I’m gathering thoughts, ideas, insights and stories on contextualization in ministry. Nelson Searcy shared some thoughts in THIS article recently. I’d love to hear your thoughts on what this means to you where you serve. Please comment!

If you haven’t noticed, my blog posts have either been brief or copies of someone else’s. This month (March), I’ve committed to write at least one chapter a day for my new book on innovation. I’m putting all my effort, energy and brain cells into that. Honestly, I don’t have a lot left over.

After I write this book, I’ll be back to blogging like  normal, but in the meantime, if you know of a good blog post that you think is worth me reposting or you’d like to do a guest blog, just let me know and I’ll take it under consideration. It could work out to be a win-win for us. It will free me up to write and expose my readers to a new voice. So if you’d like to contribute something, comment here or email me at greg@gregatkinson.com.

Thanks for your continued prayers for me as I write daily. Pray that God would inspire me and give me great insight to the subject of innovation. Thanks!

I’m collecting stories of risk and would love to hear from you. I’d like to hear if you and your church took a risk and what the outcome was and I’d love to hear if you think a Biblical story demonstrates taking risk. You, my friends, are my partners in writing this book. Please share a story of risk with me.

As I’m writing this book on innovation, I’m including a Biblical example in each chapter. I have a lot of Biblical stories that I feel show innovative thinking or action, but I’m always looking for more. If you have a Biblical example of innovation or doing something new or different because God led them to – PLEASE share it with me. I would love your input. Fire away!

After studying, researching and chewing/meditating on innovation for 3 years and traveling the country in 2008 and 2009 speaking to Church leaders in major cities, it’s time for me to write about what I’ve learned. I’ll be taking the month of March to write daily on the subject of innovation in ministry. I sincerely ask for your prayers. Pray that God would write through me. Pray that my writing would be anointed, inspired, potent and insightful.

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. – Galatians 5:16 (NIV) If I’m honest, I love this verse and I wrestle with it at the same time. It almost seems too good to be true or “easier said than done.”

What helps me process and grasp this truth better is a fresh reading of it in another translation. In The Message it reads: My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness.

Now THAT is something I can relate to: being motivated by God’s Spirit. Truly seeking to have the mind of Christ. Please know, friends, that this is a daily process. We must (intentionally) walk in the Spirit, being motivated by what the Spirit shows us – daily.

I know this isn’t easy, but it’s something I’m striving for and pray and encourage you to do the same.

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power. – 1 Corinthians 2:4 (NIV)

I heard Dave Gibbons speak  a couple of days ago and deeply resonated with his thoughts on churches and pastors needing to believe in the Holy Spirit more. I don’t have much to add to this powerful Scripture verse. I sincerely hope you’ll mediate on it and let it sink in. Rest in Him.

So – BAM – yesterday Google Buzz dropped. There’s been a lot of talk about whether or not people like it. I’m still not sure myself. I’m such a huge fan of Twitter. I did just do my first “buzz” though. So, what do you think about it? Will it survive?

As I watched the Super Bowl I couldn’t help but be struck by the boldness and guts it took to do the onside kick at the beginning of the second half. I applauded New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton for having the idea and nerve to go for it. For me, I think that recovery of the onside kick changed the rest of the game – there was a momentum shift and the Colts never recovered.

As you know, I’ve been traveling the country for the last 2 years speaking on the subject of innovation. I’ve taught on innovation at several conferences, schools and to regional meetings of Church leaders around the country. After the past 2 years of studying, reading and forming my thoughts on innovation, I’ve come to realize that innovation and risk go hand in hand.

A lot of churches want to be “innovative”, but don’t have the guts or faith to take strategic risks. Hear me Church leaders: sometimes you must be willing to risk it all – that means your organization’s culture has to have a freedom to fail. Successful and innovative organizations and businesses actually reward failure because they realize it’s necessary for breakthroughs in innovation.

I’m working on a book on innovation in which I’ll go into much more detail, but for today I encourage you to chew on this notion of risk and being willing to fail – it just might lead to something amazing in your ministry.

Let me know: When was the last time your church took a risk?

Last week I posted about Owl City’s – Meteor Shower song possibly being the future of worship music. I could tell from many of the comments that some didn’t quite get why I thought he (Adam Young) may be on to something in the realm of worship music.

Yes, I love seeing laptops on stage and I love using loops in worship, but that’s just scratching the surface. What makes that song special is the space that he leaves in it – the room to breathe and reflect. There are plenty of moments when he’s not singing anything. THAT I think may be a glimpse of the future. Actually, it takes us back to Biblical (Selah) times of worship. Funny how things come back around isn’t it?

This week I’ll be writing primarily to worship leaders. If you’re a techie or pastor, please forward my blog on to your worship leader. I hope you’ll read it as well, as we all can stand to learn something new, but please make sure whoever leads worship at your church reads my blog this week. Thanks!