At the Leadership Summit last week, Bill Hybels talked about the need to take calculated risks in the church. (see my thoughts on that from my post on Sunday, August 10).
I wanted to clarify a few things. First, we don’t take risks just for the sake of it. Rather, we take them because if you aren’t staying out on the edge, you aren’t growing. Our world, with it's instant communication and information - is changing at a pace never seen before. If we don't stay on the edge, we'll fall behind. Falling behind means that we become out of touch. And being out of touch - for a church - is...fatal.
When we take risks, we're just looking for wild, crazy, whimsical risks…but calculated risks. These are the kind where you measure, consider the angles, consider the potential payoffs, weigh them against the potential and actual costs and, seeing a great unrealized reward, you just go for it.
I asked people at the summit to share some ways PCC had taken calculated risks and the list was amazing and included many things I'd never considered. But one person I pushed back on. Jim Mustian said that he thought the start of PCC was a calculated risk. My argument was that 'we had nothing to loose. There was property, no people, no established church. What was there to lose? That's how I viewed. Then it occurred to me later that night, after the meeting was over, that it was a calculated risk for the few dozen people who helped us. They had come from other churches and some were being scolded or shunned. Since they were helping the 'crazy church', their reputation was on the line. Politically, their standing with certain groups was on the line.
So, I take it back, Jim. You and Charlene are absolutely right. The starting and the launch of PCC was definitely a calculated risk...and I'm really glad you and a dedicated group like you were there - taking the risk together. I couldn't name the all, but some who come to mind are George and Regina, Sharon and Berk and Sallie Mae, Carolyn, Ryan and Ginny, Bridgette and Jeff, Kenny and Nora, Danny and Faye, Greer and Lori, Jeanette and Mel...the list goes on, but my brain is shutting down.
Suffice it to say this calculated risk paid off in ways none of us would have ever dreamed!! And I'm sure we didn't take a month of meetings to make it happen. We moved and God honored.
I'm enjoying these follow-up conversations. They will help make us better leaders and more willing to talk calculated risks.
Until next time...
Bian
I wanted to clarify a few things. First, we don’t take risks just for the sake of it. Rather, we take them because if you aren’t staying out on the edge, you aren’t growing. Our world, with it's instant communication and information - is changing at a pace never seen before. If we don't stay on the edge, we'll fall behind. Falling behind means that we become out of touch. And being out of touch - for a church - is...fatal.
When we take risks, we're just looking for wild, crazy, whimsical risks…but calculated risks. These are the kind where you measure, consider the angles, consider the potential payoffs, weigh them against the potential and actual costs and, seeing a great unrealized reward, you just go for it.
I asked people at the summit to share some ways PCC had taken calculated risks and the list was amazing and included many things I'd never considered. But one person I pushed back on. Jim Mustian said that he thought the start of PCC was a calculated risk. My argument was that 'we had nothing to loose. There was property, no people, no established church. What was there to lose? That's how I viewed. Then it occurred to me later that night, after the meeting was over, that it was a calculated risk for the few dozen people who helped us. They had come from other churches and some were being scolded or shunned. Since they were helping the 'crazy church', their reputation was on the line. Politically, their standing with certain groups was on the line.
So, I take it back, Jim. You and Charlene are absolutely right. The starting and the launch of PCC was definitely a calculated risk...and I'm really glad you and a dedicated group like you were there - taking the risk together. I couldn't name the all, but some who come to mind are George and Regina, Sharon and Berk and Sallie Mae, Carolyn, Ryan and Ginny, Bridgette and Jeff, Kenny and Nora, Danny and Faye, Greer and Lori, Jeanette and Mel...the list goes on, but my brain is shutting down.
Suffice it to say this calculated risk paid off in ways none of us would have ever dreamed!! And I'm sure we didn't take a month of meetings to make it happen. We moved and God honored.
I'm enjoying these follow-up conversations. They will help make us better leaders and more willing to talk calculated risks.
Until next time...
Bian
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