The New. It’s what everyone is talking about, and can’t get enough of. It’s as if all of us, all of humanity cries out, “What’s next?” We want the “NEW”! And I won’t lie. I do too. I have this innate desire to try, experience, even help create the “NEW”.
So when you see Colbie Caillat (YouTube clip) and hear how her Dad told her to be original, “Write your own songs, create your own flavor, that’s the way you are going to make a name for yourself,” and then not only does she follow her father’s advice and write her own music, lyrics and notes, and launch an MTV career on MySpace with a hit song called Bubbly; she is the NEW. When you see person after person step forward and accomplish such feats, you can’t help but ask yourself, what “NEW” could I do?
No Talk Feature
The problem I’ve found with myself and in seeking to become an originator NEW, is that there are so many ideas that you could stake your claim on and push through to find your success and fame. One idea I’ve had most recently (my friend Sean Flynn helped me name it) was to create the No Talk feature on car radios. You’re in your old jalopy, you have your 6 preset stations on your car stereo and you set the No Talk feature. All of a sudden as your favorite tune dies away and the radio begins a commercial break, your radio being set for No Talk finds one of your other favorite preset music stations with a song playing, and vaula (that’s French for, “NEW”), more music, no commercials, No Talk.
While I don’t know if this was already thought of long ago and radio stations every where barred against such an invention for obvious reasons, I know that there are simply a million ideas, a hundred thousand creations that have yet to be discovered. The question you have to ask yourself is, which NEW will I pursue.
As a would be pastor, I am passionate about wanting to lead people towards spiritual things as a career. Now don’t misunderstand, not just spiritual people: Billy Graham, great guy. Or spiritual habits, yoga is enlightening. But more than this, seeing groups of people come together around a central focused spiritual purpose.
I have found that these two things are what get people fired up and sticking to your NEW.
1. Relationships
Everything hinges upon the relationship. You can have customers, clientele, or guests. But in my arena, specifically in leading the creation of a new young adult ministry, disciples are loyal because of the relationship they have with you as a leader. I have seen it first hand, there must be a connection made between your NEW and the people you want to share it with and draw into your circle to help you develop your idea.
But what constitutes a relationship? You can’t count every customer or person who you’re wanting to share your NEW with as a bosom buddy. The question that must be on your mind first and foremost: Am I aware that people need to like me? Not do they like what I’m wearing or my current hair style, while that may sway them if they’re Paul Mitchell. Do they see my genuine heart, that I care and that I am sincere?
If you want to get your NEW out there, you’ve got to establish relationships that count, that are genuine and real. Engender a real conversation outside your interest in leading them to your NEW, that expresses you care about them. May not sound revolutionary, but people won’t stick with helping you launch your NEW unless they are tied to you and have a personal interest in seeing you succeed.
From personal experience and hardship I’ve seen several leaders who I thought who support me and my NEW in a huge way not come through because as much as I thought it was, there wasn’t a solid, real relationship there. There wasn’t loyalty. Don’t start something NEW with someone that isn’t going to be loyal, you’ll suffer for it later.
2. Responsibility
If you want to do something NEW, do you have people around you who you can bring with you, get involved in your project or idea, and allow them as they have a relationship with you to take ownership in your endeavor? If so, give responsibility to them, don’t take it back, and continue to reward those that handle larger amounts of responsibility with more as they prove worthy of it. Recognize that you can’t do it alone. The best book about this from the business world is E-Myth. If you are wanting to do new, especially as a small business, you need to read this book.
This being said, Christianity as a religion is not inherently NEW, nor is the Bible, nor is spirituality in general. But what is stale and or hollow about people’s faith today, doesn’t need to be shiny, or resemble tinsel town, but it does need to be fresh. This might be the biggest theme on my heart. Where is the fresh, fierce faith that we see displayed in other religions, mainly religions found in Middle East and/or India (I write this as I sit on my couch in southern Washington, U.S.)? Do we think such devotion is irrelevant, and if we haven’t decided that atheism is our thing, or that religion is for weak people, do we sense something greater and deeper, something that could become not the only the NEW we pursue, but maybe the NEW that is us? Do we gather around other people who have this desire for NEWNESS?
I see that the church is starved for the “NEW”. Like Gary, inventory of the Clif bar, you get so worn out on the wannabe power cardboard bar, you get the inspiration to make a NEW bar. I challenge you to not stick with the plain, worn out, (and before you hit the No Talk button on this blog) to strive for the NEW!
Check out a new video we’ve put together in our young adult ministry, it’s tagged to a guy named Randy’s site who is starting a movie production company — his NEW.
On our Ministry:
I have found that in trying to start a new community of fresh thinkers and doers, organizing such a group of people that want to be fresh, and stay new in who they are, it is a challenge, but its so worth it. If you have a desire to be a part of such a community or help us in launching a Christian ministry that can be a place where you make friends and make a difference, join the conversation with us — Lifesong meets Monday nights at 7 PM @ Eastside Foursquare Church in Portland, OR, off the I-205.
- click on the YouTube video on the left handside of the main page
- check out the story of the church that Lifesong ministry is a part of, definitely NEW
Write me with your thoughts – rogerbecker1@gmail.com