A Book Review of Tod Bolsinger’s audio book of the same title
Tod Bolsinger delivers. Ever since his book that hangs its hook on taking canoes into an area without water and the ensuing adaptation to the leaders response I have been a fan. I like people who think differently and Tod certainly does that. While I would have learned the analogy of the way an eagle sees – big picture scanning and zooming into detail, Tod uses the dancefloor and balcony analogy – both bring us on a journey of adaptive leadership.
Wasting a crisis by trying to revert to business as usual is not on the cards for Tod. I was listening on my way to a training conference – you know the kind – the same material is pitched in ever increasingly hysterical tones because if we do not buy in to it they will have to find a new way. I was listening to Tod. I was wondering what would happen if this stalwart of conferences started looking from afar (the balcony). I also wondered if they would get their groove on (on the dancefloor).
I was also struck by the fact that Tod would have looked at the audience and changed the format. But no, they didn’t. They hauled out new wave worship bangers. Three-quarters of the audience were unaware there was a new wave worship banging scene, never mind joining in. As I responded to the music, I began to lift my hands in worship. I tried hard not to notice at least three people open mouthed gazing at me. I did adjust – I moved to the back and freely worshipped but I was aware of the difference.
Tod’s point in writing this book is to try and get church leadership to stop trying harder at what has been successful in the past. He wants them to recognize that the past is gone. The techniques that were once successful are no longer effective. The past is gone, Christendom is over, COVID killed off a way of doing church. Now we need to rely on being church. We need to rely on God more and more. In our weakened state He can do infinitely more.
Organizations that thrive in a changing world have a bias to experimental actions.
Tod Bolsinger
Tod calls leaders to “Don’t predict. Prototype. Don’t try harder, try some- thing new.”
Why are we so afraid to try? I leave that with you to think about.
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
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