Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Two Big Ideas from the Catalyst Conference

Last week I attended the Catalyst conference in Atlanta,
            a kind of “think tank” for church leaders,
                        especially younger ones.
                                    (I hardly qualify.)

I came away with two big ideas:

(1) “The Tension is Good.”
This was the theme of the conference:
            Tension is inevitable in life and in ministry.
                        Don’t run away from it.
Embrace it as part of God’s methodology
            to accomplish His kingdom purposes.
Deal with it to enhance your personal relationships.
            Intergenerational tension can be
                        a starting place for creativity and love.
            The tension between two good ideas
                        (great programs vs. budget constraints)
                                    can be understood
                                                and even encouraged.

(2) “Autonomy Fosters Creativity.”
Organizations benefit when
            they allow employees (or volunteers)
                        the freedom to do things their own way.
Several software companies have given employees
            one half-day per week
                        to work on projects of their own choosing,
                                    and the result has been
                                                increased productivity,
                                                            higher morale,
                                    and profitable new products and ideas.
In the 21st century, autonomy and mastery
            trump micro-management.

More on Catalyst next time…

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