What's really discouraging is the amount of gifted people who leave the denomination because they just get tired of the institutional BS. It's just easier to just go do ministry without all that.
These articles are super good, but a little overwhelming. Personally, I carve out some time and read them on my ipad, but you could probably break these up into smaller portions if you wanted more people to take the time to read. Just a thought. Keep writing Dr Beck!
This is super insightful. The failure of Fresh Expressions in some contexts often says more about the metrics we use to measure success than about the viability of the model itself. When innovation is judged by metrics designed for a different era, it will almost always be declared a failure, even when lives are being changed.
We have seen lots of things like fresh expressions come and go, exactly for some of the reasons you named. Evangelism has always been seen as a side project to the institutional church, therefore, they never become part of the organizational life.
Thanks for articulating what so many of us have been feeling for a long time. This is why creating that culture of failure is so important. When something doesn't work one time, we just give up.
What's really discouraging is the amount of gifted people who leave the denomination because they just get tired of the institutional BS. It's just easier to just go do ministry without all that.
Grateful to see Deep Roots Wild Branches is back! That's the book that introduced me to the fresh expressions movement.
Thanks. Love the idea of defining for your local context what "vitality" actually is and then creating new contextually appropriate measurements.
Bring it doc!
These articles are super good, but a little overwhelming. Personally, I carve out some time and read them on my ipad, but you could probably break these up into smaller portions if you wanted more people to take the time to read. Just a thought. Keep writing Dr Beck!
This is super insightful. The failure of Fresh Expressions in some contexts often says more about the metrics we use to measure success than about the viability of the model itself. When innovation is judged by metrics designed for a different era, it will almost always be declared a failure, even when lives are being changed.
I hope some of our denominational leaders are actually reading what you are putting out into the world.
We have seen lots of things like fresh expressions come and go, exactly for some of the reasons you named. Evangelism has always been seen as a side project to the institutional church, therefore, they never become part of the organizational life.
Thanks for articulating what so many of us have been feeling for a long time. This is why creating that culture of failure is so important. When something doesn't work one time, we just give up.