, maybe we can too.

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Reverend WH's avatar

As a retired pastor who's seen more than a few ministry "explosions" over the decades, I find this perspective both refreshing and affirming. Too often, we were taught to avoid failure at all costs, but in truth, some of my most formative lessons came through the wreckage.

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John Banks's avatar

If we’re truly following the Spirit, then rapid unscheduled disassemblies may be a sign we’re on the right launchpad. Amen.

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Matt L's avatar

I don't know how to shift my church towards this posture. We are totally trapped in the risk-averse, conventional thinking that has perpetuated 50 years of decline.

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