Mainline Protestants can still have an exciting and life-giving future. Living into that future will require us to learn deeply Harvard business professor Clayton Christensen's lessons of disruptive innovation, say three United Methodist Church leaders.
Monday, May 19, 2014
In this series of articles, Kenneth H. Carter Jr., L. Gregory Jones and Susan Pendleton Jones explore disruptive innovation and what it means for the future of mainline Protestantism.
Mainline Protestants and disruptive innovation
Mainline Protestants can still have an exciting and life-giving future -- if they learn the lessons of disruptive innovation from the steel industry and other organizations.
Mainline Protestantism and disruptive innovation in youth ministry
While mainline churches were looking the other way, marginalized youth ministries became laboratories of disruptive innovation. Fortunately, hand-wringing despair is not the only option.
Disruption and leadership development in mainline Protestantism
Mainline Protestantism has been slow to create new models of clergy leadership development that take into account the disruptive forces acting in congregations and the culture.
When disruption comes to church
Leaders in mainline Protestantism need to look beyond the stereotypical congregation to envision new ways of gathering as God's people.
Disrupting mainline Protestantism through the digital revolution
Rather than lagging behind in the digital revolution, mainline Protestants should be leading the way, helping people embrace technology faithfully.
UMC Bishop
Dean, Duke Divinity School
Retired associate dean
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