Why I Innovate For Jesus

We’re gearing up for #ThankAPastor, our biggest #I4JLIVE show ever, next week.

In the meantime, here’s a note from Justin Blaney on why the Church needs to share ideas and encouragement – and our vision to help. 

My first trip to Phoenix was in the summer of 2010. I sold software to churches that tracks attendance, giving, and parishioners’ answers to questions such as ‘how do you like your eggs?’ Being new to the job, one of my favorite parts of visiting large churches was touring the facilities. I was raised in a small Friends church of the evangelical Quaker denomination.

Our kitchen committee believed a lobby coffee machine was pretty cutting edge. I was fascinated with these glistening stainless steel mega-churches that rose from the dunes. Even the word mega-church impressed me. It sound like a super hero, like you expect the church to transform into a flying aircraft carrier that could take down Godzilla.

At one point in my third tour of the day, I thought we had inadvertently stepped onto the set of Finding Nemo, the Broadway Musical. But no, this was just the 4s and 5s wing. My tour guide noted that despite the architectural splendor, they were having a problem with the little printers that spit out security stickies for parents—a similar problem to the one solved by my previous appointment. I suggested they point a Mighty Church search light into the night sky to call the church across town and discover how they fixed the issue. I will always remember my tour guide’s response.

“Never heard of them.”

Look, I know about big cities. I’ve seen Independence Day. If your city doesn’t get destroyed by aliens every summer, you ain’t all that.

“You haven’t heard of Iron Man Church?” I said. “The church that has a talking Whale who can tell little boys and girls the story of Jonah? The church that has a worship lighting display that was designed by Katy Perry and rivals Disneyland’s The World of Color?”

“They sound familiar. Are they in the Valley?”

At that moment, I realized Churches don’t talk to each other very much.

It’s not hard to see why. Church staffers are underpaid and overworked. There’s counseling, volunteer coordination, praying for the hurting and sick, teaching, etc. Not to mention running The World of Color twelve services every weekend.

I also believed God had put me into a really cool spot. My job enabled me to meet with dozens of churches a month, who I could not only serve by helping them solve their church management problems but also as a cross pollinator of ideas.

Innovate For Jesus was founded to help Church leaders grow.

We know you don’t have time or energy to sort through all the resources you have at your fingertips, online here, or in print. We curate the best content from top thought leaders who share our vision for serving the Church – folks like Jon Acuff , Larry Osborne, Eric Mason, Wayne Cordeiro and Rachel Cruze - giving you tools you can use to build the Church. Innovate For Jesus Magazine is just one more way we hope to serve you. The theme of our first magazine is growing smart, but that’s really the theme of the entire Innovate For Jesus project. And more than that, it’s my calling. I love serving engaged church leaders by linking them with innovative thought provokers—carefully curating the most insightful and engaging ideas, and presenting them in an approachable and easily digestible format. My goal is that we can encourage, serve, and equip pastors to grow the church.

Thank you for doing what you do. I hope Innovate For Jesus can inspire and challenge you with innovative ideas and timeless wisdom that help you grow the Church—as I think Daft Punk says it best—“better, faster, stronger.”

-JUSTIN BLANEY

FOUNDER OF INNOVATE FOR JESUS

We’re thrilled to begin this journey, and invite you to partner with us. 

Visit www.i4j.org/thanks to learn how you can join us, and recieve a personalized, first edition copy of Innovate For Jesus Magazine to encourage and bless a pastor in your life with. 

Tell us you’re in with #ThankAPastor and the comments below!