Innovation Ministry

Churches and their leaders have innovation fever. Innovation seems exciting—a way to enliven tired institutions, embrace creativity, and be proactive—and is a superstar of the business world. But this focus on innovation may be caused by an obsession with contemporary relevance, creativity, and entrepreneurship that inflates the self, lacks theological depth, and promises burnout. In this follow-up to Churches and the Crisis of Decline, leading practical theologian Andrew Root delves into the problems of innovation.

Ministry leaders carry the burden of keeping their organizations lean, focused, and relevant. The stakes are especially high for churches and other organizations that fulfill the Great Commission. When souls are on the line, there’s no room for bureaucratic bloat or sustaining a cumbersome infrastructure. Using missions disruptor William Carey as an example, Ted Esler shows how you, too, can innovate in ways that change the ministry landscape. The gospel of Jesus Christ never grows stale. Don’t let your ministry ever forget it!

The right perspective can change everything. The world is accelerating, but your ministry doesn't need to fall behind. Learn to see from an innovator's point of view. Challenges become opportunities, failures move you forward, and organizational cultures transform from timid to uninhibited.

In 10 brief chapters Bishop Robert C. Wright and Missioner Donna S. Mote excavate and examine 10 principles for innovations in ministry drawn from the Gospel of Luke Chapter 10 that address questions for the Church going into the world. This is the curriculum for the kinds of missional activity being developed in the Diocese of Atlanta. We challenge ourselves and the world to love like Jesus as we worship joyfully, serve compassionately, and grow spiritually.