Evolving

Every month I read a magazine called Fast Company. I enjoy this magazine because it is full of creativity and relevant topics. They also do a great job of studying successful companies and emerging markets. This months issue has “The World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies” in it. I found it interesting to see the companies they considered the most innovative. Team Obama made number 1, followed by Google, Hulu, Apple, Cisco Systems, Intel, Pure Digital Technologies, WuXi PharmaTech, Amazon and Ideo to round out the top ten. Facebook made it at number 15 (I just got on FaceBook myself).

I love innovation and finding better ways to do things. Our country is facing a time when innovation will be critical for our survival. Whole industries need to change the way they do things. The companies that are able to evolve will be the ones to thrive and connect with our culture.

As I was reading about some of these companies, the one that really got my attention was Amazon. The headline on their section said “What’s dangerous is not to evolve” One of the questions that Fast Company asked Amazon was “Is it harder to take risks now that Amazon is so big?” Here is the answer they gave: “It’s actually easier. You’re not betting the whole company. You’re doing new things, and if they don’t work, you can change direction. What’s dangerous is not to evolve.”

Wow, as I read that I immediately thought about the Church. As a church gets bigger, and is reaching more people, it becomes easier to take risks as well. It gives you the ability to try new things and take a risk without betting the whole church. I love the idea of the church evolving. To me that does not mean changing the message, but changing how we deliver that message and where we deliver that message.

The church should be the most innovative organization on earth. We should be at the forefront of using technology, and resources to reach the world. The church should be the most relevant, exciting thing going in every community. Amazon went on to say this “The details, technologies, and competitors will change. But the big things won’t.” Hey, it’s the same in the church. The big things won’t change like what we believe about God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, Salvation, Eternity, the Bible and the Church. Our values won’t change, our vision won’t change, but how we do church will continue to evolve and change.

It is amazing what you can learn from other businesses and organizations. I would love to see a church listed in that top 50 some time. If your church or business is not evolving intentionally, it will slowly decline and eventually you will be forced to evolve or close the doors.

NewPointe Community Church has been on the innovative, evolving track over the past several years. This weekend we are talking about Making Room! We need to get innovative on how to make more room for the people that want to attend church. What a great problem to have. I can’t wait to face the challenges of the future in innovative, creative ways.

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