andi's perspective

WEAK SIGNALS

Wow. Choosing between 150 presentations and listening to world class entrepreneurs was a huge stimulation for thought and quite an information overflow here in Tours. One of my primary take aways is a the need for sensitivity to the weak signals from within the wider environment. Innovation does have a lot to do with creativity and a reframing of the usual perspective.

I see a time coming where kingdom actors are not only sitting together with sociologists to broaden their horizon, but with quantum physicists as much as with web2 entrepreneurs, information brokers, primary school teachers,  and creative democracy theorists.
-> How could your very lcoal church become a leader in such kind of interdisciplinary and multi-perspective value integration?!

OPEN INNOVATION

There is a growing realisation in industry and research today that innovation cannot rely on the corporate resources only, but that the speed of our networked knowledge economy requires to collaborate on innovation - in some instances even with competitors. Open Innovation is the buzzword.

Tomorrow i am going down to Tours, France, to a big Open Innovation Conference organised by a network of "professionals in innovation management" to present our recent business activities in this field and to see where the scene is headed.

THE STARFISH VISION

Wolfgang is leading the way. Here finally comes his long awaited introduction into what he calls a "flat-structured global apostolic network" symbolized by the starfish (and alluding to the famous business conception of leaderless organisations):
"Die Starfish-Vision", until now in German only. What i really like is that the vision comes with more than just words: The Starfish Portal introduces an "apostolic resource structure" incl. downloads, newsletter, association, foundation, donations.
As usual with the prophet, claims and visions are unsurpassable. Let's see what that new structure can help us achieve for the King.

FRANCE IN FOCUS

FRANCE is in focus these days! All those with a heart for this beloved - and so notoriously unruly - Europe kernel, have ample opportunity these days to pray, send or go:

• Still until March 16th runs a global 40 days of prayer initiative by Pray for France! Meet the man behind it.
• April 18-20 missional hearts and creative minds are reaching out for "His new" in a European gathering in Nimes!
• French speaking youth conglomerates  July 5-13  in Strasbourg for a multi-faceted missions week organized by (really inspiring) AJC!
• The HopeNow! year of cooperation and evangelization for Strasbourg is also still around and progressing slowly but steadily along the lines of the local establishement. With emRG we are still around to support where possible.

I am waiting for the day to see this country bless the Lord in all its beauté !

CONNECT VOW PROCESS

Under the influence of the "Zinzendorfstraße" the Connect family decided to go ahead with the COVENANT idea while recognizing that we would need something more Connect-specific than just going with the original = revived Mustard Seed Order Vow.
We are in drafting stage. Here is the kernel of my most recent suggestion:

• That His Body be built - we connect the tribes of Europe.
• That His Kingdom come - we labour for reformation in church and society.
• That His Will be done - we bond our lifes together in obedience to Him.

Any spontaneous feedback to this?

CONNECT-ING IN PRAGUE

Christine and me are downtown Prague right now exploring the future of the ConnectEurope network in the circle of close and trusted friends. In a small group of 12 we enjoy friendship among South (PT), North (FI), Central  (CZ, HU, SK) and West (NL, DE) Europe (UK and NO missing!).

The first point that i took from our initial sharing/ prayer was that with a view of seeing God's kingdom advance in Europe, we are set to stay for the long term:

• Building the Body into the Future. As forerunners paving the way for the next generation. So, not to over-expect in the short-term, rather build wisely and measure in decades.

Curious to see where our very relaxed and family-feeling meeting goes towards tomorrow.

PROCEDURAL REVOLUTION

Not only in reformational or emerging circles there is talk about high-participative structures and procedures of interaction. The "world" is tackling the same issues.

Here is a great opportunity for German speakers to get engaged in this pan-societal revolution:
The Procedere Conference is a high-participative event bringing together innovators from business, politics, and all spheres of society asking "Woran hängt's?" to stimulate a breakthrough of cooperative procedures bottom-up.

I am going to support Oliver Schippers who has been asked to facilitate the discussion of the church track and am looking forward to fresh meetings with innovative minds from all kind of backgrounds of this God-beloved world.

Join us if you can!

BUSINESS 2.0

Business is changing as it adapts to the not yet unfolded implications of what it means to be a global "knowledge economy".

• Ceil complexity!
• Reduce busyness, increase productivity!
• Outsource everything but genius!

This is just a few of the new imperatives that are being preached by the new breed of entrepreneurs and high-end business consultants (like Sullivan or Schefren).

I like the title of a book i devoured on my trip back from the US: "The 4-Hour Workweek". Sounds like a fair balance between keeping the cash going and freeing up time for the kingdom, does it?

THE RECOVERY CONVERSATION

"The recovery of the narrative of the Bible  will be as critical as the recovery of the church. Indeed it may not be possible to recast the church in missional mode without euqipping the church to understand and live the story of the Bible."

Pursuing the quest of "the Bible & Misison in the new europe" Martin Robinson with these words invites you to pencil in next years Eurochurch conference from 15 to 17 April 2008 near Lisbon.

I can absolutely recommend you to join this intellectually stimulating high-quality conversation, especially if you are more on the thinking side of things or are looking for great company of open minds among leaders in church & missions.

And - do not hold their webpage against them. Not all that is gold glitters...

HOPE magazine 2nd ed

Along its lines

• Recovering the Past: The roots of the EU
  
• Understanding the Present: God back to the Netherlands?
  
• Engaging the Issues: Forced labour within our borders
  
• Shaping the Future:  Guidelines for social action 

the brand-new edition of the "HOPE magazine" discusses the question about a "Spiritual Climate Change in Europe". It includes research snapshots on "Counting Christians", the emRG standing offer for cities,  and a short network update.

I love the paper, not because i try to help in editorial function, but because it is the only print paper i know that discusses Europe from a strategic perspective.

Download for free or order a bulk of high quality prints for a few bucks.

And: Spread the news! The magazine is young and not known to many who would be eager to read.