If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, then you know how much I like Jon Acuff. I post his stuff all the time. And there are two reasons why I post his stuff all the time:
- It’s inspirational.
- It’s practical and simple.
That’s it. And this video is another example.
Acuff suggests that you and I don’t spend enough time cultivating ideas. As a leader, I am so focused on productivity that I don’t give myself time to imagine, to think, to be creative.
That is a detriment to my leadership.
In this video, Acuff suggests two simple ideas that can transform our ability to imagine.
- Feed ideas. We need to feed our mind if we are to feed the ideas that ultimately feed our organization. Read broadly. Watch interesting shows that make you think. Go to workshops and seminars. Listen to podcasts of people who think totally different than you. Feed your ideas.
- Make time for thinking. Our live are so full and so loud that great ideas can’t sneak up on us. That’s why we get great ideas in the shower. It’s the only place we’re not distracted. We need to find more shower moments in the rest of our week.
Question: How can you practically take Acuff’s ideas and make them a reality in your life?
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgLt5Q-piY4]
This is also a skill we seem to have lost as Church. We used to be the Champions of imagination, in the last 50 years we seem to lost that. How are we cultivating imagination and creativity in our ministries?
We’ve got work to do, Tony. We need people think outside the ministry box instead of doing what we have always done. Time to imagine!
Thanks for introducing Jon Acuff to me. I believe in thinking outside the box too and feel it’s an absolute must for us in ministry. It is extremely difficult to cultivate new ideas because the “old” way is easier for everyone. I think a practical way to incorporate Acuff’s ideas is to be the one who asks the question, “why do we do this still when everyone here says it’s not working or ineffective”. I try to be that person on our staff and try to help others realize we don’t have to do what’s always been done. I also spend time thinking. I worry about productivity a lot, but just like incorporating prayer into your daily life, thinking about ideas is important too. What is your advice on not getting discouraged when everyone else just wants to do things the old way and complain about it afterwards?
Hey Nathan, I love your attitude! You and Tony Vasinda should definitely connect.
All too often, we run into people in our churches that don’t have a desire to change. The way we’ve always done it is fine. That may be true (although I disagree), but even then we should work to innovate and improve. What I do to not get discouraged is that I just keep innovating and changing the ministry I am charged with. The volunteers I work with like the vision that I have set forth and we go for it. Eventually, that kind of attitude spreads to other areas of the church.
I know that I can’t change the way others do ministry, I can only try and influence. The best way I know how to influence is to become successful in my ministry. After some time, some people will look to you as a change agent and ask for your wisdom. Still, there will always be others that have no desire to change, even if the results you bring are good.