Innovation and the GC

[Stan]

Mission Spotlight has been such a blessing to people over the years, now the GC is doing something similar (by Great people there bty). SO Mission Spotlight can not compete, and are closing down.

The "brethren" laughed at the Sheltons when they said they were going to build a world wide satellite program, now they are trying to catch up. (and they have good people building HOPETV)

BUT it make a person wonder, if the GC can innovate anymore, or it they are now just a copy cat.

The sad thing is, they seem to destroy any ministry their deep pockets can copy.

Perhaps others can list some recent GC innovations..

[Tom Wetmore]

...BUT it make a person wonder, if the GC can innovate anymore, or it they are now just a copy cat.

The sad thing is, they seem to destroy any ministry their deep pockets can copy.

Perhaps others can list some recent GC innovations..

It would seem that the reverse is true with regard to internet forums for Adventists... While they may not have been absolutely the first the GC sponsored forums were the first to really take off.... and then there came a whole bunch of copycats.

Tom

[Stan]

That is so true... I appreciated the innovation there, wonder how many other things went to the 'private sector' as well.

[Stan]

My personal opinion, is that we may still have had the forum, as well as other internet stuff if RSF was the leader. He is kind of an innovation Cowboy.

Our Conference has stated, the only way we can make our conference a safe place to succeed, is if we make it a safe place to fail.

I have wondered, if the GC is a safe place to fail, I rather doubt it, and not sure it can be.

[olger]

"I have wondered, if the GC is a safe place to fail, I rather doubt it, and not sure it can be."

Help me understand this further, Stan.

Thanks,

olger

[bevin]

Quote:

have wondered, if the GC is a safe place to fail, I rather doubt it, and not sure it can be.

This is a critical point in industry and even in personal life.

Risk taking and innovation inevitably causes some failure rate - startup computer companies used to have at least a 90% failure rate, and many research projects end up concluding that they don't know how to achieve the goal.

For people to be willing to start and staff such efforts, they must not be penalized when the effort fails - instead they should be commiserated with, congratulated for giving it a go, and rewarded by being aimed at a new problem...

The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.--William Connor Magee

/Bevin

[Gerr]

Group-think & highly regimented organizations/companies/gov'ts tend to discourage innovation.

Gerry

[Jeannieb43]

What a shame, to lose Mission Spotlight!

And, No - I can't think of any GC innovations recently.

They only want to control all the innovations of any of the members.

[Woody]

I would go one step further than Jeannie .... The GC wants to control not just the innovations but the members themselves. And I can give you quotes for that if you like.

""The majority of the church is a power which should CONTROL its individual members "" 5T 107

Church Manual p.17 " The highest authority under GOD among SDAs is found in the will of the body of that people, as expressed in the decisions of the General Conference ... such decisions should be submitted to by all without exception, ... Independent and Private judgment must not be stubbornly maintained but surrendered."

CM p.17 of the 1986 edition. That is the only edition I have available.

REDWOOD

[Jeannieb43]

" The highest authority under GOD among SDAs is found in the will of the body of that people, as expressed in the decisions of the General Conference ...

REDWOOD

I think that quote adds the words "...in plenary session" or something to that effect. In other words, the words "General Conference" in this excerpt refer to the quinquennial general session of the voting delegates -- not the church headquarters office in Silver Spring.

[Woody]

Thank you Jeannie ... I looked it up and it actually finishes with the words " when acting within its proper jurisdiction"

I guess I don't see how it matters. The GC still controls it's members. If that doesn't bother you then wonderful.

The Catholic Church has the Pope ... we have the GC session.

Let me add one more for a look at ...

"" On the Church has been conferred the power to act in Christ's stead. To it the Lord has delegated the power to settle all questions respecting its prosperity, purity, and order. Upon it rests the responbility of excluding from its fellowship those who are unworthy, who by their un Christ like conduct would bring dishonor on the truth"

7T 263 -264

Aren't we ALL "unworthy" by our unChrist like conduct ???

Who is our judge ??? I thought it was GOD. AND that was suppose to be at the END of time.

Seems like the church is taking on a lot of responsibility that belongs only to GOD.

[lazarus]

There are alot of good people at the GC but I guess like with all corporations the "bottom line " becomes the key issue. Why innovate when the money is still comming in. I think in reality the primary focus is maintaining unity and keeping most of the visible vital signs of the church healthy.

[puddles]

I, for one, will miss Mission Spotlight. I think Ginger O'Neil should be commended for taking over for her father. I think most of us can say that this has brought the mission projects a bit closer as far as mission work goes. To me it gives "a face" so to speak.

I didn't realize until yesterday that MS was shutting down. I personally wish the GC could have supported this ministry (monetarily) and kept it going. When I was first introduced to MS, it was a slide presentation with a cassette tape and a booklet so the person running the slides would know when to go on to the next slide. Then came the video tapes and now the DVDs. Technology is an amazing thing but does cost $$$.

Thanks to all the folks that had a hand in the Mission Spotlight. You helped make some of us realize what our dollars could make into reality for those that had nothing or very little.