Mobile Ministry Magazine

Change is a weird thing. Its one part exciting and another part very uncomfortable. Jesus's life was marked by these challenges to general conventions and perceptions that were sometimes received with gladness (for example, forgiving the sins of the lame man then healing him) and other times mocked and scorned (the Pharasees, council, and Pilate questioning Jesus' divinity).

These challenges to change mark our very lives though. Whether we are the agent of change, or being subjected to it, at some point, we have to accept that the way we think, do, percieve, etc. must adapt, or we die.

I'd like to believe that Body has done an impressive job of eventually adapting to whatever the world has done around it. When there was a need for educators, the church stepped up. When there was a need for doctors in war-torn areas, people in the Body formed organizations to address those needs. It would see that the Body always has had the right, if not late, reaction to change.

However, I've not see us as proactive (instead of reactive) to change. If you will, pulling a card from Jesus' life and being an agent of change, even in respect to the fact that people won't get it until we're gone to glory. It seems to me that we've lost that edge a bit, and that edge is something that could have mitigated several items that we react and fight against even today.

I've just finished reading an article titled Of Cell Phones, Maps and Mental Models: Why Doing What Was Right Is Sometimes Wrong. This article is aimed at those who analyze the trends and their impacts; those in the technology field who get blinded by their light of what looks good and successful now, but they miss the little thing that signals the change that will overturn things sooner rather than later. Here's one of many quotes from that piece that stood out:

..Thus, the first and critical point about why we fail to see the need for change stems from the fact that we stand blinded by the light of successful past mental maps. The longer these maps have worked, the more it makes sense to hold on to them and the more difficult it is to see beyond them to recognize the need for changing them. This applies not only to companies and macro issues like strategies or technology, but also to individuals and issues as small as how to communicate or provide feedback to someone.

Placing this in the context of the Body, church, and technology, it would seem that we'd be wise not to rest on our laurels, or even fight against the change that is happening right under our noses. We'd be better learning how we can be apart of what's changing, and then be like Jesus and prepare those who will be taking the mantle to the ends of the earth with the tools and Gift needed to do so.

Labels: commentary, community, innovation, tech