America's Most Innovative Churches
Outreach Magazine came out with their 2007 list of America's Most Innovative Churches and NCC landed on the list at #8.
I have a few reactions and observations. And I feel like it is absolutely imperative that I share them. Not for you. For me. This is my way of thinking out loud.
I'm not going to lie. It felt good landing on the list. I crave recognition as much or more than the next guy! Probably more. I wish I could say that I don't have an ego but the last time I checked I still do. And it has an large appetite. And this kind of thing feeds it and it tastes good. I honestly wish this kind of thing didn't matter to me but it does. I don't like that I like it as much as I do! I say that because I don't want to project a false humility. I think false humility is worse than pride! By the way, as soon as I'm completely sanctified I'll be sure to blog about it :)
I feel like this kind of recognition puts us in dangerous territory. Here is how I think about it: praise is a narrow strait and pride is a terrible rudder. In fact, pride will sink the ship if we steer into the praise.
The moment we stop building altars to God and start building monuments to self our ministry is man-u-factured. Check out I Samuel 14:35 and I Samuel 15:12. There is a surprisingly fine line between building my kingdom and thy kingdom!
So here are some of my visceral reactions:
My first reaction is: what a cool pat on the back for our team.
Innovation is more perspiration than inspiration. And our team is sweats a lot! I think Joel still holds the record for all-nighters, but Dave and David have drunk their fair share of Red Bull. So props to everybody on our creative team that does what they do week in and week out. And it goes beyond that. I love the way our outreach and small group ministries push the envelop. All of our staff and leaders are shareholders. They are the creative shoulders.
My second reaction is: we better not stop innovating.
So many businesses and churches that were once on the cutting-edge stop doing what made them successful in the first place. I never want to become a closed-system. If the kindgom of God had departments, NCC feels called to work in Research & Development (R & D). One of our core values is: everything is an experiment. And we are driven by a core conviction that there are ways of doing church that no one has thought of yet. I want to be in the middle of an experiment when Jesus returns!
My third reaction is: we better be good stewards. It seems to me like these type of acknowledgements are one way God grants favor and expands influence. But as our influence grows so does our responsibility. I honestly feel like we're called to be a teaching church. There are hospitals and teaching hospitals. Both of them care for patients, but teaching hospitals are very intentional about training doctors. I feel like NCC is called to be a teaching church.
Our primary objective is to turn Washington, DC upside down. We want to impact our city and help people find their way back to God. And our local ministry will always be the top priority. But we also need to be intentional about sharing best practices. That is part of being an open-source church.
As a footnote, a huge thanks to so many churches on the list.
I'll never forget my first Willowcreek Conference in 1993 when I was in seminary. Who hasn't been impacted by Saddleback? And Community Christian Church was so instrumental in our move to multi-site.
Beyond that we're totally inspired by Lifechurch.tv; Granger Community Church; North Point Community Church; Fellowship Church; Mosaic Church; Healing Place Church; The Journey; and Radiant Church.
Love the way they are pushing the envelope!
One more thing. I honestly think that the most innovative churches are the churches we've never heard of. They are some of the youngest and smallest churches that are just getting off the ground. Church plants have to innovate or die :)
I think of church planters like Trinity Jordan or Doug Miller or Scott Aughtmon who are at varying places in the launch stage. Or guys like Ben Arment or Gary Lamb who have been around the block a few more times. Or someone like Scott Hodge who is trying to reinvent a church he inherited.
I have a few reactions and observations. And I feel like it is absolutely imperative that I share them. Not for you. For me. This is my way of thinking out loud.
I'm not going to lie. It felt good landing on the list. I crave recognition as much or more than the next guy! Probably more. I wish I could say that I don't have an ego but the last time I checked I still do. And it has an large appetite. And this kind of thing feeds it and it tastes good. I honestly wish this kind of thing didn't matter to me but it does. I don't like that I like it as much as I do! I say that because I don't want to project a false humility. I think false humility is worse than pride! By the way, as soon as I'm completely sanctified I'll be sure to blog about it :)
I feel like this kind of recognition puts us in dangerous territory. Here is how I think about it: praise is a narrow strait and pride is a terrible rudder. In fact, pride will sink the ship if we steer into the praise.
The moment we stop building altars to God and start building monuments to self our ministry is man-u-factured. Check out I Samuel 14:35 and I Samuel 15:12. There is a surprisingly fine line between building my kingdom and thy kingdom!
So here are some of my visceral reactions:
My first reaction is: what a cool pat on the back for our team.
Innovation is more perspiration than inspiration. And our team is sweats a lot! I think Joel still holds the record for all-nighters, but Dave and David have drunk their fair share of Red Bull. So props to everybody on our creative team that does what they do week in and week out. And it goes beyond that. I love the way our outreach and small group ministries push the envelop. All of our staff and leaders are shareholders. They are the creative shoulders.
My second reaction is: we better not stop innovating.
So many businesses and churches that were once on the cutting-edge stop doing what made them successful in the first place. I never want to become a closed-system. If the kindgom of God had departments, NCC feels called to work in Research & Development (R & D). One of our core values is: everything is an experiment. And we are driven by a core conviction that there are ways of doing church that no one has thought of yet. I want to be in the middle of an experiment when Jesus returns!
My third reaction is: we better be good stewards. It seems to me like these type of acknowledgements are one way God grants favor and expands influence. But as our influence grows so does our responsibility. I honestly feel like we're called to be a teaching church. There are hospitals and teaching hospitals. Both of them care for patients, but teaching hospitals are very intentional about training doctors. I feel like NCC is called to be a teaching church.
Our primary objective is to turn Washington, DC upside down. We want to impact our city and help people find their way back to God. And our local ministry will always be the top priority. But we also need to be intentional about sharing best practices. That is part of being an open-source church.
As a footnote, a huge thanks to so many churches on the list.
I'll never forget my first Willowcreek Conference in 1993 when I was in seminary. Who hasn't been impacted by Saddleback? And Community Christian Church was so instrumental in our move to multi-site.
Beyond that we're totally inspired by Lifechurch.tv; Granger Community Church; North Point Community Church; Fellowship Church; Mosaic Church; Healing Place Church; The Journey; and Radiant Church.
Love the way they are pushing the envelope!
One more thing. I honestly think that the most innovative churches are the churches we've never heard of. They are some of the youngest and smallest churches that are just getting off the ground. Church plants have to innovate or die :)
I think of church planters like Trinity Jordan or Doug Miller or Scott Aughtmon who are at varying places in the launch stage. Or guys like Ben Arment or Gary Lamb who have been around the block a few more times. Or someone like Scott Hodge who is trying to reinvent a church he inherited.
6 Comments:
Congratulations! Your team has much to celebrate. I know that praise can be like a bottomless pit never satisfied. Standing back to see others succeed is more satisfying. You have certainly accomplished that. It reminds me of how God himself stoops down to make us great. He must derive pleasure from that.
I like this scripture:
Proverbs 27:21
21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
but man is tested by the praise he receives.
Mark,
Congrats on leading well. Thanks for your honesty and for being real about your feelings. This is what makes you and NCC special.
You are inspiring others to join you on the journey of relevant ministry. I believe that creativity breeds creativity so it is imperative that it is shared. You guys are on the front lines.
I pray that 2007 would be the greatest year in the history of NCC and that this would continue to inspire others to join you on the journey.
Mark,
I think these thoughts and observations are invaluable! Thanks for sharing your gut reactions! Congrats!
How do you encourage your staff to balance the perspiration slash all nighters w/ the rest? I know rest and time w/ family and away from the "office" is big for you. So how do you model and communicate that to your staff?
Blake,
Great question. Seems like we go through seasons--pedal to the metal and kick back. And they balance each other out.
For example, most of the staff took a week or two for Christmas and we do a very "peanut butter and jelly" series around the Holidays so we can all relax a little. Then we'll have seasons where we're in creative fifth gear.
I do think one key to creativity is all-nighters. But another key is plenty of time off and rest so you have a creative margin.
I really believe in working hard and playing hard. And they work out in the wash!
One footnote. I love working with self-motivated people because I don't have to encourage them to work harder. I have to encourage them to play harder--take time off, hang with your family, etc.
My two cents,
Mark
Brilliant....."God is awfully good at getting us where He wants us to go" Congrats Mark to you and your team, been reading your blog and book, excellent and all glory to God. Bertus Preller, Marketing Executive: ChristianMobile, www.christianmobileusa.com, www.christianmobile.co.za
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