As I mentioned before, on Wednesday over the duration of my flight and time at the airport waiting, I read The Big Idea by Dave Ferguson, Jon Ferguson and Eric Bramlett. I found it a very easy read, and a quick one too, yet it has so many little snippets that if implemented could have a huge impact on the way we think about church. Here’s a few brief thoughts…

“The average Christian is educated to at least three years beyond their level of obedience.”

Dave quotes this as being something his teacher in seminary said, and it’s one of those statements as soon as you hear it, it cuts, but you know its true. I know way more than I do. What would happen if we stopped learning and started doing? And yes, I know we (I) talk about that a lot… but really, if we actually acted out the things we know we should be doing?

“More often results in less action, and less often results in more action. It’s a paradox.”

It’s another one of Jesus’ beautiful paradoxes… less is more, the least is the greatest, the servant is the leader, lose your life to gain it… I am convinced more and more that this life Jesus calls us to is one of incredible paradoxes.

“If artists are going to do art in the church, the leadership must trust the artists’ judgement regarding which risks are worth taking and which risks are not… One of the greatest gifts a church can give its artists is the space or time to create.”

“Competition is a good thing. It can be tremendously motivating, and surrounding yourself with capable people breeds healthy competition.”

Rick wrote a great post on competition a while ago, I’ll let his words speak on this subject…

“Many in that first launch team had not explored far beyond the boundaries of Jerusalem. And now Jesus was telling them that this great adventure would be led by someone they couldn’t see, would cost them all they could see, and would take them places they’d never been! That’s Jesus’ really Big Idea for every church.”