Change

Life is not a color-within-the-lines project:
life is a work of art.
You have to keep mixing colors,
creating new blends,
and seeing things in fresh ways.
You must be willing
to get paint
all over you.
Life is about growth.
Growth demands change.
Change requires humility.
Sometimes you need to bring change;
Sometimes you need to be changed.

Erwin McManus, Wide Awake (p61-62)

Filed under: Change, Erwin McManus, Quotes

You Might Die Trying

You Might Die Trying — Dave Matthews Band

To change the world,
Start with one step.
However small,
The first step is hardest of all.

Once you get your gate,
You will walk in tall.
You said you never did,
Cause you might die trying,
Cause you might die trying.
Cause you—

If you close your eyes,
Cause the house is on fire.
And think you couldn’t move,
Until the fire dies.
The things you never did,
Oh, cause you might die trying,
Cause you might die trying.
You’d be as good as dead,
Cause you might die trying,
Cause you might die trying.

If you give, you, you begin to live.
If you give, you begin to live.
You begin, you get the world.
If you give, you begin to give
You get the world, you get the world.
If you give, you begin to live.

You might die trying.
Oh, you might die trying.
Yeah, you might die trying.

The things you never did,
Cause you might die trying;
You’d be as good as dead.
You never did.

Filed under: Change, Dave Matthews Band, Life, Lyrics, Music, Risk

Innovation Adoption Curve

The innovation adoption curve of Rogers is a model that classifies adopters of innovations into various categories. It is based on the idea that certain individuals are inevitably more open for adaption than others. It is also called: Multi-Step Flow Theory or Diffusion of Innovations Theory. (more…)

Innovators. Brave people, pulling the change. Innovators are very important communication mechanisms.

Early Adopters. Respectable people, opinion leaders, try out new ideas, but in a careful way.

Early Majority. Thoughful people, careful but accept change more quickly than average people do.

Late Majority. Skeptic people, will use new ideas or products only when the majority is using it.

Laggards. Traditional people, love to stick to the “old ways”, are critical about new ideas and will only accept it if the new idea has become mainstream or even tradition.

(ht: Eric Bryant)

Filed under: Change, Communication, Innovation, Leadership, Vision

Mud Puppy Magazines

There are two must own magazines in my life. Both come accompanied with an equally sweet web presence. Both are leaders in change and innovation, and have flippin’ sweet design. Both would make great Christmas presents for anyone you know that loves to be on the cutting edge.

RELEVANT Magazine
www.relevantmagazine.com

RELEVANT is a bimonthly Christian magazine first published in 2003. It is a group of twentysomethings Christians who seek to break stereotypes, challenge status-quo and enact change through the media through exploring the intersection of faith and pop culture. They are a self-contained, for-profit business not affiliated with any other companies, denominations or organizations. A subscription runs around $12 per year.

WIRED Magazine
www.wired.com

WIRED is a monthly magazine first published in 1993. They are the first word on technology. Every month in the magazine and every day on the website, WIRED explores how ideas fueled by innovation change the world. Topics covered include culture, science, economy, technology, and politics. They are owned by Condé Nast Publications. A subscription runs around $10 per year.

What’s your magazine?

Filed under: Change, Christianity, Culture, Entertainment, Innovation, Magazines, Music, Politics, Relevant, Technology, WIRED

Positive Change

This story is amazing. I have no doubt it will someday be made into a Hollywood movie. It’s that good. But it sure didn’t start out that good. It all began because some parents were both scared and ignorant. I think we’re gaining some ground in our society in that regard. I can see a trend where we are starting to accept that there are people not like us. I can see a trend where we are hitting issues head on instead of sweeping them under a rug and pretending they’re not there.

You can hear doom and gloom stories all day long if you want to. They’re really not hard to find. But I want to focus my time on the positives the most I can. And friends I see a lot of positives in the world around me. And this story is just a small example of that.

Let’s continue our pursuit of positive change.

Filed under: Acceptance, Change, Future, Hope, Love, Positivity

Go White?

It was a sad night last night. I was forced to make a change that I’ve been dreading for some time now. My birthday is next month, and with that comes the annual renewing of the licence plate tags. Only this year I am forced, along with the other 5.6 million blue-plate owners, to switch from my current plate to the new design—which is hideous.

All my life I’ve enjoyed the all-blue Michigan license plate. They are so simple and unique. In college it always brightened my day to come across another Michigander in the parking lot. Now that’s all gone. Instead we’re thrown into obscurity with this vanilla garbage. They’ve even changed the bottom words from Great Lakes to a web address.

Are you serious?

The reason they say their changing the plate is that the color scheme made it difficult to see at night, and the new plate’s fully reflective background makes it much more visible. I’ve got two words for you… Bull Butter.This plate has been working for the last 20 years. That’s the lamest excuse for making a change that I’ve ever heard.

Well, what can I do but slap this junk on my car? What a shame that we’re losing our heritage. Speaking of heritage, I was also especially fond of the plate Michigan introduced in my birth year (1975) to commemorate the Bicentennial of the United States.

Your thoughts?

Michigan Licence Plates 1969-Present »

Filed under: Change, Design, Michigan

Cow Tipping

The past three days have been spent up at NorthRidge Church for a seminar on Church & Change. It provided an amazing amount information and inspiration and I imagine I will be posting a lot of it in the coming days and weeks. For now, all I can say is go buy this book by Brad Powell which goes into greater detail exactly the same material from the seminar!

Change Your Church For Good: The Art of Sacred Cow Tipping

“Change Your Church for Good: The Art of Sacred Cow Tipping” is a great book! The truths and principles Brad gives in this book can be applied to any church or ministry, pastor or leader as they transition from where they are to where God wants them to be…without compromise. This book provides inspiration, practical help and hope…a definite ‘must read’ for the church today!”

— John C. Maxwell, Author, Speaker and Founder INJOY Stewardship Services and EQUIP

Filed under: Brad Powell, Change, Church, Northridge, Sacred Cows

God Incarnate

Last week I discussed how I believe that we need to be informed of the world around us. I was looking for the line between how little we should know and how much was too much. I determined that regardless of how much or how little we know, if we do nothing we are of no help to anyone.

Sunday Rob Bell made a similar point. First he built it up by pointing out places in scripture where God used willing bodies to effect the world. Then he started pointing out all the atrocities going on around us — the AIDS crisis, the domestic violence and hate crimes in Grand Rapids, etc. Our natural instincts in these times are to cry out to God, “Where are You?”

All the while God is crying out to us, “Where are You?”

BE THE MESSAGE

Filed under: Change, Christian Life, Rob Bell

Man In The Mirror

Artist: Michael Jackson
Album: Bad

I’m gonna make a change, for once in my life
It’s gonna feel real good, gonna make a difference
Gonna make it right.

As I, turn up the collar on my favorite winter coat
This wind is blowin’ my mind
I see the kids in the street, with not enough to eat
Who am I, to be blind? Pretending not to see their needs
A summer’s disregard, a broken bottle top
And a one man’s soul
They follow each other on the wind ya’ know
‘Cause they got nowhere to go
That’s why I want you to know

I’m starting with the man in the mirror
I’m asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change

I’ve been a victim of a selfish kind of love
It’s time that I realize
That there are some with no home, not a nickel to loan
Could it be really me, pretending that they’re not alone?

A willow deeply scarred, somebody’s broken heart
And a washed-out dream
They follow the pattern of the wind, ya’ see
Cause they got no place to be
That’s why I’m starting with me

I’m starting with the man in the mirror
I’m asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change
You gotta get it right, while you got the time
‘Cause when you close your heart
You can’t close mind!

Make that change

Filed under: Change, Lyrics, Michael Jackson