Innovation

I like innovation.  The only magazine ever to really gain my attention through every article for the first time was Popular Science, and to this day it is the only magazine I subscribe to.  I love the novelty and creative process of innovation.

To that end, when it comes to the Gospel, I think there is still room for innovation.  Not that the message changes, but that our approach can and should change in creative and innovative ways that make more sense.

For example, take this suggestion:  “Odd thoughts for missions trips, sometimes why not instead of 20 people going for 1 week have 2 or three people going for a while then rotating for the next few then the next and instead of a hotel rent a house or apartment near the missionary and have the people rotate through that.”

The suggestion was posted on FB by my brother but attributed to “a poor unnamed missionary who believes he isn’t being listen to by anyone.”  So, while I don’t know where the suggestion came from, I thought “WOW!  The largest expense most groups have after plane tickets is hotel rooms!”

Think about it.  Just one single hotel room for one week could pay the rent for a month on a small two room apartment.  Large mission groups that go out for a couple of weeks could actually afford the rent on an apartment for a year.  By rotating their groups out, and maybe teaming up with another church who also likes to go on mission trips, the groups make an impact over the entire year, and are better stewards of the money God gave them as they would actually have more money for the Bibles they would bring and other supplies.

Maybe that idea has too much common sense in it for the average independent Baptist church, but maybe that idea can get traction with someone out there.  I know it did with me.

Any other “creative and innovative” ideas you’ve been harboring???