Church Innovation and Me

I stumbled into church innovation. It was either my stupidity or God's sovereignty or both. Probably both.

For some reason I studied small group dynamics at UC. I also attended a class by the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship on Inductive Bible Studies in Small Groups. They changed my life.

They showed me the power of dialogue in a Bible study! Group dynamics in group therapy can be extremely good and extremely powerful.  If it is done right. If done wrongly, the power harms the people.

I also knew that reading, studying and discussing God's word could be powerfully good if done with love and the Holy Spirit. But, in the flesh, it is dangerous.

In my mind, it opened the door for me to lead groups where everyone can share their ideas and insights. The leader did not have to "Tell the students what to think but show them how to think". 

This was a radical, innovative idea in 1967!

It was "Disruptive Innovation". Change that is from the bottom up not the top down. It recognizes that every believer is an ambassador for God. It said to the students in our home group that they, not I, could hear God. They do not have to be told by a Pastor or Priest but have only one mediator; Jesus Christ.

What do you believe? Top down, forced learning more of the same stuff that most people do no want or bottom up, self-described learning that the people design for themselves?

We teach self help and self education whenever possible. Take a look at our radical videos and written materials. My innovative ideas got the church upset. Maybe God loves you enough to also make you a troublemaker.