Reading this book sparks many ideas about how things continue to change while we continue to hold on to old patterns.  I was wondering what we would write if we had a similar title for churches:  “The Tyranny of Dead Ideas, Letting Go of the Old Ways of Thinking to Unleash a New Church.”

What ideas about church are already dead, but haven’t received a proper burial?  In what ways are we holding on to something that not only doesn’t work, it also isn’t productive to the mission of loving God and loving God’s people, or making disciples for Jesus?

Of course there is the obvious:  Music styles (anybody seen an organ piece on the top hits list lately?). While preferred music is defined by generations, are we only speaking to one generation, or are we open to generate into the future?  But also there is the less obvious:  are we communicating through social media?  Are we spreading the message via Youtube and internet?  Are we creating communities outside of buildings that are empty?  Are we going to the world or expecting the world to come to our doorstep?  Or, what about the need for interactive worship today?  Do we ask our members to turn off their cell phones during worship, or do we encourage them to twitter during worship?  Do we have avenues for online offerings?

And that is just the “how” of things.  But what would we do different if we asked pertinent questions about the “where,” “when,” and “why” of our practices?

It is easy to live in dead ideas because we haven’t noticed they are dead.  And that is a sad affair.  We need to wake up to what lives today, and connect with the world we are placed in, and be enthused about learning new ways to bring the old gospel to a new group of young adults and children.  Otherwise, our main idea (Jesus is Lord…love God…love neighbor as self) will also die.

How about another title:  “The Freedom of Alive Ideas” by Your Church!