I have had some interesting occurrences around me recently: enough to spur some random thoughts in a unified direction. The first was not long ago at work. One of the software developers came over, and he described to me a concept that he and two others had for properly initiating a new system within our division. The plan was to take the three who knew the system and use them as installers/teachers. That way the new developers being trained would use the system correctly and efficiently.
The second happened today as I was reading a blog entry linking to John Piper questioning the value of a PhD for pastors. The third also came today from a via a blog entry that asked how the church can use unconventional methods against seemingly overwhelming odds to “win the day” (my paraphrase).
How are these three even remotely related?
If you know your Bible, the first scenario is Discipleship 101. I was astounded to hear this plan mainly because the three who formulated it are not Christians nor have any spiritual leanings in that direction. The plan had an inherent suitability. Predictably, management refused the plan and went with a typical shotgun approach. All are trained the system rudiments and allowed to figure out their own uses and procedures however inefficient they might be in company-wide use.
The second was interesting because John Piper has a PhD. He did not say such study was completely worthless but that in the long run pastors have enough to do without being required to read and study pointless material in order to be subject experts. They are better off studying their Bibles (again my paraphrase).
The last was interesting because the question was asked at the end: "I’m always fascinated by Gladwell’s sideways way of looking at the world. Work beats out talent? Who knew? So what does it mean for the church?"
These gave me pause as one was added to another. If the world, or a microcosm thereof, can figure out on its own how to properly train for quality and long-term growth based on a biblical model, why do many local churches use marketing schemes to draw people in and therapeutic answers to salve the sin nature working in us? We believers seem to have taken on the ethos of the world and assumed it was from Christ because his name has been attached to it somewhere down the line. I wonder what the church might do if it used its own prescribed methods rather than adapting or relying on the world's ingenuity.
The second happened today as I was reading a blog entry linking to John Piper questioning the value of a PhD for pastors. The third also came today from a via a blog entry that asked how the church can use unconventional methods against seemingly overwhelming odds to “win the day” (my paraphrase).
How are these three even remotely related?
If you know your Bible, the first scenario is Discipleship 101. I was astounded to hear this plan mainly because the three who formulated it are not Christians nor have any spiritual leanings in that direction. The plan had an inherent suitability. Predictably, management refused the plan and went with a typical shotgun approach. All are trained the system rudiments and allowed to figure out their own uses and procedures however inefficient they might be in company-wide use.
The second was interesting because John Piper has a PhD. He did not say such study was completely worthless but that in the long run pastors have enough to do without being required to read and study pointless material in order to be subject experts. They are better off studying their Bibles (again my paraphrase).
The last was interesting because the question was asked at the end: "I’m always fascinated by Gladwell’s sideways way of looking at the world. Work beats out talent? Who knew? So what does it mean for the church?"
These gave me pause as one was added to another. If the world, or a microcosm thereof, can figure out on its own how to properly train for quality and long-term growth based on a biblical model, why do many local churches use marketing schemes to draw people in and therapeutic answers to salve the sin nature working in us? We believers seem to have taken on the ethos of the world and assumed it was from Christ because his name has been attached to it somewhere down the line. I wonder what the church might do if it used its own prescribed methods rather than adapting or relying on the world's ingenuity.
1 comment:
Excellent thoughts!
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