Do you have an Innovation Sherpa?

New innovations are coming at us quickly these days. With each new one, a whole new set of rules and realities must be digested and understood. That can get overwhelming so easily. In many ways, taking advantage of a new innovation is like a serious mountian climb.

You wouldn't consider climbing Everest without a guide, so why do we try to understand and utilize these new innovations without one? So in the spirit of getting help, I would like to introduce you to the idea of the Innovation Sherpa!

Actually these people are all over. They are those people who love to be on the leading edge. They explore a new innovation thoroughly and then come back to the bottom of the mountain to help others enjoy it as well. These people are like gold if you are a busy person. They will help you find the right trail and identify how this innovation can help you in your ministry.

I would like to introduce you to someone like this today. Chris Forbes runs a facebook group called "Facebook for Pastors" (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=18403101472). He is also the founder of his own company - Ministry Marketing Coach.

I would encourage you to join the group and learn from him as he helps church staff to climb the mountain of this particular innovation. You can also download a free E-book on how to use facebook in church ministry: http://ministrymarketingcoach.com/free-e-books/.

We all need guides. The intracacy of life is very tricky and getting help makes all the difference. Learn to identify the key Innovation Sherpas in your life and follow them, or you might just get stuck on that mountain!

Books and Resources for the Innovator

I spoke at a conference recently and shared a list of books and resources helpful in innovation work. I wanted to share them with you as well. I hope they are useful.

Books to Consider
Blink, Malcolm Gladwell
Spiritual Leadership, Henry and Richard Blackaby
Well Connected, Phill Butler
Credibility, James Kouzes/Barry Posner
The Age of Access, Jeremy Rifkin
Blue Ocean Strategy, W. Chan Kim/Renee Mauborgne
The Innovator’s Dilemma, Clayton Christensen
Crossing the Chasm, Geoffrey Moore
Making Innovation Work, Davila/Epstein/Shelton
10 Rules For Strategic Innovators, Govindarajan/Trimble
Small is the New Big, Seth Godin
A Whack on the Side of the Head, Roger Von Oech
Mindset, John Naisbitt

Other Resources to Consider
Fast Company Magazine, www.fastcompany.com
Evangelical Missions Quarterly, www.emqonline.com
Momentum Magazine, http://www.momentum-mag.org/
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/

Look where God is Moving!

When we are striving to think innovatively, it can be such a challenge to get past the challenges in front of us. One of those areas that presents seemingly enormous challenges is fundraising for missionaries or for organizations. The world has changed so much and it is easy to get caught in what we can't do.

Recently, Tim Rickel (who heads up Development and Marketing for World Gospel Mission) shared with me a unique approach that his team at WGM took.

What I liked about it was that they got around simply rehashing the struggles/challenges and zeroed in on where God is moving today.

Check out his blog posting about it:http://rickelblog.wordpress.com/2008/03/21/where-god-is-working/