Failing Forward...
I created this blog back in 2006 and made a single post. Then got busy and forgot about it.
When attempting to set up a new blog at my new church in order to begin using the new "Social Media" as part of my ministry, I discovered this one. So I am going to try again.
Sometimes a great idea is just not timely, as in the case of my first attempt at blogging.
Sometimes a good project may be started at the wrong time, when there are too many distractions, too many obstacles, or other priorities that make it impossible to pursue.
Many churches get stuck in the "We tried that already" syndrome. Many good ideas fail because:
1) it was the wrong time to try it. (either the wrong day or time, there were other things going on in the church or community that deluted the impact, or the church or community were simply not ready to receive this idea)
2) there are other issues the church needs to deal with first, (like a building program, a crisis or conflict in the church, a major campaign, etc)
3) the wrong people tried to to it and were not capable.
4) other priorites bumped the idea down the list into obscurity.
5) there were other issues in the community that overshadowed a churches program/ministry.
Failure is commoon in ministry. Not every good idea works the first time.
A professional baseball player that is put out 7 out of ten times is considered a star because 3 out ot 10 is batting .300 and is a very respectable batting average.
It has been said that if a church is not succeeding (or an individual for that matter) in it's goals or growth, perhaps it is not FAILING often enough.... meaning it is not trying enough things for success to happen.
John Maxwell, church consultant and visionary leader, wrote a book called "Failing Forward" in which he posited that the only true failure is the failure to learn from an unsuccessful venture. If we learn from our mistakes, we have grown, not failed.
I was once at a workshop with Kennon Callihan who said we should adopt the attitude that says, "We have never failed, but we have made some very excellent mistakes!"
Have you made any "excellent mistakes" lately?
When you or your church tries something that didn't work, or someone has an idea that has been attempted before.... Rather than squelching the lessons, ask, "What did we learn from this attempt? Might this work another time in a different way? Is this the time for another swing of the bat?" Give it a thought, then give it a shot!
Another thought.... When someone in your church, your office, or you circle of associations strikes out on a project, what is your reaction? Do you heckle and put him or her down? Or you you encourage them to look at what happened, learn from it, and grab the bat for another try?
It may make a major difference to them... and to you! Don't give up!
I'll see you in church!
Pastor Ken
When attempting to set up a new blog at my new church in order to begin using the new "Social Media" as part of my ministry, I discovered this one. So I am going to try again.
Sometimes a great idea is just not timely, as in the case of my first attempt at blogging.
Sometimes a good project may be started at the wrong time, when there are too many distractions, too many obstacles, or other priorities that make it impossible to pursue.
Many churches get stuck in the "We tried that already" syndrome. Many good ideas fail because:
1) it was the wrong time to try it. (either the wrong day or time, there were other things going on in the church or community that deluted the impact, or the church or community were simply not ready to receive this idea)
2) there are other issues the church needs to deal with first, (like a building program, a crisis or conflict in the church, a major campaign, etc)
3) the wrong people tried to to it and were not capable.
4) other priorites bumped the idea down the list into obscurity.
5) there were other issues in the community that overshadowed a churches program/ministry.
Failure is commoon in ministry. Not every good idea works the first time.
A professional baseball player that is put out 7 out of ten times is considered a star because 3 out ot 10 is batting .300 and is a very respectable batting average.
It has been said that if a church is not succeeding (or an individual for that matter) in it's goals or growth, perhaps it is not FAILING often enough.... meaning it is not trying enough things for success to happen.
John Maxwell, church consultant and visionary leader, wrote a book called "Failing Forward" in which he posited that the only true failure is the failure to learn from an unsuccessful venture. If we learn from our mistakes, we have grown, not failed.
I was once at a workshop with Kennon Callihan who said we should adopt the attitude that says, "We have never failed, but we have made some very excellent mistakes!"
Have you made any "excellent mistakes" lately?
When you or your church tries something that didn't work, or someone has an idea that has been attempted before.... Rather than squelching the lessons, ask, "What did we learn from this attempt? Might this work another time in a different way? Is this the time for another swing of the bat?" Give it a thought, then give it a shot!
Another thought.... When someone in your church, your office, or you circle of associations strikes out on a project, what is your reaction? Do you heckle and put him or her down? Or you you encourage them to look at what happened, learn from it, and grab the bat for another try?
It may make a major difference to them... and to you! Don't give up!
I'll see you in church!
Pastor Ken
Labels: failure, growth, hope, trying again
posted by Pastor Ken Wells | 8:45 AM
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